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Nursery at Meynell Nursery & 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play, early language and a refurbished outdoor area give Meynell’s nursery its character. Children aged 2–4 attend this school nursery on Meynell Road in Sheffield, with separate provision for two-year-olds and children aged three and four. The March 2019 admission arrangements described 20 places in the younger provision and 52 in the older group.
Early years provision received a Good judgement at the Ofsted inspection on 3 and 4 July 2023. This covered the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Children’s growing independence and the attention given to vocabulary were strengths of that provision.
Purposeful play carries the learning. Meynell follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which brings learning, development and care together. For parents, that means attention to talking, relationships and movement alongside early reading, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Children practise practical independence too, including eating, getting dressed and managing toileting.
Stories introduce vocabulary, while songs, games and practical tasks bring numbers and patterns into play. Art, role-play, music and movement give children ways to express ideas. Read Write Inc. begins in the nursery stage with Fred, the frog used to help children combine spoken sounds into words. This is an introduction to listening and blending, rather than the later school phonics timetable.
Indoors, toys and materials with multiple possible uses support exploration; outdoors, children use the refurbished play area. Both spaces support movement and coordination. In July 2023, early years staff helped children become more confident and persistent, and work with mathematics and geography subject leaders strengthened the vocabulary children encountered.
There was also a wider curriculum caution: the July 2023 inspection asked for greater consistency in some subjects and a clearer connection between additional experiences and curriculum aims, including experiences offered from children’s earliest time at school. These were school-wide recommendations, rather than separate nursery judgements.
Settling starts with familiarity. Families are encouraged to spend time in the nursery together, meet the team and explore the rooms. Meynell also encourages practice at home with coats, shoes, handwashing and feeding, making these everyday routines part of preparation rather than treating readiness as an academic exercise.
An Early Years Foundation Stage team supports the provision. In July 2023, staff recognised emerging special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and involved parents in children’s learning. Support has concrete resources behind it: a sensory room sits in the Nursery Building, and LEAP, the Language Enrichment Activity Programme, targets early vocabulary through topics such as animals.
Parents of children receiving SEND support join reviews at least three times a year. Early years children with an Education, Health and Care Plan have reviews every six months. These meetings give families a regular opportunity to discuss needs, targets and adjustments.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to Meynell’s Reception. Parents must make a separate application through Sheffield City Council, with a deadline of 15 January each year. Choosing the nursery and applying for a school place are distinct decisions.
Transition support is a separate benefit. Arrangements include a home visit, contact with the child’s existing setting and discussion with their keyworker, followed by transition days before the September start. This shares information about the child and introduces the next setting; it does not secure admission.
The nursery operates for 39 weeks a year during term time, Monday to Friday. Morning sessions run from 8.20am to 11.20am; afternoons from 12.20pm to 3.20pm. A full day runs from 8.20am to 2.20pm. Longer days run from 8.00am to 3.30pm, with 15 hours taken across Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday.
Children in the 3–4 room attending all-day sessions can book a paid additional hour from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Booking and payment are required in advance at the start of each half term. Hours beyond a child’s funded allocation are charged; ask the school for current charges.
Funded hours can cover morning, afternoon or full-day sessions. Funding includes 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds, with 30 hours for eligible working families; two-year-old eligibility depends on circumstances. For 30-hour funding, provide your eligibility code before the first funded term and reconfirm eligibility every three months. The 15-hour funding for three-year-olds is automatic; two-year-old funding requires an application.
To arrange a nursery visit, call (0114) 231 1425. Application forms can be collected during a visit or downloaded, then returned to the school office in person or by post.
Children aged 2–4, with provision for two-year-olds and for children aged three and four.
It operates during term time for 39 weeks per year, Monday to Friday.
Yes. Funded hours can be used across morning, afternoon and full-day sessions. Eligibility depends on the child’s age and family circumstances, and additional hours are charged.
No. A separate Reception application must be made through Sheffield City Council by 15 January each year.
Call (0114) 231 1425 to arrange a visit. Collect an application form there or download one, then return it to the school office in person or by post.
