St Sebastian's RC Primary School Nursery

Stories, songs and rhymes give the early years at St Sebastian's a clear focus on language. This is the nursery within a Catholic primary school on Douglas Green in Salford, where the school's age range starts at three. For families choosing an introduction to school life, its identity combines early learning with a Roman Catholic setting.

Language learning has a concrete daily anchor. At the April 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that early years children heard stories each day, alongside rhymes and songs, helping them develop speech and recognise sounds. That gives listening and speaking a purpose before children become independent readers.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum headings cover language and literacy, mathematics, physical development, creative expression and understanding the world, alongside religion and personal, social and health education. For parents, these headings bring movement, communication and early number learning into the same curriculum, rather than reducing nursery to preparation for reading alone.

In April 2024, learning across the school, including early years, followed a planned sequence with opportunities to return to topics. There was also a school-wide qualification: activities in a few subjects needed to help pupils understand content more deeply before moving ahead. This was a concern about the school's curriculum, rather than a separate nursery judgement.

An EYFS lunch period runs from 11.45am to 1pm in the school timetable. It provides a distinct midday break within the early years day.

A family liaison role gives parents someone to approach with concerns and supports new pupils as they settle into school. This is a school-wide role, so it sits alongside the nursery's place within the larger primary setting.

For children with special educational needs or disabilities, the school's SEND coordinator provides a contact for discussing support. Salford's Local Offer is another named route to information about local services. These give families practical starting points for conversations about their child's needs.

Caritas Schools' Service provides counselling and social care support for pupils and their families on Fridays, with further details through the school office. Communication also includes School Gateway: its app supports messages in both directions between home and school.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child's entry year.

The school's admissions route is Salford's online school admissions service. The governing board acts as the admissions authority, while the local authority considers preferences and offers places according to the school's admission policy. Treat the Reception application as a separate family task, even when a child already attends nursery.

School gates open at 8.40am and close promptly at 8.45am. Nursery children are dropped off and collected via the KS1 playground on the Douglas Green side of school. This gives families a specific entrance to use for both journeys.

For enquiries, contact the school on 0161 518 7078 or email stsebastians.rcprimaryschool@salford.gov.uk. The address is Douglas Green, off Norfolk Street, Salford M6 6ET.

School payments use School Gateway, with both an app and a website route. The office can help with payment queries, giving parents a named system for handling school payments and a contact if they need assistance.