Nursery at Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and the Marlborough

Mud kitchen play, nursery rhymes and learning shaped by children’s interests give Hoo’s early years provision its character. The nursery belongs to Hoo St Werburgh Primary School and the Marlborough on Pottery Road, with an EYFS/Nursery phase lead within the school’s leadership structure. Ofsted graded early years provision Good at the inspection on 5 to 6 March 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Children’s interests help determine what happens next. Planning in the Moment is the named early years approach: adults respond to what children are exploring and adapt activities as their interests change. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the school emphasises communication, physical development and learning to manage feelings and relationships. For parents, that means conversation, movement and playing together have a clear educational purpose.

Songs, stories and nursery rhymes create opportunities to practise language with adults and other children. Mathematical learning combines adult teaching with exploration, giving children opportunities to connect ideas with practical experiences. Books provide starting points for activities, while classroom additions, trips and visitors extend those themes. Adult-supported play also helps children practise cooperation, express feelings and ask questions.

Outside, the mud kitchen and sandpit bring sensory exploration into the day. Early years children spend time outdoors whatever the weather and take part in Forest School sessions. The school has its own Forest School area, with sessions led by a qualified Forest School teacher. Children’s interests shape these sessions too, making outdoor exploration part of the learning approach rather than simply a break from it.

Familiar routines support independence. In March 2024, early years routines were established and children quickly learned to do more for themselves. This matters for children beginning to take responsibility for everyday tasks.

Families receive learning updates through Evidence Me, alongside half-termly newsletters explaining activities and ways to support learning at home. Focus meetings provide another opportunity to discuss learning and share experiences from home. These connections give parents a practical role in the early years curriculum.

For concerns about educational needs or emotional wellbeing, the school office can arrange a SENCO meeting. A specialist speech and language therapist and an occupational therapist work on the school site across the week. These are school services; access should be considered in relation to each child’s needs. All school staff receive child protection and safeguarding training, with concerns referred to the designated safeguarding lead.

Independent Catering prepares school lunches daily in the school kitchen. This describes the school’s catering arrangement and does not establish a nursery meal entitlement.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Medway Local Authority allocates school places, and applications can be made through Medway’s online admissions service.

Nursery attendance is not an oversubscription criterion. The criteria include looked-after children, qualifying sibling connections, medical reasons and distance from home. Choosing the nursery therefore needs to be a decision about the early years experience, with Reception admission considered separately.

The office team handles enquiries by telephone on 01634 338040 or by email at office@hoo-st-werburgh.medway.sch.uk. The school address is Pottery Road, Hoo, ME3 9BS.

Office enquiry hours run from 8.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday, and from 8.00am to 4pm on Friday. Email provides a contact route outside those hours. These are office opening times, so they should not be used as nursery session times.