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Nursery at Crags Community 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Caterpillars and Butterflies mark two stages of early childhood at Crags: pre-school for children aged 2–3 and nursery for those aged 3–4. Both belong to Crags Community School in Maltby, Rotherham. The distinction gives families a clear starting point according to their child's age.
At the Ofsted inspection on 27 and 28 February 2024, early years provision received a Good judgement within the whole-school inspection. This is an early years judgement, rather than a separate nursery rating.
Three-hour sessions give the day its shape, with a morning or afternoon option for both age groups. Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the framework for children's early learning and development. Investigation and exploration sit alongside teaching, questions and observation, so children's developing skills are considered through what they do as well as what they say.
Communication is a clear strength. In February 2024, early years staff were skilled at developing speaking and listening, children showed sustained interest in their activities, and they handled familiar routines exceptionally confidently. For a young child, that combination supports participation: understanding the routine and expressing an idea both matter when joining in.
Early reading has a named approach, Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, which connects letters with their sounds. This gives families a concrete way to understand the phonics element of learning. Each child also has a Learning Journey, bringing together photographs, observations and samples of work. It records development through actual experiences, and parents can contribute new skills and interests seen at home.
Family involvement includes stay-and-play activities and reading events in early years. These give parents a way to join their child's learning. Regular meetings discuss progress, while termly learning objectives are shared with families so that home conversations can connect with the current focus.
Between ages two and three, practitioners review development and give parents a written summary covering the prime areas of learning. Where significant concerns emerge, or SEND is identified, a targeted support plan involves parents and relevant professionals, including the special educational needs coordinator or health professionals. This provides a specific process for recognising needs and planning help.
The school says it welcomes children with SEND and will make possible reasonable adjustments to include children and parents. That is an inclusion aim, alongside the practical development-check process.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at Crags. Families must make a separate application, and the local authority allocates places. Choosing Caterpillars or Butterflies therefore needs to be a decision about the nursery experience itself.
Rotherham residents apply through the Capita Citizen’s Portal; families living elsewhere use their home authority. For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026. That admissions cycle is now past.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Foundation One provides the universal 15-hour early education entitlement across five days, using morning or afternoon sessions. This is a regular half-day pattern for families organising collection and other care.
Childcare hours. Crags does not currently offer 30 hours of childcare. Families interested in that entitlement are invited to discuss it with the school, so the nursery's session pattern needs to fit the family's wider arrangements.
Requests for pre-school and Foundation One places go directly to the headteacher, with forms obtainable from the school reception office. General enquiries can be made on 01709 812729 or by emailing Crags@nexusmat.org. Families can also contact the school to arrange a visit.
Caterpillars is the pre-school provision for ages 2–3; Butterflies is the nursery provision for ages 3–4.
Both age groups have morning sessions from 8:45am to 11:45am and afternoon sessions from 12:15pm to 3:15pm.
Crags does not currently offer 30 hours of childcare. Foundation One offers the universal 15-hour entitlement across five days through morning or afternoon sessions.
No. A separate application is required, and places are allocated by the local authority. Rotherham residents use the Capita Citizen’s Portal; other families apply through their home authority.
Parents can contribute to their child's Learning Journey and discuss development at regular meetings. Early years also includes stay-and-play activities and reading events.
