Blackfield Primary and Nursery School: Nursery Review

An early start within a primary school is Blackfield Nursery's defining feature. The provision is based inside Blackfield Primary and Nursery School, on Hampton Lane in Blackfield, Southampton. Its aim is to encourage young children's curiosity and discovery, with learning seen as something that continues beyond their nursery years.

The school belongs to Inspire Learning Partnership. Its INSPIRE values include curiosity through Innovation, care through Nurture and accountability through Responsibility. These are the trust's intended principles for learning and relationships, rather than a separate nursery teaching programme.

Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 21 and 22 September 2022. That is an early years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating.

Welly walks bring an outdoor element to early years learning. In September 2022, these walks were among the experiences used to spark children's interest. They give a concrete example of learning extending beyond indoor activities. The wider school has spacious areas for learning and extensive grounds; these are school facilities, rather than a description of a dedicated nursery garden.

Early reading also has a clear place. In September 2022, staff taught phonics skilfully from the beginning of early years: children learned how sounds connect with letters, providing the basis for reading and spelling. This gives parents a specific picture of one strand of early learning, alongside the outdoor experiences.

Inspire Learning Partnership aims for children to become curious and independent learners. Its curriculum principles give individual schools freedom to shape learning around their pupils, while also emphasising caring for themselves, other people and their surroundings. For families, those aims describe the intended balance between developing knowledge and learning how to relate to others.

Relationships were a strength in early years in September 2022. The connection between adults and children was especially successful in this part of the school, an important foundation for young children beginning education away from home.

Additional needs. The same inspection identified a school-wide inconsistency in adapting activities for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils consequently struggled with new learning. This was a concern across the school, rather than a finding specifically about nursery care, but it matters when considering support for a child who needs activities adjusted.

Across the school, some teachers also had weaker knowledge of foundation subjects in September 2022, limiting how well they put curriculum plans into practice. Leaders were asked to strengthen teachers' subject knowledge.

Safeguarding responsibilities have a clear team structure. Each trust school has a designated safeguarding lead and at least one deputy. Parents can raise a child protection concern with the lead at their child's school. Trust schools use CPOMS to record and track concerns, giving staff a shared system for following them up.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. For Blackfield, the normal September application goes directly to Hampshire, with the local authority coordinating admissions, including those for academies.

Keep the application separate from preparation for starting school. In September 2022, early years transition involved preparation from home to Reception beginning in the summer term. This supported children's start in September; it was a transition arrangement, not an admissions entitlement.

The setting is on Hampton Lane, Blackfield, Southampton, SO45 1XA. The shared school and trust telephone number is 023 8089 3132. Inspire Learning Partnership also accepts general enquiries at admin@ilpartnership.org and through an enquiry form, providing a contact route for families interested in Blackfield Nursery.