St Uny CofE Academy Nursery

Tehidy and Kynance give St Uny's nursery a distinctive shape: younger children learn alongside Reception children in both early years classes. Nursery life is therefore already part of the school's classroom community, with qualified teachers and support staff working across the mixed age groups.

At this Church of England academy in Carbis Bay, nursery entry starts in the term following a child's third birthday. The school's early years provision was graded Good at the Ofsted inspection on 5 and 6 July 2022. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Stories and conversation are central to the learning approach. The school aims to develop children's communication and language through reading for enjoyment and for different purposes. Cornwall's culture, geography and heritage also shape its early years ambitions, giving learning a local reference point.

The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In parent terms, its approach combines learning planned around individual interests and needs with regular checks on development, partnership with families and support for inclusion. The school aims to help children become more independent, approach challenges positively and gain confidence. Personal, social and emotional development sits alongside language in those aims: learning to manage relationships matters as well as learning to communicate.

In July 2022, early years staff gave clear explanations and demonstrated the language children were expected to use. Children showed confidence in speaking, and independence received deliberate attention. There was also a curriculum weakness: later subject learning did not consistently build on what children had already learned in early years. For families, the relevant issue is continuity in learning as children move through school.

The nursery team includes a nursery teacher and a teaching assistant, both with paediatric first aid. This gives parents concrete information about the roles supporting their child and their first aid preparation.

Across the school, additional needs are identified through staff observations, assessment tracking and conversations with parents. The special educational needs coordinator works with teachers and teaching assistants to plan individual support. Speech and Language Therapy and the Hearing Support Service are among the external agencies the school works with, connecting classroom support with specialist input.

For a discussion about a child's learning programme, the class teacher is the first contact. This gives families a direct starting point for raising concerns and contributing what they know about their child.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline.

Learning alongside Reception children in Tehidy and Kynance means nursery children already share classes with the older early years group. That is a feature of their daily experience, not an assurance about admission. Keep the classroom arrangement and the separate application firmly apart when planning the next step.

The 30 funded hours option runs from 08:45 to 14:45. It is restricted to funded places: parents cannot buy that weekly arrangement. Eligibility must be checked through HMRC, and parents must supply a code for validation before taking up the extended offer. Renewing that code remains the parent's responsibility.

A paid top-up to 32.5 hours is available only to families eligible for 30 hours of funding and requires advance payment. Contact the school for current charges.

Wraparound care. Nursery children cannot attend the school's breakfast or after school provision. Families needing care beyond their nursery hours must factor that restriction into their plans.

Nursery requests are accepted during term time, with places allocated under Aspire's Nursery Admissions & Waiting List Policy. Submit the Nursery Application Form for the team to contact you. General enquiries can go to hello@stuny.org.uk or 01736 794180.