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Nursery at Holgate Primary and Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 spinney within the school grounds gives Holgate’s early years provision a woodland dimension: Forest School brings exploration, making and outdoor challenges into the learning mix. This is a school nursery with provision for two-year-olds and Foundation 1 groups for children aged three and four, on High Leys Road in Hucknall.
Morning, afternoon and a longer Nursery 30 hours Group offer distinct patterns for families. The choice changes how much of the day a child spends here.
Play and practical experience shape the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) approach. Adults guide some activities, while children initiate others, with the balance adjusted to their development and age. Learning takes place indoors and outside. In parent terms, the curriculum brings together learning to communicate, manage feelings and move confidently, alongside early literacy, maths, creative work and discovering how the world works.
Conversation has a deliberate place in that learning. Adults help children extend their vocabulary and express ideas; one early years example involves exploring weather and presenting a forecast. Maths also connects with ordinary routines, through counting the children in a group, sorting drinks and fruit, and using number songs. These give abstract ideas something children can handle, hear and discuss. Monster Phonics is the named scheme used across EYFS, while art, drama and music provide other ways to express ideas.
Forest School has a concrete setting: Holgate’s own spinney. Early years examples include making wind wands, experimenting with how materials move in the breeze, and exploring water through potion making. The wider Forest School programme includes building dens and making sculptures from natural materials. Tool skills are introduced gradually, with adult support and a qualified Forest School leader. Safety rules and boundary games begin the sessions, making exploration part of a structured outdoor routine.
An Inclusion Team coordinates special educational needs provision across both the nursery and school, working with families, staff and specialist advisers. Parents with concerns start with their child’s class teacher, who brings in the team when appropriate. That gives families a clear first contact rather than requiring them to work out which specialist they need.
For children on the SEND register, a Pupil Profile and Learning Plan record individual targets. Reviews involve parents at least termly, and relevant paperwork is shared with them. Support follows the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, allowing adjustments to be reconsidered as staff learn more about a child’s needs.
Physical access matters too. The school site is wheelchair accessible throughout, with accessible toilets that include changing space. Visual timetables and symbols are used where appropriate, providing another way for children to understand routines. Health professionals’ guidance informs additional medical and personal care support, with staff training matched to those needs.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application through the normal admissions process; Nottinghamshire residents apply through Nottinghamshire County Council, including when choosing schools outside the county. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions.
Transition support is a different matter from admission. Within the school, children who need an enhanced transition package can receive additional support, potentially including visual prompts or transition passports. For children with SEND, parents participate in planning the next phase. Those arrangements address the change of setting or routine, rather than securing a place.
The morning group runs from 8:40am to 11:40am, the afternoon group from 12:20pm to 3:20pm, and the Nursery 30 hours Group from 8:40am to 3:20pm. Match the collection time to the group your child joins.
For three- and four-year-olds, funded nursery education covers 15 hours over 38 weeks; the extended 30-hour entitlement is for qualifying working parents. Contact the main office for a nursery waiting-list application, with separate forms for two-year-olds and children aged three or four. School visits can also be arranged through the office.
Holgate follows Nottinghamshire County Council’s term dates, with additional INSET days. Factor those closures into childcare planning.
There is provision for two-year-olds and Foundation 1 provision for children aged three and four.
Morning nursery runs from 8:40am to 11:40am, afternoon nursery from 12:20pm to 3:20pm, and the Nursery 30 hours Group from 8:40am to 3:20pm.
No. A separate Reception application is required. Nottinghamshire residents apply through Nottinghamshire County Council.
The early years approach includes Forest School, using the school’s on-site spinney. Examples include wind-wand experiments and water exploration.
Speak first to your child’s class teacher. The Inclusion Team oversees SEND provision across the nursery and school and can become involved as appropriate.
