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Nursery at Hassell Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A mud kitchen, a water wall and walks to the Queen's gardens give Hassell's nursery a practical, exploratory character. This is the nursery provision within Hassell Primary School on Barracks Road in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Play extends beyond the classroom: children grow vegetables and fruit in a small garden and explore their local surroundings.
Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at its inspection on 3 and 4 October 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery inspection outcome.
Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with play and observation helping staff plan from each child's existing skills. In parent terms, the emphasis is on trying things, asking questions and developing through experience. Topics change each half term, but staff adapt them to children's interests and needs rather than treating the plan as fixed.
Indoors, children can explore construction and role play, experiment with sand or water, and use play dough. Reading, writing and investigation have their own classroom areas, alongside technology and a finger gym. These give children different ways to practise skills through activity rather than one kind of task.
Outside, bikes, digging and building sit alongside opportunities to perform and investigate. The investigation station, water wall and mud kitchen make outdoor exploration concrete. Regular walks take children to local parks, the library and the Queen's gardens, extending their experience beyond the nursery's own space.
Books are part of daily life. Children hear stories every day, while rhymes, singing and clapping games develop listening and the ability to distinguish sounds. Nursery phonics follows phase 1 of Letters and Sounds; when children are ready for letter sounds, teaching uses Read Write Inc. Readiness determines that next step.
The nursery aims to make children's first separation from their parents a positive experience, with care responsive to individual needs. Class Dojo keeps communication open in both directions: staff add updates, and parents can send messages. Families also have opportunities during the year to see their child's learning journey and contribute to nursery life.
Lunches come from AIP and are prepared fresh each day in the school's kitchen. Dietary needs can be accommodated through changes to menus and choices. Nursery lunches are charged, with payment requested ahead of the week through Parentpay; contact the school for current charges.
In October 2023, children in early years understood routines and behaviour expectations. There was also a specific concern for some children entering early years during the academic year: they needed extra help with attendance and reading, including reading in a new language. Continued work with parents was required so families could support both. For a child joining mid-year, that makes the partnership around attendance and early reading especially relevant.
Attending Hassell's nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Staffordshire County Council. Admission priorities cover catchment, siblings, specified exceptional circumstances and distance; nursery attendance is not a priority criterion.
Keep the two decisions separate: choosing this nursery concerns your child's early experience, while a Reception application goes through the council's allocation process.
For nursery enquiries and applications, contact the school directly on 01782 694567. Appointments to visit the school can be arranged by telephone or email.
Funding options include 15 and 30 hours, subject to eligibility. Nursery supplies ponchos and puddle suits for outdoor activity; families provide weather-appropriate coats, gloves and hats. That division makes preparation for outdoor play a practical part of the nursery day.
No. A separate application goes through Staffordshire County Council, and nursery attendance is not an admission priority criterion.
They ride bikes, dig, build and investigate, with a mud kitchen, water wall and investigation station. They also grow fruit and vegetables and take walks to the library, local parks and the Queen's gardens.
Daily stories accompany listening activities such as rhymes, singing and clapping games. Nursery uses phase 1 of Letters and Sounds, moving to Read Write Inc for letter sounds when children are ready.
Nursery uses Class Dojo for updates and messages in both directions. Parents also have opportunities to view their child's learning journey.
AIP provides lunches cooked fresh daily in the school kitchen, with menus adaptable for dietary requirements. Nursery meals are charged and paid in advance through Parentpay; contact the school for current charges.
