Little Digmoor Primary School Nursery Review

Loose parts, listening walks and self-serve snacks give Hoglets, Little Digmoor’s nursery class, its character. Children learn within a mixed-age early years unit, sharing substantial indoor and outdoor space with Reception. This makes the nursery part of everyday school life, with play and growing independence shaping the day.

Places are for children aged 3 and 4, with entry possible the day after their third birthday. The nursery offers free all-day places. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Requires improvement at the inspection on 1 and 2 October 2024. That judgement covers early years across the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Play takes up much of the learning, punctuated by four brief carpet sessions covering topic work, literacy, phonics and maths. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning with children’s communication, relationships and independence: here, practising conversation and listening sits alongside exploring materials and managing familiar routines.

The Curiosity Approach shapes the shared unit, using natural materials and loose parts for exploration. Accreditation is being pursued. Adults model vocabulary and conversation, while children’s interests help shape activities. Outdoors remains part of the experience through changing weather: the unit supplies wellies and all-in-one suits, giving children practical protection for outdoor play.

Hoglets’ phonics sessions use Red Rose Phonics for phase 1, with music, nursery rhymes and listening walks. Stories come through Pathways to Write, while Master the Curriculum supports maths through games. These are short, focused encounters within a day built around play. Balancing, catching and throwing feature in PE; topic experiences include train travel and visits from animal experts and people who help others.

There is a learning concern to weigh alongside that detail. In October 2024, early years learning did not connect closely enough with what followed, and children had difficulty forming readable letters. This limited preparation for subsequent learning. For families, the practical question is how exploratory play and short teaching sessions build secure early writing skills.

Settling was a strength in October 2024: early years children adjusted quickly, supported by established routines and clear behavioural expectations. Children practise doing things independently, including serving their own snack and registering themselves. Those small tasks give them an active role in their day.

Parents receive daily Class Dojo updates, and each child’s online profile is refreshed weekly. Reading books go home on Fridays and return the following Friday for exchange. Together, these give families regular contact with classroom activity and a simple reading routine at home.

Meals come from the school’s own kitchen, which controls its suppliers and menus. A three-course menu rotates over two weeks. Nursery children may qualify for free school meals when their family receives qualifying benefits; eligibility matters separately from the free nursery place.

Support discussions begin with the class teacher, with the school’s special educational needs and disabilities coordinator involved where needed. Talk Boost assessments help identify communication support, and children with specific speech and language needs can be referred to Speech and Language Therapy. Nursery staffing comprises a two-adult teaching team working closely with colleagues across the shared early years unit.

Sharing the early years unit gives nursery children familiarity with the surroundings and adults involved in their next stage. That is useful transition experience, separate from admissions.

Attending Little Digmoor’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Lancashire County Council’s primary school application route, meeting the deadline for their entry year. Treat the nursery place and the Reception application as two distinct decisions.

The all-day offer sits alongside an EYFS day beginning at 8.45am and ending at 3.15pm. Children use the front entrance in the morning and are collected at the front of school. Tell staff if collection arrangements change, including when somebody else will collect your child.

Nursery applications are obtained from the school office. To arrange a visit, call 01695 724539. For outdoor activity, children need suitable coats and clothing. The school uniform includes black polo shirts, purple knitwear and grey or black skirts or trousers; unbranded clothing is accepted, and pre-loved uniform is available through the office. Contact the school for current meal charges.