Stockbridge Village Primary School Nursery

Play, exploration and growing independence shape the nursery at Stockbridge Village Primary School. Purpose-built spaces indoors and outdoors support a mix of activities chosen by children and learning guided by adults. This is the school’s own nursery provision for children aged 3 and 4, with 15-hour places and a 30-hour funded offer for eligible families.

Early years provision was graded Good at the Ofsted inspection on 29 and 30 November 2022. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision. It gives parents a relevant assessment of this stage, rather than treating the whole-school outcome as a separate nursery rating.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning about relationships, movement and communication with early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. In parent terms, learning to talk, manage feelings and use hands and bodies sits alongside exploring numbers, stories and materials. Adult guidance and children’s own choices both have a place.

The Characteristics of Effective Learning give the approach its shape: exploring through play, persisting with an activity, and developing ideas or choosing how to solve a problem. Children have opportunities to investigate independently alongside teacher input. The indoor and outdoor learning spaces are arranged for children to access resources themselves, giving them practice in making choices.

Creative work makes that learning tangible. In September 2025, nursery children took part in the school’s art exhibition, making paintings with splashes, blobs and lines. The activity involved both large movements and finer hand control, connecting expressive art with physical development. Early years learning about the local world also uses stories, role play, miniature play scenes and community visits, giving children experiences to discuss and question.

Reading needs a qualification. In November 2022, some children’s reading books did not align closely enough with the sounds they were learning, slowing progress towards fluent reading. Matching books to taught sounds was an improvement required of the school.

Everyday cooperation is part of nursery life. In November 2022, early years children took turns and shared, while nursery children willingly helped with tidying. These small routines give children opportunities to contribute to their group and practise consideration for others.

Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) starts with tracking children’s development from nursery. Teachers discuss concerns with the SEND coordinator, and next steps can include specialist equipment, extra classroom support or an individual Pupil Passport. Parents are involved through review meetings and conversations about their child’s support, so adjustments can respond to individual needs.

The wider school has a sensory room, accessible toilets and a lift serving upper floors. Its SEND coordinator and Learning Mentors work with families and external services, including Speech and Language Therapy. Across the school, class teachers hold degree-level teaching qualifications and teaching assistants hold relevant qualifications. These are school-wide resources and team arrangements families can discuss when considering their child’s support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal admissions route. Knowsley residents apply through Knowsley; families living elsewhere apply through their home local authority and can include Knowsley schools among their preferences.

The annual application deadline is 15 January. Allocation is handled by the Knowsley School Admissions Team, so choosing this nursery and applying for Reception remain separate decisions.

The universal 15 hours can be arranged as mornings, afternoons or across two and a half days. Eligible families can take the extended 30-hour offer, including full days. That choice gives families different attendance patterns to consider alongside work and other care arrangements.

Nursery enrolment takes place in September and January, usually in the term after a child’s third birthday. Application forms come from the school office, which is also the first contact for enquiries on 0151 477 8020. Families can telephone to arrange a school visit.

For clothing, the 2024–2025 nursery uniform requirement was green jumpers with black tracksuit bottoms. The school also provides preloved uniform items through staff, offering a practical way to obtain school clothing.