Whitley Park Primary and Nursery School: Nursery Review

A purpose-built nursery with its own garden gives Whitley Park’s youngest children space to explore, talk and play. The nursery sits on the school site in Brixham Road, Reading, and has a maximum of 120 places. Provision includes children aged three and four, alongside funded places for eligible two-year-olds introduced in September 2025.

A qualified Early Years teacher works with Early Years Practitioners. The emphasis is on learning through play and developing spoken language, so conversations with adults and other children are part of learning itself. In June 2026, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision to meet the Expected standard.

Stacking, messy activities, books and outdoor equipment give children different ways to get involved. Indoor learning extends into the nursery’s own garden. A child who enjoys quiet reading has a different starting point from one drawn to outdoor exploration; activities are adapted to children’s developmental stages and ages.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning, development and care together. Here, planning connects seven learning areas, with staff observing children and adjusting activities as their understanding develops. The nursery places particular emphasis on spoken language: exchanges with adults and peers help children practise expressing ideas and understanding others. Play gives them opportunities to investigate, persist with something difficult and try their own solutions.

The June 2026 early years findings describe children who settled readily and felt part of the setting. Stories, rhymes and adult conversations supported vocabulary, while staff checked progress and responded to gaps. Adult interaction needs greater consistency. Opportunities to extend learning through conversation were sometimes missed, and the early years improvement action calls for more consistently effective exchanges throughout the provision. For parents, that makes adult involvement in play an important feature to consider alongside the activities themselves.

Settling begins before the first session. The nursery team offers home visits, followed by short visits with parents to familiarise children with the classroom. New starters begin on different days during the first week, giving staff time to help them adjust. Children needing additional support can have extra visits and more flexible starting arrangements.

Daily fruit comes through the Fruit and Vegetable scheme. Families are encouraged to send a labelled water bottle, and the school excludes nuts from snacks and packed lunches. Parents should tell staff about allergies and dietary requirements. These arrangements make food and drink part of the everyday care routine.

For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the class teacher is the first contact for concerns. Three SENDCo Assistants support the SENDCo across the school, including the nursery. Personal care or regular medication can be supported through an intimate care or health care plan, allowing individual needs to be planned with the family. The June 2026 early years findings also describe children learning about hygiene, healthy habits and keeping themselves safe.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place or automatically confer priority. Families must make a separate application through Brighter Futures for Children, which manages admissions for Reading Borough Council, using the normal application route and deadline.

Preparation for the move is a separate matter. Nursery children make regular summer-term visits to Reception classrooms, helping them become familiar with the next setting. Transition visits are also arranged for children moving to another primary school. Familiarity supports the change; it does not determine admission.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. For the three- and four-year-old provision, the 15-hour pattern can be five short sessions or two full days plus a half-day, at either end of the week. This gives families a choice between shorter daily attendance and fewer, longer days.

Eligible families can access 30-hour funding. Places for children in the nursery year before Reception are limited and reviewed annually; eligible two-year-olds also have an extended pattern covering Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, plus Wednesday morning. Two-year-old funding is described over 38 weeks.

Nursery open days take place at 1pm on the first and last Wednesday each month, with advance booking and limited spaces. General enquiries go to the school office on 0118 937 5566 or office@whitleypark.reading.sch.uk.