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Nursery at Archibald First School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Nursery rhymes, carefully explained new words and growing independence give Archibald’s nursery its character. This provision for three-year-olds belongs to the Early Years Unit at Archibald First School in Gosforth. Children begin their learning within the school, with nursery staff working as part of the wider early years team.
Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 29 and 30 April 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Communication is a particular strength: adults introduce vocabulary carefully and explain unfamiliar ideas, giving children support to express themselves and understand others.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework, alongside Development Matters guidance. For parents, this means learning through play and adult guidance, with attention to language, relationships and physical development as well as early reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world.
Activities help staff understand each child’s starting point. Nursery children count toys, draw themselves and experiment with making marks; adults also watch how they share turns and respond to other children during play. These observations give staff a basis for planning the next steps, rather than expecting everyone to begin in the same place.
Mathematics runs through everyday EYFS activities, with tasks children can approach at their own pace. Exploration of nature also forms part of the unit’s offer. In April 2025, children in early years played cooperatively, while adult interactions helped them sustain attention and become more independent. Familiar routines support both learning and relationships.
Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle and Dough Disco feature in the nursery parent workshop programme for October 2026. Movement, mark-making and working with dough are explained as ways to develop the muscles needed for early writing. The connection is practical: parents can understand the physical skills behind those first marks.
At least three teachers and three support staff work across the Early Years Unit. These adults act as Key Workers, with joint planning intended to maintain continuity across children’s ages and abilities. The school’s 2023–26 accessibility plan describes home visits for children starting nursery, providing an opportunity to discuss needs before school begins.
Tapestry connects learning at school and home. Families can contribute their child’s experiences, while Wow Stars offer another way to share achievements. Play days bring parents into the unit to try activities and talk informally with staff; Sharing Weeks invite contributions such as stories or a parent’s hobby.
Lunch for nursery children falls between 11.30am and 12.30pm. For children needing additional support, the school’s SEND arrangements include classroom visual timetables, quieter learning spaces and termly family reviews for children on the SEN register. A Changing Places accessible toilet is part of the school’s facilities. Together, these provide practical routes for discussing and accommodating individual needs.
Nursery attendance gives neither priority nor a guaranteed Reception place under the 2027–28 admission arrangements. Parents must make a separate application through their home local authority. Newcastle City Council offers its Citizen’s Portal and a paper alternative; the deadline for September 2027 entry is 15 January 2027.
The distinction matters when planning ahead: a nursery place and a Reception application are separate decisions. A child attending the nursery also does not establish the sibling link used in the Reception oversubscription criteria.
For the 2026–27 nursery cycle, the term-time booking model has three options. The 15-hour patterns combine Monday and Tuesday, 8.40am–3.15pm, with Wednesday, 8.40am–11.30am; or Wednesday, 12.30pm–3.15pm, with Thursday and Friday, 8.40am–3.15pm. The 30-hour option runs Monday to Friday, 8.40am–3.15pm.
Fixed attendance pattern. Children must attend every session within their chosen option, and preferences cannot always be accommodated. Accepting a place commits the allocated funded hours for the academic year. Families using additional funded hours must confirm their code by Newcastle City Council’s requested deadline and reconfirm eligibility every three months. Missing the confirmation deadline may affect the additional funded hours and result in autumn-term charges. Those without eligibility can purchase the extra 15 hours. Contact the school for current charges.
Nursery enquiries go through the school office at Office@archibaldfirstschool.co.uk or 0191 285 1957. Prospective nursery parents can arrange a school visit. The staff car park is reserved for staff, so families need to plan collection and drop-off around that restriction.
The nursery provides places for three-year-olds. The September 2026 application cycle covered children who were three by 31 August 2026.
The 2026–27 model offers 15 hours across two and a half days or 30 hours across five term-time days. All sessions in the chosen pattern must be attended.
The Early Years Unit uses Tapestry to share activities and receive contributions from home. Parents can also share achievements through Wow Stars and take part in play days.
No. The 2027–28 arrangements give nursery attendance no priority or guarantee. A separate local authority application is required, with a 15 January 2027 deadline for September 2027 entry.
The school’s SEND provision includes visual timetables, quieter learning spaces and termly reviews with families of children on the SEN register. The SENCo can be contacted through the school office.
