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Nursery at Swallownest 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Mark-making, natural objects and printing give Swallownest’s nursery a practical starting point. This is the school’s own provision for children from age three, with the nursery class named FS1 England 1. It sits within the Foundation Unit, so starting nursery also means becoming familiar with a school setting.
Creative work begins with experimenting. In FS1, children explore materials and make marks, work with natural objects and develop scissor skills. Printing introduces further ways to make shapes using sponges, fruit and vegetables. These activities give small hands different tools to try, rather than making drawing the only route into creative work.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum also includes design and technology. Here, early learning means exploring materials, making choices and talking about what something is for. Possible experiences include construction kits, role play and using textiles or food, alongside learning about hygiene and safe working. Exploration can take place indoors and outside. The emphasis is on children explaining their decisions as well as making something.
Barefoot Computing provides a starting point for teachers’ EYFS computing planning. Geography begins close to home: Foundation Stage children explore positions and locations within their classroom and school. Familiar surroundings become material for early mapping, giving children a concrete place to begin understanding where things are.
Preparation for starting includes contact between EYFS staff and pre-school settings, followed by transition sessions in the Foundation Unit. On entry to F1, the team aims to arrange either a home visit or a focused telephone conversation. That creates an opportunity to discuss worries about starting before they become part of the daily routine.
For additional needs, the school uses a graduated response: classroom support can be followed by targeted help and, where needed, specialist involvement. Teachers and the SEND coordinator plan support with parents. Support Plans normally receive three reviews a year, with parents contributing their views, so the arrangements can be reconsidered as a child’s needs change.
Across the school, adaptations include visual timetables, extra thinking time, movement breaks and spaces for calming down. These offer different ways to make learning and routines accessible. Staff working in the Foundation Stage Unit hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. Children with medical needs have an individual health and care plan developed with parents and health professionals, making their care requirements part of the school’s arrangements.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority under the 2026/27 admission arrangements. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority; Rotherham residents apply through Rotherham’s admissions service. For September 2026 entry, the deadline was 15 January 2026. That application cycle is now past.
Classroom preparation is a separate matter. During the summer term before a class move, children spend time with their next teacher in the new classroom. Teachers discuss each child’s strengths and needs, helping the next team prepare for the child rather than starting afresh.
The school is on Rotherham Road in Swallownest, Sheffield, S26 4UR. Nursery enquiries can be made through the school’s contact form or by calling 0114 287 2484; enquiries are passed to the relevant staff. For families using school uniform, second-hand items in good condition can be obtained through the school office.
The nursery provision is for children from age three.
No. Nursery attendance neither guarantees a place nor gives priority under the 2026/27 admission arrangements. A separate local-authority application is required.
EYFS staff contact pre-school settings and offer Foundation Unit transition sessions. On entry to F1, they aim to arrange a home visit or focused telephone conversation.
Start with your child’s class teacher. Teachers work with the SEND coordinator and parents to plan appropriate support.
Use the school’s contact form or telephone 0114 287 2484.
