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Nursery at Henry Chadwick Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A dinosaur trapped in ice, dough shapes given mathematical names, and writing woven into pretend play: practical exploration gives Henry Chadwick’s nursery its character. This is the school’s own provision in Hill Ridware, with a maximum of thirteen nursery children and a teaching team shared with Reception.
Children normally join in September during the academic year in which they turn four. Younger children who have turned three after 1 September can also be admitted if space permits. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 16 and 17 April 2024; that judgement covers early years within the school.
Learning combines children’s own exploration with activities led by adults. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) takes practical form here: children experiment with materials, communicate their ideas and develop early mathematical understanding through play. Construction spaces, designated writing areas and role-play areas indoors and outside give mark making a purpose beyond a worksheet.
One activity involves freeing a dinosaur from a frozen egg. Children try materials and test possible solutions, bringing investigation into their play. Making and preparing food also features in early years learning, alongside learning to handle simple tools safely. These activities connect ideas with things children can actually make and do.
Mathematics includes counting, comparing quantities, spotting patterns and exploring measures and shapes. Children can express their thinking through gestures, objects, drawings and speech, so explaining an idea need not depend entirely on words. In April 2024, early years staff developed vocabulary during dough play by introducing sphere, helping children remember and apply the term in mathematics.
Books introduce language and ideas about the world, while specialist music teaching and forest school experiences add other ways to explore. Sharing, patience and taking turns receive explicit attention in early years play. The day’s learning therefore includes how to cooperate as well as what to discover.
For families with SEND questions, the school’s special educational needs coordinator can be contacted through office@henrychadwick.staffs.sch.uk. Staff have received Inclusion Development Training covering autism, dyslexia, communication needs and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. This gives families a clear contact for discussing their child’s needs.
School lunch is an option for children staying across lunchtime. When taken, it carries a separate charge, alongside the charged lunchtime interval between the morning and afternoon sessions. Families using both sessions should account for that interval when planning care and ask the school for current charges.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no advantage to the application. Parents must apply separately through Staffordshire County Council. Familiarity with the school and an admission entitlement are separate matters.
For Reception entry in September 2027, the application deadline is 15 January 2027. That deadline applies to the Reception application, including for children already attending nursery. Choosing nursery should therefore be a decision about the provision itself, with the later school application planned separately.
Mornings run from 8.45am to 11.45am, Monday to Friday. The funded offer is 15 hours a week from the term after a child’s third birthday. Eligible families can use additional funded childcare, bringing the total to up to 30 hours weekly, with afternoon attendance arranged flexibly between 12.15pm and 3.15pm. Families who are not eligible for that extension can book charged afternoon sessions.
The 11.45am to 12.15pm interval is charged separately. Attendance patterns and hours require agreement, with the headteacher making the final decision. To arrange a visit, contact the school office. An open morning on 17 October 2026, from 10.30am to 11.30am, welcomes parents and children considering September 2027 entry.
The normal September intake is for children turning four during that academic year. Children who turn three after 1 September may also join if there is space.
Morning sessions run Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 11.45am. Afternoon provision is flexible by arrangement, Monday to Friday, 12.15pm to 3.15pm.
The offer includes 15 funded hours weekly from the term following the third birthday. Eligible families can access an additional 15 hours, making up to 30 hours weekly. The lunchtime interval and a school lunch, if taken, are charged separately.
No. It gives neither a guaranteed place nor an application advantage. A separate application must go through Staffordshire County Council; the deadline for September 2027 Reception entry is 15 January 2027.
Contact the school office to arrange a visit. Parents and children considering September 2027 entry can also attend the open morning on 17 October 2026, from 10.30am to 11.30am.
