Rayleigh Primary School Nursery

Butterflies and Dragonflies give Rayleigh Primary School’s nursery two distinct age groups: Butterflies takes children aged 2–3, while Dragonflies is for ages 3–4. A qualified primary teacher leads the provision. This is the school’s own nursery, based at Love Lane in Rayleigh, with a Nursery unit within the wider school setting.

At the inspection on 26–27 March 2024, Ofsted graded early years provision Outstanding. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision rather than a separately inspected nursery. The nursery-specific findings give it substance: children developed very positive behaviour, and the work on language and early reading began here.

Two three-hour sessions shape the day. Morning children attend from 8:30am to 11:30am; the afternoon runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Between them, Lunch Club occupies the hour from 11:30am to 12:30pm. For parents, those clear boundaries make the nursery’s daily rhythm straightforward to understand.

The nursery aims to build knowledge through creating and exploring. Its curriculum is designed jointly by the team, bringing that teacher leadership into the planning of children’s learning. Language and the beginnings of reading are central: in March 2024, these were already part of the learning starting in Nursery. The emphasis gives families a clear sense of the provision’s educational direction.

Across the school, classroom reading corners include cushions and soft fabrics, and breakout spaces support children with sensory needs. These are school facilities rather than a description of the nursery’s own room layout, but they show the physical resources available within the setting.

Before children join in EYFS, parents are contacted and a visit or transition meeting takes place. For a child with SEND, the SENCo liaises with the previous setting. That gives families an opportunity to share needs before the start and helps staff prepare for the change.

Support sits within the school’s wider SEND arrangements. WellComm is used for children needing additional help with speech and language, with referrals to speech and language therapists or occupational therapy when required. Parents contribute to additional support plans, so their knowledge of the child informs the targets. Families can raise learning concerns with the class teacher or request a SENCo meeting through the office.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Essex County Council. Keep that application distinct from the nursery booking: joining Butterflies or Dragonflies does not complete the next admissions step.

All FEEE funding options are accepted. Nursery application forms come from the school office, which also handles enquiries and visit arrangements. Contact schooloffice@rayleighprimary.org.uk or call 01268 775712.

Drop-off and collection use the KS1 slope door. Nursery children do not need PE kit; comfortable clothes and footwear suited to activity are the daily requirement. These practical details help families prepare for sessions, from dressing a child for movement to knowing the correct collection point.