Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School Nursery

Catholic faith provides the setting for nursery life at Sacred Heart, where the provision belongs to a primary school in Rochdale within the Diocese of Salford. The school has one class per year group. This is a school nursery, with its identity tied to the wider school community.

Sacred Heart describes its mission through justice, kindness and humility before God. For families, that gives a clear starting point for understanding its values: religious identity is part of the setting’s purpose. The school also maintains a close relationship with its parish, placing the nursery within a school community with church connections.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Development Matters guide early learning across St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust’s settings. These provide the framework for the nursery curriculum. The Trust gives early language and vocabulary particular emphasis from EYFS onwards, making communication a central learning priority for its youngest children.

Reading also has a place in the Trust’s approach. Across its schools, reading aloud, book corners and class libraries support its aim of building a reading culture. For nursery families, the emphasis on early language is the relevant thread: developing words and communication matters before children move into later stages of learning.

Catholic values shape the wider curriculum expectations. The Trust expects opportunities for celebration and worship, while allowing each primary school to shape its curriculum around its own community. That combines shared religious principles with scope for a local approach.

Safeguarding concerns have a clear first contact: the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. The school can then involve the Trust’s safeguarding lead, who may contact the family where appropriate. For parents, this establishes a route for raising a concern and a further layer of support beyond the school.

At Trust level, the Safeguarding Team provides staff with guidance, advice and training. SEND professional development also brings together special educational needs coordinators and headteachers from across the Trust. These are support structures around schools; they should be understood separately from a child’s individual care arrangements.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline.

The relevant local authority coordinates admissions for the Trust’s schools. Parents use their home local authority’s admissions process, so the Reception application remains a separate practical step even when a child already attends nursery.

Kingsway, Rochdale, OL16 4AW is the school’s address. Nursery enquiries can go to the school office on 01706 649981 or by email to office@sacredheartrochdale.stoccat.org.uk. This gives families a direct school contact for their enquiry.