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Nursery at Coatham Church of England Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Stories, movement and learning to manage a coat give Coatham’s nursery its character. Children are admitted from age three, strictly according to date of birth and subject to available places, with up to 26 children per session. Morning and afternoon options place the nursery within the school’s Foundation Stage, alongside Reception. This is a school start built around play and growing independence.
The school identifies fairness, friendship and respect as its Christian values. For nursery children, those ideas have practical counterparts: learning to share, taking turns and asking for help.
Play combines children’s own choices with activities guided by adults. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects language, physical skills and personal development with early reading, writing, maths, creative work and understanding the world. Staff observe learning and adjust activities around children’s interests and starting points. An initial assessment draws on parents’ knowledge and information from previous settings over the first two weeks.
Books give topics a clear focus. Owl Babies and The Enormous Turnip feature in autumn learning, while Oliver’s Vegetables accompanies growing and new life. Storytelling, rhymes and conversation give children opportunities to practise listening and use new vocabulary. Read Write Inc provides the phonics approach, and communication games go home when children enter nursery, bringing families into that language work.
Daily outdoor access supports movement alongside indoor learning areas. Balance bikes, beanbag activities and obstacle courses appear across the nursery year. Squiggle While You Wiggle and Kinetic Letters connect movement with preparation for writing. Maths has practical settings too: shop role play, cooking and daily counting let children explore quantities through things they do. A weekly music session and percussion instruments add opportunities to experiment with sound.
In October 2022, Ofsted found that independence began in early years and that children enjoyed retelling familiar stories. Those findings connect with the nursery’s emphasis on choosing activities, exploring ideas and trying things for themselves.
Before nursery begins, staff invite parents and their child for a brief visit to talk through arrangements. Early learning includes getting used to routines, handwashing, tooth brushing, toilet use and putting on a coat. These are everyday skills with an immediate purpose: helping children take more responsibility for their own care. Nappy-changing facilities are in the EYFS medical room.
Observations are shared with parents at each term’s end, with meetings providing time to discuss progress. For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), support follows a cycle of assessment, planning, action and review. Parents help shape the plan, and nursery teachers take part in progress discussions. Early Years children with an Education Health Care Plan have reviews every six months.
Paediatric first aiders are part of the school team. Meals are prepared in the school’s attached kitchen, with a salad bar among the choices; the school also accommodates packed lunches. Healthy food choices form part of nursery learning.
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 that application as a separate decision from choosing nursery.
Preparation for the next classroom is a different matter. Children starting Reception have a series of visits during the second half of the summer term, alongside a parent meeting. Information is transferred from earlier settings, and additional visits support children with identified SEN. Familiarisation helps children prepare; it does not secure admission.
Morning nursery runs from 8.40am to 11.40am; the afternoon session is 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Either option is subject to the limit of 26 children per session. The school office handles nursery waiting-list enquiries on 01642 486291.
Uniform is encouraged for nursery children, using red, white and grey or black. Label clothing clearly so it can be returned to the right child. Parents must tell the office when someone different will collect their child; staff will release children to another person only when informed.
Children are admitted from age three, strictly according to date of birth and subject to available places. Each session accommodates up to 26 children.
The morning session runs from 8.40am to 11.40am, and the afternoon session from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
Activities include shared stories, shop role play, cooking, counting and music. Children access the outdoor area daily, with balance bikes and obstacle courses among the planned physical activities.
Staff invite parents and their child for a short visit before starting to discuss nursery arrangements. Learning about routines is part of the initial nursery curriculum.
No. Nursery and Reception admission are separate, and families need to make a separate Reception application through the normal process.
