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Nursery at Ravenshead CofE 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 pirate ship, a sensory corner and weekly woodland visits give Caterpillars its own character. This is Ravenshead CofE Primary School’s Foundation 1 nursery class, within the Foundation Unit on Swinton Rise. Children can start in the term following their third birthday, with whole-day or half-day attendance options.
Ofsted graded early years Good at the inspection on 15 and 16 March 2022. At that time, children learned together cooperatively and followed a carefully ordered curriculum, with teaching shaped around their interests. That supports the nursery’s emphasis on purposeful play.
Choice and group teaching both have a place in the routine. Children select activities during active play, then gather for adult-directed carpet sessions. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the learning framework: staff plan towards developmental objectives while using children’s interests to shape the activities. Birth to 5 Matters helps organise that progression.
Inside Caterpillars, children experiment with sand, water and playdough, make large constructions and explore painting or junk modelling. Music and role-play spaces offer opportunities to express ideas; mark-making introduces ways to record them. Early maths and phonics include problem solving, listening, stories and nursery rhymes. There is plenty to do with hands as well as voices.
A dedicated outdoor area extends the classroom. Weekly visits take children into the woods, while Friday Fun brings bikes and trikes, hoops, ball games and climbing on the pirate ship. These activities give movement a regular place in learning, with opportunities to practise balance and coordination. The school wood covers approximately 2 acres, offering another setting for practical exploration.
Christian life also reaches the Foundation Unit through its own assemblies. Stories, songs and poems introduce the week’s theme in a format suited to young children.
Independence starts with small tasks: Caterpillars children prepare snacks themselves, and the sensory corner offers somewhere to unwind. For children with SEND, learning objectives are adapted; the Small Steps Curriculum is used for specific children. This allows planning to reflect different developmental starting points.
For lunch, the school kitchen cooks hot meals each day. Packed lunches are another option, and families can mix the two. Alternatives cater for vegetarian diets, allergies and intolerances. The school excludes nuts, and packed lunches must avoid sweets and fizzy drinks. Changes to a child’s meal pattern need at least two weeks’ notice.
Class Dojo carries class updates and individual messages, with See-Saw used for Foundation learning. Longer discussions with teachers need an appointment. Messages requiring attention during the teaching day should go through the office, since Class Dojo messages may not be read then.
Safeguarding records. In March 2022, school-wide safeguarding was effective, but record storage needed better organisation so relevant staff could retrieve information promptly. This was an improvement requirement for the school as a whole.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing nursery sessions and securing a school place as separate decisions.
Within early years, learning objectives are mapped across Foundation 1 and Foundation 2. That provides curriculum continuity, rather than an admissions entitlement.
The Foundation 1 day runs from 8.55am to 3.30pm. Whole days and half days can be requested, with sessions allocated in order of application. This makes the chosen pattern a practical consideration from the start.
The funded model provides 15 hours each week for 38 weeks; eligible families can apply for 30 hours. For the latter, parents must supply their entitlement code before attendance starts, list the school as one of their childcare providers and renew the code every three months. Additional sessions can be paid for, while lunchtime can use funded hours or be charged separately. Contact the school for current charges.
Since September 2026, children can choose an active uniform resembling PE clothing or retain traditional uniform. Logo items are optional. Waterproof trousers and wellies stay at school, alongside a hooded waterproof coat for outdoor play.
Enquiries go to 01623 456516 or office@ravenshead.notts.sch.uk; school tours can be booked by phone. Late arrivals should use Main Reception on Swinton Rise if the gates or classroom door are locked.
A Foundation 1 place is available from the first term after a child’s third birthday.
Yes. Whole-day and half-day patterns are offered, with sessions allocated on a first-come basis.
Caterpillars has its own outdoor area and weekly woodland visits. Friday Fun includes bikes, trikes, hoops, ball games and climbing on the pirate ship.
Yes, or combine packed lunches with hot meals. The school is nut free, and packed lunches must contain no fizzy drinks or sweets.
No. Nursery and Reception admissions are separate, and families need to apply again for Reception through the normal process.
