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Nursery at Sawley Infant 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Songs, signing and the familiar story of Owl Babies give Sawley’s nursery a clear emphasis on helping children find their voice. In February 2024, nursery children joined enthusiastically in familiar stories, with vocabulary developed through rhymes and songs and, where needed, sign language. That gives children several ways to take part.
This is the nursery within Sawley Infant and Nursery School on Wilmot Street, Sawley. It shares a site with the junior school, and nursery collection and drop-off times are staggered around older siblings’ school hours. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 6 and 7 February 2024; that judgement covers early years within the school.
Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). For parents, that means attention to speaking and listening, movement, relationships and managing feelings alongside early reading, writing and maths. Exploring the natural world and making things are also part of the curriculum. Children’s progress is reviewed regularly during nursery.
TBQ! (The Big Question!) gives learning a question-based structure. In early years, questions for the week are explored through teaching and activities connected to topics. Children learn about asking and answering questions, including question words and the question mark. Curiosity has a practical role here: it helps shape what children investigate.
Stories provide another route into language. In February 2024, children joined in the characters’ speech in Owl Babies. Early years children also took local walks to learn about their community, linking learning to places beyond school.
Curriculum checks. In February 2024, checks on curriculum delivery, including early years, were still incomplete. Further work was required on staff expertise and checking that teaching delivered the intended learning. Families should weigh the specific language activities alongside that improvement requirement.
Support for additional needs can begin before a child joins. Parents can speak first to the headteacher or class teacher about concerns, with a SEND coordinator also part of the school’s support structure. This creates a route for discussing a child’s needs before nursery starts, as well as during their time there.
A Family Liaison Officer supports families with difficulties involving behaviour, emotional wellbeing and home routines. Meetings can take place at home or in school. Advice is confidential, with safeguarding concerns handled through the school’s safeguarding procedures.
The school buildings are single storey, with level or ramped access to the main buildings and accessible toilets. These are useful practical features for families managing access needs.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as two separate decisions.
Morning nursery doors open between 8.50 and 9.00 am, with collection at 11.50 am. Afternoon drop-off is at 12.10 pm, and nursery collection runs from 3.00 to 3.10 pm. The staggered timings allow families to drop older children off first and collect younger children first.
Parents must confirm authorised collectors through ClassDojo; anyone collecting must be at least 18. School term dates follow Derbyshire County Council’s calendar outline, and INSET dates align with Sawley Junior School. Events and activities are shared through Class Dojo and Parentmail.
For nursery enquiries, use the General Enquiries Contact Form or phone 01159732652. Visits at other times can be arranged in advance.
It follows the EYFS, combining language, physical development and social and emotional learning with literacy, maths, understanding the world and creative activities. TBQ! (The Big Question!) introduces questions for children to explore.
Morning doors open from 8.50 to 9.00 am, with collection at 11.50 am. Afternoon drop-off is at 12.10 pm, with collection between 3.00 and 3.10 pm.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline.
Contact the headteacher or your child’s class teacher first. Concerns can be discussed before your child joins or during their time at the school.
Collectors must be authorised by the parent through ClassDojo and must be at least 18 years old.
