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Nursery at Crosby Ravensworth CofE School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Salt-dough Diya lamps, outdoor Rangoli patterns and a spring swimming week give Crosby Ravensworth’s preschool a distinctive mix of making, exploring and physical activity. This is the school’s own nursery provision, with preschool children belonging to Wrens Class alongside Reception children on their three attendance days.
Entry begins in the term following a child’s third birthday, with starts in January, April or September. The preschool pattern is Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That makes this a specific three-day arrangement for families to build around, rather than a choice of five weekday sessions.
Ofsted’s inspection on 3 and 4 June 2025 graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.
Wrens follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Here, the concrete starting points include conversation, books and early writing: staff support children’s language and communication successfully, children encounter carefully selected texts, and the English curriculum begins with making marks and forming letters. Weekly learning challenges also feature in the early years. These give parents a picture of learning that combines expression with small tasks to tackle.
Celebrations provide material for practical exploration. Wrens children have explored Lunar New Year, Holi, Christmas and Bonfire Night. For Diwali, they made Diya lamps from salt dough and tried Rangoli designs outside, connecting cultural learning with materials and pattern. Jam Jar Theatre Company’s Penguins performance took place inside an inflatable igloo, bringing a theatrical experience into school.
The surroundings matter too. School grounds include woodland, growing beds, a pond and the River Lyvennet, while the wider curriculum includes FOREST outdoor learning days led by qualified staff. These are school resources and practices, rather than a promise that every preschool session follows the same outdoor routine. Preschool children also take part in the spring swim week, with an hour of swimming each day during that week.
Tapestry connects home with classroom learning. Teachers upload photographs and observations to each child’s online journal, and parents can contribute their own updates. That gives families a practical way to share something their child has achieved away from school.
A free taster session can be arranged through the office, giving children an opportunity to try preschool before joining. For additional needs, the school has a SEND coordinator and an ELSA-trained member of staff providing pupil wellbeing support. These are school-level support routes for families discussing their child’s needs.
Lunch is an optional charged extra for preschool. The school kitchen prepares meals on site, using fresh ingredients, with gluten-free or vegetarian options when needed. Families can therefore choose a school meal as part of the preschool day; current charges should be checked with the school.
Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat that application as a distinct step when planning your child’s next year.
Sharing Wrens with Reception children means preschool already takes place in a mixed early years class. That classroom connection is separate from admission rights. The school is its own admissions authority as a Church of England voluntary aided school.
Sessions run from 9am to 3.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The preschool accepts funded childcare hours under the 15- or 30-hour arrangements, with paid top-up hours where necessary. Lunch is charged separately, so funded attendance and meal costs need to be considered together.
For enquiries or a free taster session, contact admin@crosbyravensworth.cumbria.sch.uk or 01931 715265. Preschool uniform consists of a burgundy embroidered polo shirt and a burgundy sweatshirt bearing the school logo. Label clothing clearly. The school also asks families to provide outdoor shoes or wellies and indoor slippers or Crocs, keeping footwear suited to the different parts of the day.
Children can start in September, January or April, in the school term after their third birthday.
Preschool runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 3.30pm.
The preschool accepts 15 or 30 funded childcare hours, with paid top-up hours if necessary. School lunch is a separate charge.
No. Nursery and Reception admission are separate, and families must apply again through the normal Reception admissions process by its deadline.
Teachers share observations and pictures through Tapestry. Parents can also upload updates to their child’s journal.
