Hadrian Primary School Nursery Review

Learning to play alongside other children stood out in Ofsted’s inspection on 2 and 3 November 2022. Inspectors found that positive relationships began in Nursery and established early years routines helped children learn together. This is nursery provision within Hadrian Primary School on Baring Street in South Shields, so the setting is part of a primary school rather than a separate childcare provider.

Ofsted’s inspection on 2 and 3 November 2022 graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years; it should not be read as a separate nursery inspection outcome.

Shared play and predictable routines are the strongest features of the day evidenced here. In November 2022, children in early years worked and played successfully alongside one another. For a child learning to take part in a group, that combination matters: routines provide a familiar structure, while playing together brings relationships into everyday learning.

Early literacy also has a concrete place in the early years curriculum. Children practised spelling by identifying sounds within words and choosing letters to represent them. This makes the connection between spoken language and written words tangible. Alongside the social learning, it gives parents a specific example of what early years education involves here, rather than treating preparation for school as an abstract promise.

Ofsted’s inspection on 2 and 3 November 2022 found that Nursery children learnt positive ways of relating to others, giving social development a place alongside learning activities. Inspectors also found established early years routines: a recognisable pattern helps children understand how to participate in the group.

The school’s accessibility plan describes a single-level building, with classrooms on that level. For families considering physical access, this is a useful feature of the wider setting. The plan also provides for individual access planning when needed, so a child’s particular requirements can be considered separately from the general building layout.

Support for parents includes help from the school office with accessing information and completing forms. That gives families a practical route through written communication, including during induction.

Attending Hadrian’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Hadrian directs families to South Tyneside School Admissions for the admissions procedure.

Keep that application separate from the nursery decision. Becoming familiar with school life through nursery attendance should not be treated as an assurance that a Reception place will follow.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 0191 4554514 or email info@hadrian.s-tyneside.sch.uk. The school’s address is Baring Street, South Shields, NE33 2BB.

Childcare around the nursery day. The school’s breakfast club accepts children from Reception onwards, so nursery families should not include it in their childcare plans. The school also states that it does not provide after-school childcare. These limits matter when matching a nursery place to working hours.

For general school communication, the School News app carries news items and calendar events. Parents can select Hadrian using its postcode, giving them a way to follow school notices on their phone.