Howletch Lane Primary School Nursery

Goldilocks becomes a language lesson here: nursery children act out the story, putting adults’ vocabulary and expression into their own retelling. That gives Howletch Lane’s early years provision a clear focus on talking through play.

At the Peterlee school, provision starts at two, with a room for two-year-olds alongside a maintained nursery for children under five. Little Pioneers and Explorers 1 are the names used for these groups. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its September 2024 inspection; this judgement covers early years within the school.

Communication shapes the learning. In September 2024, adults demonstrated words and ways of speaking that children then used during play. The Goldilocks activity shows how this works: listening to a story becomes an opportunity to practise telling it. Children use language themselves, rather than simply hearing it.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum includes learning through play, alongside the social development and independence described in the school’s curriculum information. For a parent, the concrete example is storytelling becoming role play, with adult input giving children language to draw on.

There is an important qualification to the positive early years judgement. In September 2024, many children made progress from lower starting points, but preparation for subsequent learning remained uneven. Curriculum changes needed careful checking to ensure children were ready for what followed.

Settling into routines was a strength in September 2024: the youngest early years children became accustomed to classroom routines quickly. For children with SEND starting at the school, transition days and additional visits are part of the support described, helping them become familiar with their surroundings.

Parents can discuss identified needs before their child starts, allowing support to be planned. Across the school, the SEND process uses Assess, Plan, Do, Review: staff identify needs, agree provision, put it into practice and check progress. SEN Support Plans include parents’ views. Termly parent meetings, conversations with the class teacher or SENCO, and plan reviews provide routes for discussing support.

Individual support. In September 2024, inspectors found that some SEND plans elsewhere in the school were too broad and poorly matched to individual needs. That concern makes the match between a child’s needs and their agreed provision an important point for families to discuss.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Durham County Council’s normal primary admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Familiarity with school routines can help a child manage change, but it does not replace the application process.

Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The All Day option is 8:30am to 2:30pm. The application form lets families request these sessions on individual weekdays, Monday to Friday. Little Pioneers and Explorers 1 use the nursery door for entry and collection.

For children on the 30 Hours pattern, staying until 3:30pm attracts an additional charge. Contact the school for current charges. Two-year-old provision includes funded and paid places; the application form includes 15-hour and 30-hour funding options for two- and three-year-olds. Check eligibility through Childcare Choices. The admissions information describes funding over 38 weeks of the year.

Apply using the online nursery form or collect a form from the main office. Visits before applying can be arranged through the office on 0191 5862765 or o.howletch200@howletchlane.co.uk. There is also a Stay and Play registration-of-interest form.