St Margaret's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Books, rhymes and stories gave the nursery at St Margaret's its clearest character at the March 2023 inspection: learning to read began when children joined the Nursery class. This was an introduction through language and listening, with the youngest children encountering different texts from the start.

Part of a Church of England primary school in Hollinwood, Oldham, the nursery sits within a school whose entry age starts at three. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good following its inspection on 1 and 2 March 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Communication gives the learning programme its strongest thread. In March 2023, early years staff placed a clear emphasis on children's language development within a carefully planned curriculum. For parents, the useful distinction is the attention given to how children communicate, alongside what they learn. Language development is a central part of the educational work here.

At the March 2023 inspection, reading began with stories, books and rhymes in Nursery. These gave young children several ways into language: listening to a story, encountering books and hearing the patterns of a rhyme. The emphasis was on beginning the reading journey as soon as children joined, so books belonged to nursery learning from its outset.

The early years curriculum also extends beyond early reading. In March 2023, children accessed broad learning, with important knowledge selected and revisited across the curriculum. Returning to earlier learning gives children opportunities to build on what they already know. Preparation for subsequent education was a strength of the early years provision at that time.

Support for additional needs sits within the school's wider arrangements. In March 2023, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were identified and assessed promptly, and teachers adjusted learning so they could participate. For a family considering nursery, this places access to learning alongside the identification of needs.

The March 2023 inspection also identified a school-wide concern: teaching adjustments in some subjects did not consistently achieve their intended effect, and staff needed further training to choose suitable adaptations. This was a qualification to the wider provision, rather than a finding specifically about Nursery.

Safeguarding arrangements across the school were effective in March 2023. Staff's knowledge of families helped them notice changes in behaviour, while systems enabled concerns to reach leaders quickly. Leaders acted on concerns and worked with outside agencies, giving the nursery's care a wider school framework.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Educational preparation and admission are separate questions: the March 2023 finding that early years children were ready for subsequent learning does not establish an entitlement to a place.

The school is on Hive Street in Hollinwood, Oldham, OL8 4QS. Its telephone number is 01617705900, providing a direct contact route for nursery enquiries.