Melbury Primary School Nursery Review

Rainbows gives Melbury’s nursery its own identity, with morning and afternoon sessions forming the basic shape of the day. It is the nursery provision within Melbury Primary School in Bilborough, Nottingham. Children can start in the term following their third birthday.

Early language is a clear focus. In June 2024, Ofsted found that listening and language development began immediately in the early years, with stories connecting children’s learning. That gives families a concrete picture of the educational emphasis: building the skills children need to understand, talk and learn.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children’s learning and development. Early reading includes Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, with phonics beginning in Nursery/Reception. Children start learning how sounds relate to written letters, laying the groundwork for reading and spelling as they progress through school.

Stories provide connections between ideas in the early years curriculum. June 2024 findings also identified teaching that supported early years children’s learning in English and mathematics. Language, listening and mathematical understanding therefore have a clear place in the educational day.

Beyond the classroom, the school grounds include woodland, a large field and a willow structure. Outdoor looms, a traverse climbing wall and a trim trail add different physical features. These are school facilities, giving the setting an outdoor context alongside its early language emphasis. The school aims to use exploration and play in nature to develop children’s learning and environmental awareness.

Settling starts before the first session. Once a place becomes available, a member of the foundation team arranges a home visit to meet the family. Children also receive introductory nursery visits, which parents can join. These give children opportunities to become familiar with nursery before starting.

Families should tell staff about identified additional needs ahead of entry so support can be arranged beforehand. Children are expected to be potty trained, with an exception for those with specific identified special needs. That qualification matters when considering readiness to start.

Meals are cooked in the school’s kitchen, which holds a Silver Food for Life award. The school uses free-range eggs and seeks local meat and vegetables where possible. Families with dietary requirements complete a form through the office; packed lunches are permitted, but must exclude nuts. Food arrangements therefore need to take account of both individual diets and the school’s restrictions.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal local authority process and meet its normal deadline. Admission to the primary school is handled by Nottingham City Council, while nursery applications go directly to Melbury. Treat these as two distinct applications when planning your child’s next step.

Morning nursery runs from 8.45am to 11.45am; the afternoon session is 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Full-time places of 30 hours are conditional on meeting the Government’s eligibility criteria. Choose the session pattern with those conditions in mind.

Contact the school office for a nursery application form. Nursery visits can be booked by telephone on 0115 9155787. Foundation Stage children must be collected by an adult over 16, so collection arrangements need to meet that rule.

Attendance. A nursery place may be withdrawn if attendance becomes unacceptable without a good medical reason or agreed exceptional circumstances. Families should take that condition into account when committing to a place.