Saplings Nursery at St Paul's, Spalding

Real tools, a mud kitchen and Forest Friday give Saplings a practical character. This is the preschool attached to St Paul's Community Primary and Nursery School, Spalding, where children also take part in assemblies and other school activities. School life becomes familiar before the next stage begins.

Children join in the term following their third birthday, and the provision accommodates up to 29 three- and four-year-olds per session. In June 2024, Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Adult-guided activities sit alongside play that children choose themselves. Staff build weekly experiences around children's interests, with small-group work providing another part of the session. The Plan, Do, Review approach gives child-led learning a named structure; children have room to pursue ideas as well as take part in organised activities.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven connected areas of development. For parents, that means speaking, relationships and physical skills alongside early reading, mathematics, creativity and learning about the world. Adults observe children's play and use those observations to decide what to introduce next. Read Write Inc. phonics and shared books give early literacy a specific place in the day. NCETM guidance informs preschool mathematics.

Practical exploration is unusually concrete: children use spanners, hammers and battery screwdrivers, build with wood and can investigate an actual engine. The Cultural Calendar brings dressing up, dancing, food tasting and items shared from home into celebrations of different places and religions. These are tangible ways to explore how things work and how other people live.

Forest Friday takes learning to a dedicated part of the school field. A mud kitchen sits alongside opportunities for digging, balancing, climbing and building. Children can also use the school's playground and outdoor spaces, extending activity beyond the preschool's own area.

Before a child starts, families complete forms and then discuss their child's needs with the school. Registration gathers dietary requirements, allergies and emergency contacts, giving staff practical information for everyday care. The preschool team structure includes an early years teacher and nursery nurses.

Class Dojo connects home learning with the nursery day. Parents can see photographs and observations, comment on them and contribute their own examples from home. That gives families something specific to talk about with their child. The wider school's communication arrangements also include Bromcom's MyChildAtSchool Parent App, accessed by invitation.

For children staying all day, lunch can be a packed meal or a school meal booked through Farm Kitchen. A school lunch carries an additional charge. Families with concerns about special educational needs or disabilities can contact the school's SEND coordinator by phone or through the school enquiry email. In June 2024, early years learning featured predictable routines, planned activities and frequent attention to communication, including adults and children sharing books.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority under the oversubscription criteria for the 2027-28 intake. Parents must apply separately through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Lincolnshire residents can apply through Lincolnshire County Council online, by telephone or using a paper form; families living elsewhere apply through their home local authority.

Teaching links are separate from allocation of places. Preschool and Reception teachers plan together, while participation in school activities helps children become familiar with the wider setting. That continuity supports the change of classroom, but it does not replace the application.

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, afternoons from noon to 3pm, and an all-day option runs from 9am to 3pm. Funded provision is 15 hours weekly for three- and four-year-olds, or 30 hours for eligible working parents. Additional paid hours depend on space. Families discuss their preferred pattern when registering, with flexibility subject to staffing and availability.

Funded places can be booked a term ahead and are allocated in order of application, subject to availability. Changing or ending sessions requires at least two weeks' notice. Statutory holidays are closure days.

Preschool enquiries go through the school office on 01775 723326 or enquiries@spaldingstpauls-cit.co.uk. Application forms can be collected there or downloaded from the Parent Zone. Uniform is available through Mapac; named Wellington boots must remain at school, ready for outdoor activity. Contact the school for current charges.