Little Cuthbert’s Nursery at St Mary & St Joseph

Play leads the plans for Little Cuthbert’s, the school-based nursery for two- and three-year-olds at St Mary & St Joseph Catholic Primary School in Pocklington. Its launch was scheduled for Autumn Term 2026, with new provision for two-year-olds forming part of the building programme. This is a nursery expansion within a Catholic primary school, with a school-day initial offer.

The school’s nursery curriculum sits within St Peter, its combined nursery and Reception class. That shared organisation is distinct from the question of obtaining a school place later.

The planned initial nursery hours are 8.50am to 3.25pm. Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), supported by Development Matters: children build communication, physical skills and relationships alongside early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding their surroundings. Play is the nursery’s stated starting point.

Stories and practical exploration give that framework substance. Nursery plans include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Tiny Seed, with singing, story props and conversations helping children build language. Phase 1 phonics includes listening to sounds around them, making sounds with their bodies and noticing rhyme. The emphasis is on listening and speaking as foundations for reading.

Physical learning has concrete equipment behind it: a climbing dome, outdoor bikes and scooters, plus playdough and tools for sand and water. These activities connect large movements with the smaller hand movements needed for handling tools and making marks. Seasonal plans also include planting and observing changes in the natural world.

In October 2023, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good and found a carefully ordered curriculum, with stories used to develop vocabulary. Children then sustained attention during drawing and cutting, remembered songs and had opportunities for outdoor activity. Those findings predate the Little Cuthbert’s expansion planned for Autumn Term 2026.

For Autumn 2026, nursery nurse staffing was arranged across two team members, covering one and four days respectively. Nursery plans include Stay and Play sessions and parent evenings, while Evidence Me supports exchanges about children’s learning. These give families ways to take part and discuss development.

Early years SEND support includes listening to parental concerns, monitoring development and following an assess, plan, do, review cycle. Parents are informed when additional educational provision is introduced, keeping them involved in decisions about support.

School meals are cooked on site, with sandwiches and jacket potatoes among the choices; children can also bring a packed lunch. The school excludes nuts because of allergies. During the planned building changes, school lunches were to move into classrooms, a practical change to the eating environment.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. For September 2027 entry, families must apply separately through their home local authority by 15 January 2027. Nursery attendance gives no priority within the 2027/28 oversubscription criteria.

A Supplementary Information Form is also requested for applications under criteria 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and must reach the school by the same deadline. Treat nursery enrolment and the Reception application as separate decisions.

Expressions of interest for Little Cuthbert’s are made through its nursery form. The school office can be contacted on 01759 303287 or at admin@smsjyorks.org, and school visits can be arranged by telephone.

Longer childcare hours. Provision extending to up to 50 weeks annually, beyond the school day and into holidays, remains a long-term ambition. Plan around the initial 8.50am to 3.25pm offer rather than treating those longer hours as an established nursery booking option.