South Stanley Infant and Nursery School: Nursery Review

A week of gradually longer settling visits gives South Stanley’s nursery a practical starting point: children build up to a full session once they are settled. That puts adjustment before a fixed pace. The nursery has provision for up to 52 children within South Stanley Infant and Nursery School on Tyne Road, Stanley. The school as a whole serves ages 2 to 7; the nursery is its youngest provision.

Rhymes, sound games and practical experiences give the early years their character. In March 2025, Ofsted found nursery children keen to participate in rhymes and games involving sounds. These are concrete examples of children listening and joining in, rather than simply sitting through instruction.

Tiny Tasters has visited EYFS children for a food activity involving Cheese and Bean Bakes. Children combined cannellini beans with coriander and smoked paprika, following a recipe and preparing ingredients through tearing, snipping and sprinkling. It brought food exploration and practical tasks together. This was a past activity, rather than a promise about each week’s programme.

Across the school, classrooms have visual timetables, and staff use Makaton and PECS to support communication. Those features give children ways to understand routines and communicate alongside spoken language. A sensory room forms part of the school’s support facilities.

Early writing. In March 2025, approaches to early writing across the school were applied unevenly, slowing some pupils’ development. This is a relevant consideration when discussing how staff support a child’s first writing skills.

Settling starts with an information event for parents and an initial child visit. A week of summer-term visits then increases towards a complete session as children settle. Staff also exchange information with a previous setting, and discuss previously identified SEND with health visitors or other agencies. Families can therefore bring existing support into the starting arrangements.

For children needing additional help, the class teacher and SENCO work with parents on agreed support. SEN Support Plans are reviewed with families at least once each term, giving parents a regular opportunity to discuss progress and next steps. School support includes WellComm assessment and speech and language interventions, selected according to individual needs.

Hot lunches are free for all children in the school. A packed lunch for a child with a specific need requires discussion with the headteacher. Before children start, parents provide dietary preferences, allergies and health information, so these details can inform care arrangements.

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

Preparation is a separate matter. New Reception starters can visit their classroom in the summer term, and children and parents are invited for a school lunch. Shorter sessions and lunchtime support can be arranged if needed. These opportunities introduce the next stage’s routines; they do not secure admission.

Morning nursery sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am, afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and full days from 8.55am to 3.25pm. The differing start and collection times matter when planning journeys or coordinating siblings.

Contact the school on 01207 232445 to discuss nursery requirements, availability and the application process. Appointments to look around can also be requested.

Uniform is required, with unbranded tops welcomed. Nursery children may wear leggings or jogging bottoms, an exception to the rules for older pupils. Blue or white tops and royal blue or navy sweatshirts or cardigans form part of the uniform choices.