St James Church of England Primary Academy Nursery

At the May 2023 inspection, songs and stories supported nursery children's first steps in numbers and reading. St James Church of England Primary Academy's nursery belongs to the school on High Street, Isle of Grain. For parents choosing a school nursery, the distinction that matters is between becoming familiar with school life and securing a future school place. Those are separate questions.

In May 2023, children were settling happily into Nursery, with singing and storytelling supporting their first steps in mathematics and reading. These activities bring early learning into something young children can join in with, rather than making numbers and books separate from their everyday experiences. The early years environment also gave children plentiful opportunities to develop language.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework for learning and care for children aged 0 to 5 years. It covers children's communication, movement and relationships alongside reading, writing, mathematics, creativity and learning about the world. For parents, that means the nursery day should be understood as more than preparation for reading: physical and social development matter too. Singing and stories are the concrete examples of nursery learning here.

Support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) involves the early years lead as well as the school's SEND coordinator. The school aims to recognise additional needs from the earliest possible age; its early years lead seeks to identify children who need support and start the relevant processes. This gives families a route for discussing developmental concerns while their child is still in early years.

The school's support process follows assess, plan, do and review. Staff discuss concerns with parents, agree support for the child's particular needs and review what happens during an intervention. The class teacher keeps parents informed about progress. Assessment can draw on parental observations as well as staff observations, with speech and language therapy or occupational therapy assessments among the options. The practical implication is that support can be adjusted in response to the child, with parents contributing what they see at home.

Medical needs have a separate practical response: a care plan is agreed between staff and parents when a child has a particular medical need. Parents can also seek advice from the SEND coordinator or Home School Support Worker.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal Reception admissions process. Medway Council Admissions Team handles the school's Year R admissions between August and December each year.

Nursery attendance is not an oversubscription priority here. Familiarity with the school therefore needs to be considered separately from the allocation of places. For children with SEND, the coordinator discusses any personalised transition needed with those involved. That preparation concerns the child's support, rather than an admissions advantage.

For enquiries, contact the school office on 01634 270341 or email office@stjames.medway.sch.uk. SEND discussions can also be arranged through the office, giving parents a direct route to the coordinator.

Wraparound eligibility. Breakfast club and after-school provision cover Year R to Year 6. Families choosing the nursery should distinguish those school-age arrangements from nursery childcare when planning their working day.