English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Preston: Nursery Review

Stories, rhymes and speech development stand out in the March 2023 findings about early years provision at English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, Preston. This is nursery provision within a Catholic primary school on Sizer Street, rather than a separate childcare setting. The school's age range starts at three.

The practical shape is simple: nursery runs from 9am until noon, totalling 15 hours per week. For families seeking a morning routine, that gives a clear starting point for planning the day. A midday finish matters just as much as the start time when arranging collection and care afterwards.

Stories and rhymes were a concrete part of children's learning in March 2023. In March 2023, Ofsted found that nursery children enjoyed both, and that early years staff were well prepared to help children develop speech and language. Listening and language therefore provide a useful focus for parents considering this provision, with enjoyment of stories sitting alongside support for communication.

The nursery belongs to the school's early years foundation stage (EYFS). The March 2023 findings give a picture of learning through hearing stories, enjoying rhymes and receiving staff support for language development. These are specific reasons to consider how the morning would suit a child who enjoys listening and joining in.

Nursery has its own gate and path for entry and collection. That is a useful physical detail for families organising the school run: the nursery's access route is identified separately from the routes used by older year groups.

Children in the early years played considerately together in March 2023. Alongside the finding about staff support for language development, this gives parents two relevant points about the nursery experience: interaction with other children and help with communication. Both matter when a child is beginning to take part in a group setting.

For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) enquiries, families can contact the school's SEND coordinator by telephone. The school also has an assistant SEND coordinator. These roles provide a direct contact route for discussing a child's needs; families can use that conversation to explain the support their child requires.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a place in the school's Reception class. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery and applying for Reception are separate decisions, so future school plans should allow for both steps.

The 9am-to-noon morning amounts to 15 hours per week. Plan collection around that nursery finish rather than the later finish of older children. Entry and exit use the nursery gate and path.

General and admissions enquiries can go to the school office by telephone on 01772 556092 or by email to bursar@englishmartyrs.lancs.sch.uk. A contact form provides another enquiry route. For families weighing up the morning pattern, these are straightforward ways to begin a conversation about joining.