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Nursery at Westfield 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Trikes, pretend shops and older reading buddies give Westfield’s nursery a recognisable school-day character. This is pre-school for children aged three to four within Junior House, welcoming boys and girls. The maximum group size for BrightStart, which includes Nursery, is 16: a class limit rather than a promise of an available place.
Westfield joined the RGS Newcastle Group of Schools following the merger announced in July 2026. A further nursery development is planned: year-round provision extending from babies to school age. Families should distinguish that development from the existing pre-school arrangements described here.
Play and adult-led activities work together. The September 2025 ISI inspection found that the youngest children benefited from carefully organised learning, with adults demonstrating speech and conversation to build communication skills. Early reading involves identifying letters and sounds, while counting and independent problem-solving develop mathematical understanding.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum connects physical development, relationships and communication with early literacy, mathematics, creativity and learning about the world. Children’s interests influence planning. An interactive screen and programmable toys provide practical ways to explore technology; weekly singing, music and art lessons add creative experiences, and early years children also have a weekly modern foreign language lesson.
Outdoor activity includes cars, tyres and trikes, giving physical learning tangible equipment to work with. Everyday life supplies ideas indoors, too. In early years, pretend shopping and gift-buying introduce money, while visiting speakers introduce occupations such as firefighting and nursing. These are concrete ways to connect play with the world beyond school.
Helping a friend with a coat, sharing toys and waiting for a turn are part of early years learning. They make relationships something children practise through ordinary tasks. The Big Brother/Sister, Little Brother/Sister Scheme adds another connection: Year 6 pupils are paired with early years children for reading and play during breaks or lunch.
The staff team includes an Early Years Practitioner with an NVQ Level 3 qualification in Early Years. Junior House also has Additional Learning Support provision. Pupil profiles and specialist advice inform teaching adjustments, so support can respond to individual needs. Parents receive reports and attend parents’ evenings, providing opportunities to discuss progress.
A nursery offer normally follows a taster session, allowing the school to consider whether the child feels comfortable and whether it can meet their learning needs. If circumstances beyond the school’s control prevent the taster, a provisional offer may last no more than one term, with neither side required to give notice. The dated pre-school attendance model also allows hours to increase gradually across terms.
Lunch is prepared by the school’s own catering team using seasonal ingredients. Choices include vegetarian food, hot dishes, sandwiches and salad, with fruit among the options afterwards. Early years pupils have school lunch, charged separately; the 2025-26 pre-school document also allows families to arrange an alternative through the Junior House secretary.
Nursery attendance does not give an unconditional guarantee of a Reception place. Westfield’s admissions policy makes internal transfer at key stages generally automatic, but allows an exception if a pupil cannot benefit from its education. In that situation, discussions with parents happen at least one term before transfer. This conditional continuation matters more than a general assumption that families must apply again.
For children seeking entry to Reception, the arrangements are a taster day and a satisfactory previous-school report, where there is one. Those entry arrangements are distinct from internal transfer. The 2025-26 pre-school model recommends reaching full-time attendance by the summer term before Reception, allowing attendance to build beforehand.
The 2025-26 pre-school schedule offered mornings or full days. Its full-day window ran from 8:00am to 3:40pm, with drop-off between 8:00am and 8:25am. Breakfast Club ran from 7:30am to 8:00am; Twilight care extended to 6:00pm. Wraparound care attracted separate charges.
Under that dated model, the youngest children were expected to attend at least three days weekly, increasing attendance by agreement. Full-time children and existing school siblings received booking priority. Families using 30 funded hours were expected to attend the whole week unless exceptional circumstances applied.
The 2026-27 fees page continues to offer the 30-hour nursery grant. Funding reduces eligible families’ tuition charges; lunches and applicable extras remain separate. Ask the bursar for current charges. Personal visits can be arranged through the admissions team at westfield@westfield.newcastle.sch.uk or 0191 255 3980.
Children can join from their third birthday. The existing provision is described as pre-school for ages three to four and welcomes boys and girls.
Early years learning combines play with planned activities, including language work, counting, pretend shopping and outdoor activity using trikes, cars and tyres.
There is no unconditional guarantee. Internal transfers are generally automatic under Westfield’s policy, with an exception where a pupil cannot benefit from its education and discussions with parents at least one term beforehand.
Yes. Its 2026-27 fees page offers the 30-hour nursery grant. The 2025-26 pre-school arrangements described funding as a reduction in eligible families’ fees, with separate lunch and applicable extra charges.
Yes. Contact the admissions team at westfield@westfield.newcastle.sch.uk or 0191 255 3980 to arrange a personal visit.
