St Therese of Lisieux Catholic Primary School Nursery

Songs and rhymes give the nursery day its rhythm here. Familiar routines help children learn together, while kindness towards other children is already part of nursery life. This is the school's own provision, including places for three-year-olds, within St Therese of Lisieux Catholic Primary School on Lamb Lane in Ingleby Barwick. It operates under the school's registration.

In January 2026, Ofsted judged the school's early years provision to be Strong standard. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating. The clearest nursery-specific strengths are the established routines and children's enjoyment of learning alongside one another.

Morning and afternoon sessions each have their own place in the timetable. Within nursery, songs and rhymes mark changes in the day, giving children recognisable cues as they move between activities. The benefit is practical: routines support children in playing and learning together.

Across the early years foundation stage (EYFS), learning builds the beginnings of literacy and number knowledge. In parent terms, that means developing the skills children will use for reading, writing and mathematics. In January 2026, staff's conversations with children were a strength: adults built on children's language and introduced vocabulary that children then used in their own discussions. An early years example involved children explaining flower names and identifying their parts. Learning gives them something specific to talk about.

Teaching also starts from what each child already knows. Staff identify the next knowledge or skill to develop, so the learning is shaped around children's starting points rather than assuming everyone is ready for the same step.

Partnership with parents is part of the early years approach. Staff work with families alongside their teaching, connecting children's learning with the adults who know them outside school.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the January 2026 early years findings linked positive progress to staff's skilled interactions and work on language. Support is embedded in those exchanges. Within nursery itself, familiar routines and caring behaviour towards peers give the social side of the day a clear structure.

Support over time. The January 2026 school-wide next step was to sustain the work and seek a greater impact for disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND. For families, progress over time remains an important part of judging whether support meets their child's needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal school admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Stockton-on-Tees Council's school admissions service is the route for school-place applications, with its Admissions Department providing advice on 01642 526605.

Keep this application separate from the decision to attend nursery. Familiarity with the school does not itself secure admission.

The morning session runs from 8:15am to 11:15am; the afternoon runs from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. These are distinct session windows, so families can assess the start and collection times against their daily commitments.

Visits for families considering nursery are available by appointment. Contact the school on 01642 763623 to arrange one. The address is Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 0QP.