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Nursery at Park Lane Primary & Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play, early reading and a purpose-built nursery give Park Lane’s youngest children a distinct starting point within the school. The nursery aims to build confidence and independence through practical exploration. This is provision for three- and four-year-olds on Park Lane in Whittlesey, with 60 nursery children described alongside the primary school’s enrolment. That figure describes children attending, rather than a capacity limit.
The physical setting matters here. A purpose-built nursery provides its own base, while links with the wider school give children opportunities to become familiar with the people and spaces involved in their next step.
Planned learning sits alongside activities shaped by children’s interests. Staff combine a curriculum focused on what children should know and be able to do with planning in the moment, responding to the skills and interests children show during play. There is structure, but room to follow an idea.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven connected areas. Relationships, movement and communication receive particular emphasis; children also explore numbers, literacy, creative expression and the world around them. Maths combines playful experiences with brief sessions led by adults. Daily Read Write Inc. phonics starts in the nursery’s spring term, introducing a regular focus on sounds before the move to school.
Outdoor areas form part of the learning plan. The early years play area includes a climbing frame and a stage, giving physical play and performance their own spaces. Woodland and wildlife areas in the school grounds also support camp-making, learning about animals and nature-inspired craft activities.
In July 2024, Ofsted found the early years curriculum organised clearly around the learning children would need next. However, the improvement action called for more precise knowledge planning beginning in early years across all subjects, alongside more consistent teaching. For parents, the distinction matters: the early years structure received positive attention, while subject planning remained an area for development.
A nursery manager and nursery assistants form the nursery team. Planning takes account of each child’s development, interests and individual needs, so activities can respond to the child rather than follow one fixed path.
SEND support includes a coordinator responsible for early years and the lower school, working throughout the week alongside teaching duties. This gives families a defined role to approach about additional needs.
Lunch club runs between the two teaching sessions. Children can bring a packed lunch or have a hot school meal for an additional charge; Caterlink supplies the school meals. Families should return an allergies or intolerances form to school reception, making dietary information part of the meal arrangements.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. The application route is Cambridgeshire’s online admissions service.
Familiarity is a separate benefit. In April 2022, transition activities included exploring the grounds, visiting the dining hall and meeting staff who would care for children in September. Children had also participated in World Book Day and Comic Relief activities. These experiences help make school spaces and people familiar; they do not secure admission.
Morning nursery sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am, with afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Lunch club occupies 11.30am to 12.30pm, so it is a separate booking consideration between sessions.
The nursery offers government-funded places for 15 hours and 30 hours. The 15-hour funding applies automatically to three- and four-year-olds; the 30-hour option depends on parental eligibility. Hot lunches carry an additional charge. Contact the school for current charges.
Enquiries go to office@parklaneprimary.com or 01733 203433. Visits can be arranged by appointment through the school office, giving families a direct way to see the nursery before applying.
The nursery caters for three- and four-year-olds in a purpose-built setting within Park Lane Primary & Nursery School.
Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Lunch club runs from 11.30am to 12.30pm.
Yes. Children booked into lunch club can bring a packed lunch or have a hot school meal for an additional charge.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. Applications can be made through Cambridgeshire’s online admissions service.
Daily Read Write Inc. phonics begins in the spring term in nursery.
