Trent Vale Infant School Nursery

Counting through play, early reading and a Foundation Stage garden give Trent Vale’s nursery its character. This is the school’s own nursery provision on Trent Road in Beeston Rylands, with F1 known as Acorn Class. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions give families three distinct patterns to consider.

The nursery belongs to Trent Vale Infant School within the Trent-Rylands Federation. Its day combines early learning with personal development: counting has both play and direct teaching, while weekly personal, social and health education begins in F1. These are useful specifics for parents seeking a first school experience with more than one kind of learning.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning includes the foundations of number, language and physical development. For mathematics, the EYFS framework sits alongside Development Matters. In F1, children learn through play as well as adult teaching, working on counting principles and the vocabulary of shape and space. The emphasis is on building understanding before moving further into mathematics.

Reading starts in Nursery. At the March 2025 inspection, children used pictures to help connect sounds and combine them into words. This gives a concrete sense of the early reading work, rather than suggesting that learning waits until full-time school.

Physical learning extends beyond the classroom. Foundation Stage activities use the hall, playground and Foundation Stage garden, with both adult guidance and independent activity. Children practise moving with confidence, understanding space and handling equipment of different sizes. Work with small objects and tools develops control; coordination and strengthening exercises also support the movements needed for writing.

My Happy Mind Plus gives weekly personal, social and health education a named approach from F1. The federation aims to develop emotional understanding, resilience and mental and physical health through this teaching. Foundation Stage relationship learning also considers how children have changed since babyhood, making growing up a topic they can relate to their own lives.

Additional needs are supported through the school’s SENCo, working with teachers and teaching assistants. Specialist input includes Speech and Language Therapists, the Educational Psychologist Service and the Schools and Family Support Service (SFSS). This brings classroom support and outside expertise into the same structure.

Individual interventions may take place in the classroom or a familiar, quiet space. Parents are consulted about extra provision or external-agency support, and communication with families is regular. Children with specific needs are often met by a teaching assistant at the beginning of the day, offering a practical point of contact. Letters and termly communications reach families through Parent Hub.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through Nottinghamshire County Council’s admissions department, using the normal application route and deadline. Treat the nursery decision and the Reception application as separate steps: choosing sessions here does not replace that later application.

Morning nursery runs from 8.45am to 11.45am; the afternoon session is 12.30pm to 3.30pm. A full day runs from 8.45am to 3.30pm. Those nursery times are the ones to use when planning collection and the working day.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 0115 9179224 or email office@trentvale.notts.sch.uk. The SENCo can be contacted directly at senco@trentvale.notts.sch.uk for discussion of additional needs.