The Victory Primary School Nursery Review

Play, stories and conversation give Clownfish Class its character. This is The Victory Primary School’s pre-school in Paulsgrove, Portsmouth, with children joining in the term following their third birthday. It forms part of the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), so the nursery belongs to the school’s early education provision.

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted graded early years provision Outstanding. That judgement covers the school’s early years phase, rather than constituting a separate nursery rating. Its strongest nursery-relevant detail is the emphasis on language: early years staff supported children’s communication and early writing, giving learning a clear focus beyond play alone.

Children’s interests help shape the learning. Staff adapt the curriculum to individual needs, with exploration and active play taking place outside as well as indoors. The school says it gives emotional and social development equal emphasis alongside education. For a young child, learning to participate and express feelings therefore belongs alongside learning about words and numbers.

The EYFS brings together seven learning areas. Physical development, communication and personal development sit alongside mathematics, literacy, creative expression and understanding the world. In parent language, this means learning extends beyond early reading: movement, relationships and finding ways to express ideas also count.

Stories provide a concrete example. Early years children take part in Talk Through Stories, listening, joining in with repeated phrases and discussing how characters feel or behave. Vocabulary receives attention too, helping children explore unfamiliar words through a shared story. In November 2024, early years children also enjoyed rhymes and experimenting with sounds. These are practical foundations for joining conversations and developing an interest in reading.

Support for additional needs has a school-wide structure. The Head of Inclusion and Safeguarding leads SEND provision, and the school aims to adapt learning while working with families and outside agencies. This gives parents a route into coordinated support rather than leaving concerns solely within the classroom.

For emotional or social concerns, parents can speak to the class teacher, who can arrange a Learning Mentor referral after discussing it with the family. Two Learning Mentors also hold Emotional Literacy Support Assistant roles. Their work includes helping children understand feelings, with support shaped around individual needs.

Taylor Shaw provides the school’s catering. Meals are prepared in the school kitchens, and the menu follows a three-week rotation, revised twice yearly. Medical diets require accurate information from families; an alternative menu is provided whenever it can be done safely. That condition matters when planning for allergies.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and does not confer priority under the school’s admission criteria. Families must make a separate Reception application through Portsmouth City Council using the normal application route and deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as two separate decisions.

Morning pre-school sessions run from 8:45am to 11:30am, with an afternoon session option too. Children with 30-hour funding attend from 8:45am to 3:15pm, Monday to Friday. This gives eligible families a longer attendance pattern than the morning session.

Wraparound care. Pre-school children are excluded from breakfast club, while the after-school club serves Reception to Year 6. Families needing care beyond the nursery day should account for those age restrictions.

For enquiries, telephone 023 9200 1160. School visits can be arranged by appointment through the same number. The school is on Allaway Avenue, Paulsgrove, Portsmouth, PO6 4QP.