St Ann's Primary School Nursery Review

Stories, rhymes and growing confidence give Acorns its character. This is St Ann's Primary School's part-time Foundation Stage 1 nursery, on St Leonard's Road in Rotherham. The morning runs from 8:30am to 11:30am, making this a short session around which families can plan the rest of their child's day.

In September 2023, Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Language was a clear strength of the early years curriculum in September 2023. Activities were chosen to build communication and vocabulary alongside early mathematics and language skills. For parents, this gives a concrete picture of the learning emphasis: developing what children can understand and express, while introducing the foundations of number. Confidence and independence were also developed effectively, giving children more scope to tackle learning for themselves.

Stories and rhymes formed part of children's early reading experiences. In September 2023, children enjoyed both listening to stories and reading. These experiences put spoken language and books together, rather than treating early learning as simply preparation for formal lessons. The early years curriculum had a deliberate sequence, with activities selected to support that learning.

Outdoor learning. In September 2023, activities outside were less purposeful than those indoors, restricting opportunities to extend children's understanding and skills. Adults needed to make outdoor play and interaction more useful for learning. For families who value learning outdoors, this is a specific concern to weigh alongside the strengths in language and independence.

Support for additional needs starts with the class teacher. St Ann's aims to identify needs early, and teachers adapt their planning to the children they teach. If a teacher believes an intervention would help, they contact the family. This gives parents a direct part in discussions about extra support rather than leaving them outside the process.

The school's approach involves repeated assessment, planning, action and review, with support becoming more individual as staff understand a child's difficulties. Across the trust, support can include temporary small-group work or teaching tailored to an individual child. These are different levels of provision, allowing the response to reflect the child's needs.

Parents with a safety concern can speak to a member of staff. That provides a straightforward route for raising worries about their child.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal school admissions process, using Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's Children and Young People's Services. Families living outside Rotherham should contact their own local admissions team for advice.

Keep the two applications distinct: joining Acorns is a nursery decision, while Reception requires its own application through the appropriate admissions route.

The nursery morning finishes at 11:30am, so families need to plan collection around that time. Nursery enquiries go directly to the school, with an application form used to join the admissions list. Staff contact families at the start of the summer term preceding the school year in which their child is due to begin.

The office handles general enquiries on 01709 828298 or at enquiries@saji.jmat.org.uk. New school uniform can be ordered through school reception. Second-hand uniform is also accessible through the office, giving families another option when arranging clothing.