Holland Moor Primary School Nursery Review

A separate early years building gives Holland Moor's youngest children their own base alongside the main school. Nursery 1 caters for two-year-olds, while the older nursery provision covers ages three and four. This is the school's own nursery in Cornbrook, Skelmersdale, with both part-time and full-time attendance options.

The purpose-built building also houses Reception. That gives the nursery a physical connection with the next stage of school, but families should keep the daily experience and the later admissions decision separate.

Active learning shapes the nursery curriculum. Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with learning organised around language, physical development, relationships and emotions, alongside literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. For parents, the emphasis is on developing these foundations together rather than treating nursery as a timetable of separate school subjects.

Language has a regular place in the day. Phonics is taught daily across the Foundation Stage, and children listen to poems, songs and nursery rhymes. These give young learners opportunities to hear and work with sounds. The nursery's active learning approach sits alongside group teaching: children generally learn in mixed-ability groups, with some grouping adjusted for ability in particular areas.

The wider school site includes playing fields, an allotment and a conservation area with a pond. These are school facilities; the nursery's distinct physical feature is its separate early years building. Nursery 1 describes exploration through play as one of its aims, giving families a clear sense of the approach intended for the youngest children.

Staffing includes a nursery leadership role and a team for the two-year-old provision. Across the school, teachers plan together in year teams and work with teaching assistants. This provides a structure for sharing preparation and coordinating classroom support.

Reading also connects home and nursery. Children take reading books home, and parents receive encouragement and guidance on supporting early learning. That gives families a concrete way to join in beyond the session itself.

For families considering additional needs, the school's support structure includes a SEND team and an inclusion manager. Lancashire's Local Offer and SENDIAS provide further routes to information and independent, confidential advice about special educational needs and disabilities.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process.

The Reception route is Lancashire County Council's primary school application process. For September 2026 entry, the closing date was 16 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026. Those dates belong to a past admissions cycle; nursery enrolment should never be treated as the Reception application.

Both Nursery 1 and Nursery 2 offer morning sessions from 8.40 to 11.40 and afternoon sessions from 11.55 to 14.55. All-day provision is also available. The identical session times make the basic attendance choices straightforward across the two nursery groups.

To express interest in a nursery place, contact the school office on 01695 725062 or email office2@hollandmoor.lancs.sch.uk. This enquiry route covers both the two-year-old and three-year-old provision.

Nursery clothing includes a cardigan, sweatshirt and polo shirt. The school encourages basic uniform but does not make it compulsory, and accepts generic clothing, including items without its logo. Skelmersdale FUSS also supports the reuse of school uniform, giving families another option when choosing clothing.