Oakfield Primary School Nursery Review

Story sacks travelling home, an Investigation Station and children choosing their own activities give Oakfield’s nursery its character. This is the school’s own provision on Morecambe Avenue in Scunthorpe, with nursery education funded from the term after a child’s third birthday. Class teachers, early years practitioners and teaching assistants make up the nursery team.

At the inspection on 5 and 6 October 2022, Ofsted judged early years provision Good. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision. It is not a separate nursery rating.

Choice and adult guidance share the day. Children select activities for independent learning, join work led by adults and receive challenges that extend what they are doing. Staff observe their interests, then add opportunities to take that learning further. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) approach here means learning through exploration, active participation and thinking through ideas.

The room has distinct places for different kinds of play. A Home Corner and Role Play Area support imaginative activity; the Construction Area and Investigation Station provide other starting points for exploration. Children can also use the Reading Area, Creative Area, Playdough Area and Sand and Water Area. These spaces give a child several ways into learning, from handling materials to making up a story. In Foundation, outdoor messy play is supported with school-provided wellies, waterproof trousers and jackets.

Stories connect nursery and home. The autumn topic is Nursery Rhymes, supported by core stories, while Letters and Sounds Phase 1 develops listening in preparation for reading. Pie Corbett Reading Spine texts are also used. Weekly story sacks contain books, resources and suggestions for shared reading, giving parents something practical to enjoy with their child. Educational visits and visitors add further experiences.

In October 2022, early years children were learning about two-dimensional shapes and the mathematical words used to describe them. Children also became familiar with routines promptly and practised working alongside others. Those are useful foundations for participating in a group as well as tackling learning activities.

Settling into routines was a positive feature of early years in October 2022. Everyday contact with families includes an open-door approach, Class Dojo messages and a weekly update about nursery activities. Home-school link books carry related challenges, and parents can send back their child’s achievements from home. This gives families concrete ways to contribute to learning beyond the session.

Support also extends beyond the nursery team. The school’s pastoral team includes a full-time learning mentor, pastoral support staff and the SENCo; families can contact it through the office or in person. The SENCo can also be reached at senco.oakfield@northlincs.gov.uk, providing a direct contact for SEND discussions.

School meal arrangements include a meat or vegetarian choice, with menus changing each term. Packed lunches are permitted under the school’s healthy-eating rules. Families with food-allergy concerns can speak to the catering team about ingredients, an important practical step when planning meals.

Attending Oakfield’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal school admissions route, via North Lincolnshire Council. Places are allocated under the Local Authority Admissions Policy. Choosing nursery and applying for Reception are separate decisions, so families should keep the Reception application on their calendar independently of nursery attendance.

Three funded attendance patterns give families a clear choice. The 30-hour option runs Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 3:15pm, and requires a funding code before a full-time place can be allocated. The universally funded 15-hour alternatives combine Monday and Tuesday full days with Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon with Thursday and Friday full days.

Additional sessions depend on availability and require advance payment. Contact the school for current charges. Nursery enquiries go through the office on 01724 842246, or families can email an Initial Interest Form to admin.oakfield@northlincs.gov.uk. Royal blue uniform is expected, with non-logo clothing accepted; clearly labelled clothes help keep belongings identifiable.