Ripley St John's Church of England Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Taking turns, sharing resources and discovering new ideas with adults give this nursery its clearest character. It is the school’s own early years provision on Dannah Street in Ripley, within a Church of England primary school whose age range begins at three.

The June 2024 inspection described organised nursery learning spaces and carefully chosen activity stations. These physical arrangements matter: children have places to explore, while adults help turn their discoveries into learning. The strongest nursery-specific evidence concerns these everyday experiences, rather than the wider school’s achievements.

Discovery and conversation work together here. In June 2024, adult interactions supported children as they explored new learning, and the nursery’s activity stations formed part of an engaging, organised environment. The emphasis is on what children do and the conversations that help them understand it.

Established routines give the early years day a recognisable structure. Children develop the social habits of sharing materials and waiting for a turn, so learning alongside other children is itself part of their education. These are practical foundations for joining group activities and using resources together.

The early years foundation stage, or EYFS, is the nursery’s stage of education. Its everyday expression here includes discovery, adult interaction and social learning. For parents, that makes the learning spaces and staff conversations as relevant as any finished piece of work. A Nursery Long Term Plan for 2025-2026 also provides a dated outline of the nursery curriculum.

Additional needs have a school-level point of contact through the special educational needs co-ordinator, reachable through the main contact details. The school’s SEND provision includes speech and language programmes supported by the SALT team, with school staff delivering work under a therapist’s guidance. This gives families a concrete starting point for discussing communication needs.

Educational Psychologists and Autism outreach are among the outside agencies the school works with. For physical or sensory needs, its support arrangements involve an NHS Occupational Therapist, a Physiotherapist and the Sensory Impairment Team. These are school-wide arrangements; families can use the SENCo contact route to discuss their child’s circumstances.

Safeguarding has a direct parent contact route too: telephone the school and select option 2 to speak to a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Four staff members have advanced safeguarding training, with at least one present on site at all times. That provides an identified route for raising a concern.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school-place application through Derbyshire County Council. Keep that application distinct from registering interest in nursery: the school handles nursery enquiries, while the council handles applications for other school places.

Register nursery interest using the form on the admissions page. The same page offers a route to arrange a school visit, giving families an opportunity to discuss joining the provision directly.

For school-based enquiries, use enquiries@st-johns.derbyshire.sch.uk, telephone 01773 742457 or complete the contact form. The office team includes a Nursery and Attendance Assistant, providing a named administrative role connected to nursery enquiries.