The St. Mary's CofE Primary School Nursery

A daily Monster Phonics Foundations session gives this nursery's language learning a clear structure: listening, rhyme and spoken sounds have a regular place in the day. The nursery at The St. Mary's CofE Primary School in Colton takes three- and four-year-olds, with 11 places per session for part-time early years children in the 2026-27 academic year. It is the school's own nursery class.

Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 13 and 14 September 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Monster Phonics Foundations provides a daily session led by an adult. Children explore music and instrumental sounds, practise rhyme and rhythm, and listen to sounds around them. They also work on hearing and combining spoken sounds, then separating them again. The emphasis is on communication and listening: these are building blocks for later reading, rather than simply learning letter names.

Near the nursery year's end, children begin preparatory work for the next phonics phase. Hands-on activities accompany the programme. Families can extend this learning through shared stories, singing and poems, talking about words that rhyme or making props to accompany a song.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the framework for learning, development and care for children up to five. Its scope extends beyond reading and number work to physical development, relationships, communication, creativity and understanding the world.

At the September 2023 inspection, the early years garden, outdoor space and natural resources complemented planned activities involving songs, rhyme and stories. The learning extended beyond talk to a physical environment children enjoyed. Children also spoke confidently about their learning and remembered what they had learned.

Families provide details of medical, dietary and learning needs when booking nursery, including medication or additional support a child will need. This gives parents a direct opportunity to explain the practical care their child requires before attendance begins.

For concerns about learning or social skills, the first contact is the child's class teacher. A discussion with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) can also be arranged through the school office. Parents therefore have a clear route from an initial concern to a more focused conversation about learning needs and strategies.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. A separate application is required through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, with an online application route, by the local authority's normal closing date.

For 2026-27, nursery attendance carries no Reception priority among the oversubscription criteria. Choosing the nursery and applying for school are separate decisions. Families should plan for the Reception application even when their child already attends here.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 11:45am to 2:45pm. A further half-hour slot ends at 3:15pm. Bookings cover Monday to Friday, and the hours chosen stay fixed for the term. Changes wait until the next term, so families need to choose a pattern that fits their regular commitments.

Three- and four-year-olds have a 15-hour weekly funded entitlement; children whose parents live and work in England may qualify for 30 funded hours, subject to eligibility. Families must apply for their 30-hour funding code before the term their child starts nursery; applying late delays funding until the following term. Hours booked beyond a child's funded entitlement are charged. Contact the school for current charges.

Before- and after-school clubs are available, with enquiries handled by the school office. Nursery applications can be returned to that office, and parents can arrange a visit by appointment. Visiting is optional and does not influence whether a place is offered.