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Nursery at St Austin's Catholic Primary School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A Foundation Unit gives St Austin’s nursery its school-based character: children start from age three, with nursery and Reception staff working together on the Foundation Stage curriculum. The nursery belongs to St Austin's Catholic Primary School on Heath Street in St Helens. Its place within the unit connects the earliest school experience with the next stage of learning.
September, January and April are the three entry points each year. Morning attendance can use 15-hour funding, while eligible children can use 30-hour funding. That gives families a morning-session starting point, with options to extend attendance subject to availability. Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection of 25 and 26 May 2022; this is an early-years judgement within the school inspection.
The Foundation Stage curriculum is taught through cooperation between the nursery and Reception class. EYFS, the Early Years Foundation Stage, covers children’s learning and development alongside their health and safety. Its learning areas include language and communication, physical development, relationships and emotions, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive arts. For parents, that means early learning extends beyond letters and numbers.
Story time provides a concrete picture of the early-years day. In May 2022, children sustained their attention during stories, picked up routines promptly and responded closely to instructions. These are useful foundations for joining group activities: listening to an adult and understanding what happens next are part of the learning experience.
Preparation starts before the first session. Parents receive a starter pack at an induction meeting or visit before their child begins. This gives families an opportunity to prepare for the start together.
For concerns about special educational needs or disabilities, the class teacher is the first contact, with the school’s SENCO available after that discussion. Support follows Assess, Plan, Do, Review: understand the need, agree provision with parents, put it into practice and reconsider progress. Parents contribute to planning rather than simply receiving a decision.
The school works with health professionals, the local authority and community organisations, and keeps parents informed about learning through the year. In May 2022, access to an ambitious curriculum for children with SEND explicitly included early years. Support is therefore linked to participation in learning.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process. St Helens Council’s admissions service is the application route, and the local authority handles admission and appeal arrangements.
For the past 2025/26 application cycle, the Reception deadline was 15 January 2026. Keep the Reception application separate from nursery attendance when planning ahead. Close working between the two classes concerns curriculum delivery; it should not be treated as an admission entitlement.
Morning half-day sessions can use 15-hour early-years funding. Extensions cover lunchtime, noon to 1pm, or an afternoon session from 12.15pm to 3.30pm, depending on availability. Paid sessions are also offered, and 30-hour funding is accepted for eligible nursery children. These conditions matter when matching attendance to family routines.
Contact the school office at staustinrc@sthelens.org.uk or 01744 678 000 for nursery enquiries and current charges. Applications go through St Helens Council’s admissions service.
Children can start from age three, with entry points in September, January and April.
Morning half-day attendance can use 15-hour early-years funding. The nursery also accepts 30-hour funding for eligible children.
Subject to availability, there is lunchtime provision from noon to 1pm or an afternoon session from 12.15pm to 3.30pm. Paid sessions are offered too.
No. Families need a separate Reception application through St Helens Council’s admissions service.
Start with the class teacher. The SENCO can then discuss concerns, and the school uses Assess, Plan, Do, Review to organise support with parents.
