The Ridgeway Primary School Nursery

Learning to hear the difference between sounds gives Ridgeway’s nursery a clear early reading focus. Children can start from their third birthday, subject to a place being available, and the nursery has 26 places within The Ridgeway Primary School on Hillbrow in Reading.

School hours now shape the offer: full school day places began in September 2026. Ofsted’s inspection on 7 and 8 January 2025 graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Listening is a concrete part of the learning here. In January 2025, nursery children successfully learned to tell sounds apart, building the preparation needed for later phonics. The emphasis is on recognising differences in what children hear, an early step towards learning to read.

The full day runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm, matching the school’s hours. For families planning their working day, those start and finish times give the nursery a clear place in the household timetable.

Before a child starts, parents are asked about medical conditions, health requirements and learning needs. This allows conversations with outside professionals to begin ahead of entry. Individual needs. The nursery admissions policy acknowledges that some health or learning needs may exceed what the setting can meet, and requires families to be told promptly. Discussing a child’s circumstances before starting therefore matters.

For children needing additional learning support, the school’s SEND policy uses Assess-Plan-Do-Review: staff assess needs, plan help, put it into practice and review progress. Parents contribute to identifying needs and reviewing support. SEND support reviews take place three times a year, giving families regular opportunities to discuss concerns and agree goals with the class teacher.

Physical access is also relevant to choosing the setting. The school’s accessibility plan lists entrance ramps, accessible toilets and a sensory room. These are school facilities; individual arrangements should form part of the pre-entry discussion. The SEND team can be contacted at senco@theridgeway.reading.sch.uk.

A nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place at Ridgeway. Families must make a separate school application through the local authority’s online route. The nursery policy identifies Reading Borough Council as managing school admissions and gives mid-November in the preceding school year as the opening point for applications. Apply through that route by its normal deadline.

Transition support has a separate purpose. Under the school’s SEND policy, children with SEND visit their next class before moving, and a Pen Portrait passes information to the next teacher. A transition booklet may also be prepared according to the child’s needs. These arrangements support continuity of care and learning; they do not secure admission.

Nursery applications go directly to the school. Forms can be obtained through the school office or the School forms webpage and returned to the office. Applications may be submitted after a child’s second birthday, ahead of the earliest starting age of three.

For enquiries, call 0118 937 5530 or email admin@theridgeway.reading.sch.uk. Appointments to look around the school can be arranged through the office, giving families a practical opportunity to discuss the nursery before applying.