Wordsworth Primary and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Communication, physical development and books give Wordsworth’s early years provision its character. The nursery belongs to Wordsworth Primary and Nursery School on Victor Street in Shirley, Southampton. It is part of the school, so the relevant inspection judgement covers early years provision across the school rather than a separately graded nursery.

Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 17 and 18 June 2025. For families, the detail behind that judgement matters: adults supported learning well, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieved well in early years.

Early years learning gives particular attention to children’s communication and physical development. Activities address children’s development, with adults helping them learn. That places the emphasis on developing the skills children need to participate and express themselves.

The early years classrooms had plentiful learning resources in June 2025, giving children materials to support their learning. Books also have a place from nursery onwards: children are read to daily across the school. Together, these details point to learning supported by both classroom resources and adult interaction.

Support for additional needs sits within the school’s inclusion arrangements. The SENCO works alongside the Safeguarding and Inclusion Manager and classroom staff. Speech and language support involves NHS therapists and Speaking Space, connecting classroom provision with specialist advice where needed.

The school uses an assess, plan, do, review cycle to organise SEND support. Parents contribute their concerns and agree intended outcomes through early discussions. Communication can be tailored through a communication book or emails each week, rather than relying solely on scheduled meetings. These are individual arrangements, not a promise of the same contact pattern for every family.

Team Around the Child is the school’s approach to allocating support. Different teaching assistants may work with a child during the day; individual assistance recommended through an Education, Health and Care Plan can be combined with small-group support. Families should understand that this does not necessarily mean continuous one-to-one staffing.

Children with medical conditions have care plans developed with their parents or carers, covering management of the condition and medication. Physical access across the school includes entrance ramps where needed, a lift serving all floors and three accessible toilets. These features matter for families considering mobility and personal-care needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal local-authority coordinated admissions process. For September 2027 entry, the deadline is 15 January 2027.

There is a specific, conditional nursery priority: children attending Wordsworth’s nursery who qualify for Early Years Pupil Premium fall within the sixth oversubscription category. This comes after the catchment categories. Nursery attendance alone does not confer that priority, and qualifying for the category does not guarantee an offer.

Transition support is a separate matter. The SENCO and EYFS Phase Leader meet children before school starts and liaise with nursery staff and/or parents. This allows information about a child’s needs to inform the move; it does not determine admission.

The school’s enquiry address is info@wordsworthprimary.co.uk, and its telephone number is 02380 776397. SEND enquiries can go to senco@wordsworthprimary.co.uk. These give families direct routes for discussing an enquiry or their child’s support needs.