Acorn Nursery at Beaconside CofE Primary School

Books, songs and rhymes give Acorn Nursery its clearest character. This is Beaconside CofE Primary School’s own nursery provision in Penrith, with a Nursery class where early reading begins through familiarity with books and spoken language. The emphasis is on preparation: children build the foundations for learning to read before their next stage of schooling.

In June 2024, Ofsted described a Nursery classroom filled with books, where children rapidly picked up songs and rhymes. Staff’s work prepared children to begin reading instruction in Reception. For parents, that makes the books themselves an important classroom feature: early literacy involves language and repetition before formal reading gets going.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) describes learning through exploration, sustained effort and developing ideas. In plain parent language, children try things, persevere when something is difficult and work out their own ways to tackle a task. Those principles recognise that learning involves how a child approaches an activity as well as what they learn from it.

Social learning matters too. In June 2024, children in the early years were learning considerate behaviour towards one another and behaving well. Learning to treat other children politely is part of the preparation for sharing a classroom, alongside the nursery’s reading foundations.

Beaconside’s SEND policy sets out a process for adapting support to a child’s needs. Its Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle gives support a sequence of assessment, action and reconsideration. Personalised interventions and adjustments to school systems form part of that policy, with additional provision where appropriate. For a nursery family, this is the school’s framework for discussing barriers to learning.

Parents can discuss their child’s needs and progress with the class teacher or the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). That gives families a direct route into a conversation about support, rather than leaving concerns solely to classroom observation. Contact with the SEND coordinator is through the school office.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Beaconside’s admissions information directs September entry through the local authority and gives mid-January as the deadline for returning forms. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as separate decisions.

Curriculum continuity. In June 2024, the links connecting early-years learning with the key stage 1 curriculum needed clearer definition. This made it harder for children to extend their earlier learning on reaching Year 1. The concern matters alongside the positive nursery reading findings: preparation for the next classroom and a clear sequence of learning through later stages are distinct questions.

Acorn Nursery is attached to Beaconside at Hutton Hill, Penrith, CA11 8EN. Enquiries can go to office@beaconside.cumbria.sch.uk or 01768 840868.

School tours can be arranged through the office. Beaconside provides group tours and individual appointments, giving prospective families an opportunity to see the setting and put their questions to staff before making a choice.