Otley All Saints CofE Primary School Nursery

Direct access to outdoor play and a classroom organised for children to choose their own materials give Otley All Saints’ nursery its character. This is the school’s own provision on Lisker Drive in Otley, with 26 places in each session and a qualified teacher leading the nursery. Families can choose it even if they intend to apply elsewhere for primary school.

Funded nursery education begins in the term following a child’s third birthday. The school’s Church of England identity provides the wider context, while the nursery’s practical emphasis is on learning to talk, play and manage increasingly independently.

Choice has a physical structure here. Reading and maths areas sit alongside spaces for water, sand, painting and design. Children can also explore role play, small world play, movement and materials they can mould. Labelled storage lets them select equipment and put it away afterwards, giving everyday play a useful element of responsibility.

Outside, children have daily direct access from the classroom. A covered section makes outdoor play possible in wet weather too. The nursery encourages children to play together, move actively and judge what they can manage when taking risks. Nursery playtimes are flexible rather than tied to the older children’s timetable.

The early years findings from June 2023 give a concrete picture of learning: children made a positive beginning in reading and maths, alongside developing independence in personal care. Applying sunscreen themselves was one example. In nursery conversations, adults allowed children time to formulate an answer; classmates practised waiting rather than supplying it for them. That gives quieter or slower speakers room to contribute.

Learning also extends into Otley. A nursery outing to Otley Garden Centre took place on 12 March 2026. These local experiences add another setting for children’s exploration beyond their usual play spaces.

For communication with home, parents can speak to their child’s teacher at the end of the day or arrange a telephone conversation through the office. Additional teacher meetings can be requested, so concerns need not wait for a scheduled consultation.

Support for additional needs follows a graduated process across the school. Children receiving support beyond ordinary classroom teaching have individual provision maps, reviewed regularly by the teacher and SENCO. Depending on a child’s needs, adaptations can include a quieter work area or a specific workstation. Speech and language programmes and social communication sessions are among the interventions available through the school’s teaching assistants.

Meals. Nursery children cannot have school meals. Families planning attendance across lunchtime need to take this exclusion into account when organising their child’s food.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee admission to the school’s Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through their home local authority. For September 2027 entry, the closing date is 15 January 2027; Leeds residents apply through www.leeds.gov.uk/apply. Choosing the nursery and applying for a school place are separate decisions.

Transition support is a different matter from admission. Across the school, staff share information before September and tailor transition arrangements where children need additional support. This helps prepare for a change of class, but should not be read as an admissions advantage.

The funded entitlement is 15 hours from the term after a child turns three. Children whose parents both work may qualify for 30 funded hours. The distinction matters when families plan how much nursery education their entitlement covers.

Contact the school office at office@otleyallsaints.co.uk or on 01943 464703 for enquiries or to arrange a visit. The nursery is at Lisker Drive, Otley, LS21 1DF. If collection arrangements change, including a delay or a different adult collecting, notify the school so staff know what to expect.