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Nursery at Westmorland 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Talking games, stories retold with Makaton signs and outdoor play in all weathers give Westmorland’s nursery its character. Speaking and listening run through the activities, rather than being confined to a lesson. Children tell jokes, ask questions and discuss their ideas, giving them plenty of reasons to use language.
Based on the Westmorland Primary School site in Brinnington, Stockport, the nursery has 120 part-time places. Children can start in the term following their third birthday. The provision combines time learning with teachers and time choosing their own play, within a school setting.
Play and teaching share the session. Children combine work with adults on early number, literacy and phonics skills with activities they have chosen themselves. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers seven connected areas: communication, movement, emotional and social development, early reading and writing, number, creativity and understanding the world. For parents, that means learning extends beyond letters and counting to friendships, physical skills and exploring new ideas.
MORE is the school’s named approach, bringing together experiences, reading, memorable learning and oracy, meaning speaking and listening. Nursery children use rhymes when practising letter formation and Makaton when retelling stories. Phase 1 phonics runs through the nursery year. These activities give sounds, words and stories a place in play as well as adult-led learning.
A purpose-built EYFS area provides indoor and outdoor space, and nursery children have continuous access to their outdoor environment whatever the weather. Happy Hands supports the development of control and strength for handling tools and preparing to write. Experiences extend beyond the classroom too: at Brinnington Library, nursery children joined in rhyming games, stories and action songs. A Little City visit involved pretending to be chefs, mechanics and doctors, while Animal Magic brought opportunities to touch a hedgehog and hold a lizard. These are concrete examples of the experiences element of MORE, giving children things to talk about and act out.
Class teachers work alongside support staff, including teaching assistants and a higher-level teaching assistant. For children with special educational needs, induction meetings bring parents into the planning: staff gather information about development and identified needs to prepare for the child’s start. This gives families a point at which to explain what their child needs before nursery begins.
Language support connects directly with the nursery’s emphasis on communication. Across EYFS, interventions include Language Link, colourful semantics and speech and language groups where appropriate. Parents can discuss concerns with their child’s teacher or the SENCo. The school’s safeguarding team also meets parents and helps connect families with outside agencies, including through Team Around the Child meetings.
Milk is provided without charge to nursery children. Beyond the session, MORE Food at Westmorland makes fruit and vegetables available to families each week, with food hampers also offered to those needing support. For everyday classroom questions, parents can speak to their child’s teacher before or after school.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through Stockport Council, using its website or the town hall route. Choosing this nursery therefore requires two distinct decisions: the nursery place now and a fresh application for school later.
The early-years curriculum aims to develop independence, motivation and children’s ability to manage their emotions. Those aims concern preparation for the next stage of learning; they do not secure admission.
Places follow either a morning or an afternoon pattern. Morning sessions run from 9:00 to 12:00; afternoon sessions run from 12:15 to 15:15. These are part-time arrangements, so families need to plan care around their chosen session.
For general enquiries, telephone the school office on 0161 406 9403. Office hours are 8:00 to 15:30 each day, with an answerphone outside those hours. Classroom matters can go directly to the teacher, while the office directs other queries to the appropriate member of staff.
Children can start in the term after their third birthday, with nursery intakes in January, April and September.
Morning sessions run from 9:00 to 12:00, and afternoon sessions from 12:15 to 15:15.
No. Parents must apply separately for Reception through Stockport Council.
Children have continuous access to the nursery’s outdoor environment in all weathers.
Speak with your child’s class teacher or the SENCo. Induction meetings also allow families to share information about their child’s development and needs.
