Friars Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Stories told aloud, acted out and carried home in a sharing book give Friars Nursery a clear thread: learning starts with language. Children can join from the term following their third birthday. This is the nursery within Friars Primary School and Nursery on Constable Way in Shoeburyness, rather than a separate childcare setting.

The nursery offers morning and afternoon sessions, alongside places with 30-hour funding. For families, the distinction matters: choosing a nursery session and applying for a Reception place are separate decisions.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning into play, conversation and practical activities. At Friars, early-years children practise listening, invent roles and talk with other children during free play. Mathematical ideas are also connected to the theme children are exploring, giving numbers and patterns a practical context rather than keeping them apart from other learning.

Helicopter stories give children a way to create a story before they can write it themselves. An adult records their spoken ideas, then the story can be performed. Children can hear their words become a narrative and see their ideas take shape through acting.

For nursery children starting school in the following academic year, Foundations for Phonics activities take place with a trained adult. This is preparation for learning the connections between written letters and sounds. Shared reading in the early years also uses The Power of Reading texts, with discussion and activities linked to the focus book.

Space is part of the wider school setting. Its grounds include play areas organised by age, an environmental garden, an outdoor stage and physical trails; indoors, the school has large classrooms. These are school facilities, rather than a description of a dedicated nursery garden.

A sharing book goes home with nursery children and is exchanged fortnightly at Stay and Play sessions. That gives families a concrete link between nursery and home: a book to enjoy together, with a regular opportunity to change it.

Early-years children receive fruit or vegetables as a morning snack. Drinking water is accessible in classrooms and during breaks and lunch, keeping the everyday food and drink routine straightforward.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), Friars aims to work alongside parents throughout their education, explain support procedures and give regular feedback about progress. All school staff receive safeguarding training annually, with further updates during the year. Parents with concerns about a child's welfare can speak to a safeguarding lead or deputy.

Attending Friars Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal Reception admissions process and meet the deadline for their child's entry year. Treat the nursery choice as a decision about these early years, rather than as a promise of a later school place.

Nursery applications go directly to the school: request the nursery form, complete it and return it to the office. Places with 30-hour funding are offered.

Collection is from the allocated door, with the morning nursery session ending at 11.30am and the afternoon session at 3.15pm. If delayed, parents should notify the school so their child can wait at the office.

For enquiries, telephone 01702 294837 or email office@fps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk. The office operates Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.00pm.