Our Lady and St Gerard's Nursery, Lostock Hall

An outdoor area of its own gives this nursery a clear identity within Our Lady and St Gerard's Roman Catholic Primary School. Children join from age 3, with play, conversation and stories shaping their learning. This is a Catholic setting: Come & See provides the religious education programme alongside the early years curriculum.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 1 and 2 October 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), using Development Matters. Its seven learning areas bring together language, social and emotional development, physical skills, literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. Activities respond to children's interests and needs, so learning can begin with something that already catches their attention.

Play combines children's own ideas with adult involvement. Staff observe, demonstrate and extend activities and conversation. Children explore how objects move, join together or form patterns, giving practical investigation a place alongside imaginative play. The nursery's separate outdoor area adds space for learning beyond the classroom. In October 2024, early years children enjoyed outdoor learning and maintained their attention for extended periods.

Language receives the highest priority. Daily story sessions include revisiting familiar books, discussing characters and acting out narratives, helping children use words in different situations. Bug Club supports daily phonics teaching, with listening skills forming the foundation; White Rose Maths provides the mathematics sequence.

Creative work makes the approach tangible. Nursery activities have included painting a favourite toy inspired by Just Like Jasper, experimenting with colour through handprints, and building rockets in the junk modelling area during learning about Bonfire Night. These give children reasons to look closely, experiment with materials and explain their choices.

Settling begins with contact between home and nursery. Home visits take place when children start, while a summer garden session introduces staff and outdoor space. For the January nursery intake, a December craft activity offers a chance to meet adults and other children. Families share their child's preferences, giving staff something personal to build on. In October 2024, early years children adapted to routines exceptionally rapidly and learned to recognise emotions and think about other people's feelings.

Class Dojo carries weekly learning updates, and families can contribute experiences from home. Conversations at either end of the day sit alongside two parents' evenings and half-termly stay-and-play sessions. This gives parents several ways to connect home experiences with nursery learning.

Assessment informs small-group teaching and individual next steps in early years. The school's inclusion arrangements also allow changes to equipment and activities, with specialist advice sought with parental permission. Families can contact the school office to discuss needs with the SENCo.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and securing a school place as separate decisions.

Preparation for starting Reception includes a summer garden session and an information evening for new families. These introduce people and surroundings; they do not secure admission.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am; the afternoon session runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The nursery timetable places lunch between 11:45am and 12:30pm, separating the two learning sessions.

For nursery enquiries, contact the office on 01772 335025 or email admin@ourlady-st-gerards.lancs.sch.uk. Individual school visits can be arranged by telephone, giving families time to ask questions relevant to their child.