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Nursery at St Mary's Church of England Primary School & Nursery
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Conversation gives St Mary's nursery its character: adults build on children's ideas, supply words when they need them and make everyday play an opportunity to talk. This is the nursery within St Mary's Church of England Primary School & Nursery on Ascupart Street, Southampton, with places for children from two and provision for three and four year olds.
Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 3 and 4 October 2023. That judgement covers the early years phase within the school. Language teaching was a specific strength, making communication a meaningful reason to consider this nursery.
Play and conversation work together here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum combines movement, relationships and language with early number work, literacy, creative activities and discovering the world. Alongside it, a Lion Academy Trust curriculum maps learning across each half term. The intention is to give play a clear direction while children explore their own ideas.
Circle time, stories, snack time and outdoor play provide opportunities for discussion. Adults use questions that invite an explanation rather than a yes or no, extend children's vocabulary and give them room to lead the exchange. For a child still finding the words to explain an idea or feeling, that is a practical part of learning to communicate.
The early years environment includes areas for writing, with group teaching shaped around children's next steps. Its computing activities include Beebots, cameras and pretend phones in role play, bringing technology into practical exploration. Beyond the classroom, nursery experiences include Longdown Activity Farm and Zoolab, connecting learning with animals.
In October 2023, early years children developed vocabulary rapidly through stories and their first work on sounds. Social learning received attention too: children practised sharing, waiting for a turn and recognising feelings. These are useful foundations for participating in a group, as well as for later learning.
Before starting, newly admitted children and their parents are invited to meet staff. Discussions cover health, behaviour and any social, emotional or special educational needs. This gives families an opportunity to explain what their child needs from the outset; a special educational need does not mean an offered place is withdrawn.
School support includes a SENCo and an inclusion team, using Assess, Plan, Do, Review to identify needs and adjust support with parents. The SENCo forum runs each half term, while individual appointments provide space to discuss a particular child. These are separate opportunities: the forum explains provision rather than acting as an individual consultation.
Toileting support has explicit safeguards. Parents give consent for routine intimate care, and more complex needs are addressed through a care plan agreed with families. Procedures involve two staff members. The emphasis is on keeping children comfortable and preserving their dignity.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and does not confer priority under Southampton's 2026/27 admission arrangements. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal Southampton City Council admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the on-time deadline was 23:59 on 15 January 2026; that admissions cycle is past.
For children with SEND, transition support can include additional sessions, social stories and meetings involving families and staff. Information sharing is agreed with parents. This preparation supports the move between settings; it does not change how a Reception place is allocated.
Morning nursery sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45; afternoons run from 12:20 to 15:20. Those distinct sessions give families concrete times around which to organise the day.
Part-time funding includes 15 hours a week for eligible two year olds. For three and four year olds, the standard entitlement begins in the term after the third birthday, usually spread over 38 weeks. The 30-hour option is conditional on eligibility, with parents required to reconfirm eligibility every three months and bring their verification code to nursery.
Nursery applications go to the school office with the relevant verification code. Contact the admissions team on 023 8022 3930 or email office@stmaryspri.org.uk, using Admissions in the subject line.
Provision includes children from two, alongside three and four year olds. Funded places for two year olds are subject to eligibility.
The morning session is 08:45 to 11:45, and the afternoon session is 12:20 to 15:20.
Play supports language, movement, relationships, early literacy and mathematics. Adults develop conversation through everyday activities, including stories and outdoor play.
No. Reception requires a separate application, and nursery attendance does not confer priority under Southampton's 2026/27 arrangements.
Families discuss needs at the initial staff meeting and can arrange an individual SENCo appointment. The half-termly SENCo forum explains the school's SEND provision.
