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Nursery at Skelton 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Daily sound work and shared stories give Skelton’s nursery a clear starting point: learning to listen, talk and enjoy language. This is an integrated nursery within Skelton School in the village of Skelton, near Penrith, rather than a separate childcare setting.
Ofsted rated the school’s early years provision Good at its June 2024 inspection. That judgement covers the early years provision within the school; it is not a separate nursery inspection outcome.
Play carries the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, movement, relationships, early reading and number work, alongside creative expression and exploring the world. Children learn through games and play, with the curriculum designed to combine activities they choose with those guided by adults. Their interests help shape the content, giving staff a starting point in things children already know or want to explore.
Twinkl phonics is used daily in the nursery. In June 2024, nursery children were building their familiarity with sounds and vocabulary through frequent stories and rhymes. This gives early reading a foundation in listening and spoken language. The early years curriculum also helped children understand their surroundings and develop positive interactions with others. Practice needs attention. Children sometimes received too little help to revisit and secure their learning, slowing the development of some children’s knowledge and skills.
Making provides another route into learning. Early years projects have included Titanic models, with children testing ways to join materials and tackling paint that would not stick to shiny boxes. A solar-system project used papier mâché planets, displayed above a classroom spaceship. These are examples of the wider early years work, bringing construction and problem-solving into topics. Outdoors, a space is attached to the Early Years Unit; the school describes a phased development project for it.
The youngest nursery children were happy and felt cared for in June 2024. Partnership with parents forms part of the early years plan, with close relationships intended to support communication and trust.
For children needing additional help, the school’s support arrangements include teaching assistants working with individuals or groups, specialist sessions where needed, and assessment with external agencies. The SENCo coordinates provision across the school. This gives families a school-based route for discussing additional learning needs.
Lunch is cooked each day in the school’s own kitchen. Main-course options generally include homemade dishes, sandwiches and jacket potatoes; fruit and yoghurt are available alongside homemade puddings. Nursery meals are charged, and parents can order through the school’s online meal system. Water is provided at lunch tables and milk is offered free of charge. Families should contact the school for current meal charges.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as two separate decisions.
The nursery’s work with sounds, vocabulary, stories and rhymes provides preparation for the next stage of early reading. That learning benefit is separate from the allocation of Reception places.
Contact the school office on 017684 84367 or email admin@skelton.cumbria.sch.uk to enquire. The school offers appointments to visit, and its admissions page includes a nursery application form for 2026/27.
Clothing is flexible for nursery children: full uniform, selected uniform items or their own clothes are permitted. Wellies kept at school are recommended for nursery children, and a painting apron or overshirt is also useful. That allows families to choose practical clothing for play and messy activities.
Children learn through play and games within the EYFS, combining activities chosen by children with adult-led learning. The nursery also uses Twinkl phonics daily.
There is an outdoor space attached to the Early Years Unit. The school describes a phased project to develop it.
Yes. Meals are prepared in the school kitchen and are charged for nursery-aged children. Contact the school for current charges.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process.
No. They may wear full uniform, part uniform or non-uniform clothing. Keeping wellies at school is recommended.
