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Nursery at Beamish 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Mud footprints, woodland hide-and-seek and an outdoor kitchen give Beamish’s nursery a distinctly outdoorsy character. Children can investigate mini-beasts, grow cress and make pretend soup, with play moving freely between the classroom and outside. There is plenty to get their hands into.
The nursery takes children aged 2, 3 and 4, offering 15- and 30-hour places within Beamish Primary School. Nursery children learn alongside Reception children in the Foundation Stage unit. That shared setting makes older children part of the nursery’s everyday surroundings, rather than a separate group encountered only at transition time.
Play carries the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven areas, combining language, physical development and relationships with maths, literacy, creative work and understanding the world. Activities follow children’s interests and individual needs. Resources in the learning areas change with those interests, giving familiar spaces new possibilities.
A large outdoor sandpit, the mud kitchen and construction areas provide practical ways to explore size, quantity and shape. Short daily maths sessions sit alongside this play. Nursery activities follow White Rose Maths blocks, adapted for the children taking part, so mathematical ideas also become things to handle, build and test.
Early reading starts with listening. During the autumn and spring terms, nursery phonics covers Phase 1, including rhyme and oral blending. In the summer term, children whose listening skills are secure begin using Read Write Inc Set 1 picture cards. Picture-book choices also give EYFS children a daily say in what adults read aloud.
Charanga Music School brings singing, action songs and classroom instruments into early years learning. An outdoor music wall lets children investigate sounds using pans, piping and objects made from different materials. Creative areas indoors and outside support making on different scales. These are concrete opportunities to experiment, rather than simply copy an adult’s finished piece.
Settling starts with links between adults. The EYFS Lead and nursery team visit children’s previous settings, working with families, health visitors and Early Years Practitioners to carry information into the new setting. Eligible two-year-olds using a Golden Ticket can have visit sessions before starting.
Key-person groups help children build friendships. Between their second and third birthdays, two-year-olds have a development check involving their key person, parents or carers and health visitor. Families receive a written account of learning and development, alongside ideas for chatting, reading and playing at home. Class Dojo provides another connection: parents can share photographs of nursery-linked home activities.
Healthy snacks form part of EYFS provision, while snack times and lunch club include support with table manners. Children also practise everyday hygiene habits. For additional needs, WellComm and ELIM help assess early communication, and the Development Journal tracks EYFS development. This gives discussions about support specific starting points. Parents help review SEN Support Plans each term, keeping targets connected to the child’s progress.
A separate application. Attending Beamish’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Reception application route and meet the normal deadline. Learning in a shared Foundation Stage unit should not be mistaken for an admissions entitlement.
Transition activities address familiarity separately. New Reception starters have summer-term classroom visits, a Parent Open Information Event and an invitation for children and parents to have a school lunch. Additional visits or meetings involving relevant professionals can be arranged where required, allowing the move to reflect individual needs.
Morning nursery sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon sessions run from noon to 3pm. Two-year-old provision also offers full days. For two-year-olds, sessions are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so the pattern offered depends on spaces.
Eligible two-year-olds can use their 15 funded hours across mornings, afternoons or 2.5 full-day sessions. Working-parent funding depends on eligibility. Contact the nursery on 0191 370 0181 to enquire or arrange a look around, and ask the school for current charges. The EYFS weekly Movement session uses children’s usual uniform, keeping that activity straightforward for families.
The nursery offers places for children aged 2, 3 and 4, with 15- and 30-hour options.
Morning sessions are 8.30am to 11.30am and afternoon sessions are noon to 3pm. Two-year-olds can also attend full days, subject to spaces.
No. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal route and meet the normal deadline.
The check takes place between the child’s second and third birthdays, involving parents or carers, the key person and health visitor. Parents receive a written summary.
Yes. Families can ring 0191 370 0181 to arrange a look around. Eligible two-year-olds with a Golden Ticket can also have visit sessions before starting.
