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Nursery at St Joseph's Catholic Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 indoors, an outdoor area available for continuous use, and a mixed early years class give this nursery its shape. At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School on Swainsea Lane in Pickering, nursery children share a class with Reception children. That makes the nursery part of the school's early years provision from the outset, while admission to Reception remains a separate step.
Learning starts with play and exploration. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven areas: children's relationships and emotional development, movement, and communication form the foundations; early literacy, maths, creative expression and understanding the world build alongside them. The emphasis is on developing skills through experiences suited to individual children.
Inside, different areas of provision support independent learning. A designated outdoor area is available for continuous use, giving children another place to explore rather than restricting outdoor learning to an occasional activity. The school expects early years art teaching to follow children's interests.
Named programmes add structure. Essential Letters and Sounds is the school's phonics scheme, with Phase One focused on speaking and listening. Sing Up Music extends into EYFS, while Real PE is used in early years physical education, with activities adapted around children's interests. These approaches bring language, music and movement into the learning mix.
Catholic education also begins in early years through Come and See. Themes connect with children's experiences and include family, belonging and the wider world. Faith is part of the curriculum here.
The Foundation Stage teacher also holds the SENCo role, linking early years teaching with responsibility for special educational needs. Children with SEND receive adapted teaching through individual support plans or, in some cases, Education Health Care Plans. Families whose children are on the SEND register are invited to termly meetings to discuss progress and review the support plan. That gives parents a regular point for discussing how support is working.
In May 2023, clear behaviour routines began in early years, helping children learn to consider others. The school follows North Yorkshire safeguarding procedures; concerns are usually discussed with parents, although child protection circumstances can require contact with Social Care or the Police without parental knowledge.
Food arrangements across the school include a mid-morning piece of fruit or vegetable and free milk for children under five. Meals are prepared on site, and packed lunches are also permitted. Foods containing nuts must stay at home. Special dietary requirements for school lunches are handled through the office.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority's normal process by the applicable deadline. A supplementary information form collects information for the school's religious admission criteria and must be returned to each Catholic school applied to; it accompanies the local authority application rather than replacing it.
Sharing an early years class is an educational arrangement. Keep that distinct from the application for a school place.
Morning nursery sessions run from 9:00am to 12:15pm; afternoon sessions run from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. The two sessions have different lengths, so the choice matters when planning collection and work commitments.
For enquiries, telephone the school office on 01751 473102. The school is at Swainsea Lane, Pickering, YO18 8AR.
The morning session is 9:00am to 12:15pm, and the afternoon session is 1:00pm to 3:30pm.
No. A separate application through the local authority is required. The school's supplementary information form does not replace that application.
Yes. The early years class includes both nursery and Reception children.
The EYFS combines learning through play and exploration with seven areas of development. Named approaches used in early years include Essential Letters and Sounds, Sing Up Music, Real PE and Come and See.
Parents of children on the SEND register are invited to termly meetings to review their child's support plan and progress.
