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Nursery at Junction Farm 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A stage for singing, a mud kitchen and weekly Forest School trips give Junction Farm’s nursery a day built around doing. This provision for three and four year olds sits within Junction Farm Primary School in Eaglescliffe. There are 39 morning places and 26 afternoon places, alongside a 30 hour option. Those are session capacities, rather than a single nursery roll.
Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 29 and 30 April 2025. That judgement covers early years across the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Children’s engagement, persistence and willingness to tackle challenges were strengths of the early years provision.
Play and investigation sit alongside daily focused teaching. Nursery activities cover mathematics, phonics, physical development and learning about feelings and relationships; stories also have a daily place. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) initially concentrates on communication, movement and personal development here. These foundations support later learning in reading, number, creativity and understanding the world.
Development Matters (2021), Birth to 5 and the school’s Junction Farm Ready expectations shape the curriculum. Letterjoin supports early pencil control, while Squiggle While You Wiggle gives nursery children a movement-based approach to handwriting activities. The emphasis begins with larger movements before developing finer control.
Indoors, children can choose construction, role play, book corners and spaces for writing. Sand and water play offer different materials to investigate, and the nursery stage provides somewhere to sing for other children. Changing interest tables and tuff trays connect play with a theme or story, giving familiar spaces fresh possibilities.
Outside, the climbing frames and slide bring physical challenge. A chatty bench, growing area, outdoor reading space and woodwork opportunities make the outdoor provision useful for conversation, observation and making as well as movement. Weekly Forest School visits extend that exploration; birdhouses and hedgehog homes add concrete points of interest. In April 2025, early years children built models, made concert tickets and experimented with woodwork tools. Practical tasks gave their ideas a purpose.
Each nursery child has a Key Worker who oversees care and learning, helps them settle and acts as the family’s main contact. This gives parents a clear person to approach about progress or worries. See Saw shares children’s activities with home and lets families contribute pictures and videos. Messages through Marvellous Me arrive at least twice weekly, and Stay and Play sessions let families join their child’s learning.
Additional help includes BLAST, NELI, fine motor activities and small groups for number and phonics across early years. The SENDCO works with families and outside agencies on additional needs. Parents can raise concerns with the class teacher or arrange a SENDCO meeting through the office; the SENDCO holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination.
Fruit snacks and drinking water are part of the care routine, alongside daily toothbrushing. Children attending the longer nursery patterns can bring a packed lunch or choose a school meal. Families should tell school about allergies; packed lunches must exclude nuts, peanut butter and Nutella.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Stockton Admissions. For the September 2025 intake, the primary application deadline was 15 January, and the oversubscription criteria gave no priority for attending the nursery. That dated admissions cycle should not be treated as the timetable for a later intake.
Preparation for the move has its own purpose, separate from allocation of places. A meeting for parents of nursery children moving into Reception takes place in June or July, giving families an opportunity to discuss the next stage.
Since January 2026, the 15 hour patterns have been five mornings, 8:30am to 11:30am, or five afternoons, 12:15pm to 3:15pm. The core 30 hour pattern runs five days from 8:30am to 2:30pm, including a 45 minute lunch period. An extended option finishes at 3:15pm and carries an additional charge for the later period, invoiced through Arbor.
The standard funded entitlement covers 15 hours weekly for 38 weeks. Eligible working families can access the extended entitlement; families eligible only for 15 hours can purchase additional sessions. School lunches are charged separately. Contact the office on 01642 781586 or info@junctionfarm.org.uk for nursery enquiries and current charges.
Collection requires an authorised adult on the child’s collection list. Tell school whenever arrangements change so staff can release your child to the correct person.
The nursery provision is for three and four year olds, with 39 morning places and 26 afternoon places.
Yes. The core 30 hour pattern runs from 8:30am to 2:30pm on five days each week. An extended pattern ends at 3:15pm and has an additional charge.
Children have outdoor play provision and weekly Forest School trips. Facilities include a mud kitchen, climbing frames, a growing area and woodwork opportunities.
Your child’s Key Worker shares progress and ideas for learning at home. See Saw allows families to exchange pictures and videos with staff, while Marvellous Me carries messages at least twice weekly.
No. A separate application is required through Stockton Admissions. The September 2025 admission criteria did not give priority for nursery attendance.
