Hevingham Primary School Nursery

Play, stories and an older pupil buddy characterised Hevingham’s early years provision at the inspection on 31 January and 1 February 2024. The nursery belongs to Hevingham Primary School. At that inspection, children’s independence and curiosity were central to the early years curriculum. The emphasis was on exploring, learning routines and gradually taking responsibility for themselves, rather than treating play as a break from learning.

Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 31 January and 1 February 2024. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision; it is not a separate nursery inspection outcome.

At the January and February 2024 inspection, a structured curriculum gave children room to investigate through play. Children were supported to explore learning and act independently. For parents, those findings show the relationship between play and learning: children had opportunities to try things for themselves, alongside adult support. Independence was part of the learning itself.

Stories also had a regular place in early years learning at that inspection. Adults read to children frequently and invited them to join in with rhymes and repeated phrases. This gave children an active role in story time, with familiar language to practise aloud. Listening and speaking sat alongside the pleasure of sharing a book.

Learning to play together mattered too at the 2024 inspection. Children shared materials successfully and took turns, while adults helped them communicate feelings calmly. These are practical skills for a group setting: waiting for a resource, making space for another child and expressing a feeling. The observed emphasis combined exploration with learning how to participate alongside others.

At the January and February 2024 inspection, early years children were assigned an older pupil buddy to help them become familiar with school routines and settle into school life. This added a relationship with another pupil to the support children received as they adjusted. For a child beginning school life, the practical purpose was clear: help with understanding routines and becoming accustomed to the setting.

Emotional development also featured in the early years findings. In January and February 2024, adults supported children to communicate their feelings in a controlled way, alongside practising sharing and taking turns. Care and learning met in these everyday interactions. Children were learning how to explain what they felt while taking part in a group.

Attending Hevingham’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery and obtaining a Reception place are separate decisions; familiarity with school routines should not be treated as an admissions entitlement.

Hevingham Primary School is on New Road, Westgate, Norwich, NR10 5NH. The school telephone number is 01603754677, providing a direct contact route for nursery enquiries.