Ss Aidan and Oswald's Nursery Review

A full-time teacher, learning indoors and outside, and a choice of morning, afternoon or full-day sessions give this nursery its shape. Nursery at Ss Aidan and Oswald's RC Primary School belongs to the main school: governance, management and curriculum planning are shared, rather than organised as a separate setting.

Children can join in the term after their third birthday. Teaching assistants work alongside the teacher, so the staffing structure combines a teaching role with classroom support.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guides learning here. The nursery aims to help children develop socially and emotionally as well as physically and intellectually: the emphasis extends beyond learning facts to how children grow and relate to others.

Learning takes place outside as well as indoors. That gives both environments a role in the curriculum. A morning or afternoon session provides a shorter attendance pattern, while the full-day option spans the school day from 8.45am to 3.15pm.

Class Dojo provides an online journal connecting home and nursery. Workshops, assemblies and an open-door approach give parents other ways to stay involved. These are useful connections for families who want contact beyond the session itself.

For additional needs, an EYFS and Key Stage 1 SEND co-ordinator forms part of the school's support structure. Parents should raise concerns with their child's teacher first. Staff then discuss the child's strengths and difficulties with the family and agree the next steps; adding a child to the SEND register requires written parental permission.

Support follows a cycle of assessment, planning, putting support into practice and reviewing its effect. Across the school, possible adaptations include visual timetables, extra thinking time and changes to resources or staffing, selected for the individual child. Speech and language therapists and educational psychologists can contribute when needed. This makes the process responsive to a child's needs rather than a fixed package.

Physical access arrangements across the school include ramps and a specially adapted changing area. For children with SEND joining from another setting, staff can liaise with parents and previous professionals to support the change.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate online application for the following year. Treat that application as a distinct step, even though the nursery shares the school's organisation and planning.

For the September 2026 intake, the application deadline was 5pm on 15 January 2026. That deadline belongs to a past entry cycle.

Transition support is separate from admissions. Across the school, children have an afternoon to meet their next teaching team. Extra visits can be arranged for children with SEND where beneficial, including individual visits. Staff handovers share successful strategies, targets and existing support, helping the next team understand the child.

Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am; afternoons run from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Full days finish at 3.15pm after an 8.45am start. These fixed options give families clear times around which to plan.

The nursery offers 15 or 30 hours of free childcare entitlement. Parents must complete a declaration three times each year to access it. The school considers toilet training before a September start ideal, so preparation for this routine deserves attention before joining.

For enquiries, telephone the school office on 0161 652 2558 or use the contact form. Form enquiries go to the office, with a reply promised within two working days.