Radstock Primary School Nursery Review

Sound exploration, small-group maths and songs for performance give Radstock’s nursery a recognisable learning character. This is the Foundation Stage nursery within Radstock Primary School in Earley, Reading. Children normally join at the start of the term following their third birthday, making the entry point a term boundary rather than the birthday itself.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum brings different areas of learning together through themed projects. For parents, that means learning organised around a shared topic, rather than simply a succession of separate subjects. Understanding the World includes science, while children’s experiences and interests provide starting points for exploring celebrations, festivals and traditions.

Early language work begins with sounds. Read Write Inc is the school’s phonics programme, but the nursery’s stated starting point is learning about sounds. That distinction matters: the nursery introduces the listening foundations for later reading. Early-years children also practise forming individual letters.

Maths in Foundation Stage One is taught in small groups, with opportunities to revisit learning. The school uses White Rose Mathematics and moves from handling apparatus to representing ideas in pictures, then using numbers. Practical objects give children something concrete to work with before mathematical symbols become the focus.

Jigsaw provides the personal, social and health education programme from nursery onwards. Topics include Healthy me and Celebrating differences, connecting learning about health with recognising other people’s differences. Foundation Stage geography starts close to home: children observe their surroundings, consider environmental features and begin making maps. These are tangible ways to connect classroom learning with the world they know.

Music has a performance element from Foundation Stage One, when children learn songs to perform for parents. Singing therefore has a shared purpose as well as a place in learning.

Radstock describes inclusion as a school-wide aim, valuing children’s individual differences and seeking to support them from their different starting points. Families concerned about a learning difficulty can contact the school office to discuss it with the SEND team.

Communication about attainment follows the school’s annual pattern: parent meetings take place during autumn and spring, followed by a summer report. This gives families recurring points for discussing learning.

The school’s medicine arrangements require parental permission in writing before prescribed medication can be administered. Medicines needed during school hours must carry the child’s name and dosage details, and staff may decline to administer them. Keep emergency contact details current: if a child becomes ill, the school will try to contact parents immediately by telephone or text.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Wokingham Borough Council Admissions and name Radstock as a preference. Treat this as a fresh application, rather than an automatic continuation of the nursery place.

For the 2026 admissions cycle, the closing date was 15 January 2026. That date is past and should not be used as the deadline for a later intake.

Children become eligible for a free part-time nursery place in the term following their third birthday. Nursery applications go directly to the school, with a birth certificate and evidence of the home address. Families can use the application form accessed by QR code or obtain and return a paper form through the office.

For enquiries or to arrange a school visit, contact the office on 0118 986 9050 or at admin@radstock.wokingham.sch.uk. Application documents can be emailed to admissions@radstock.wokingham.sch.uk. These are separate contacts from the council route used for Reception applications.