Kidsgrove Primary School Nursery Review

Nursery rhymes, books and children’s own interests shape learning in Kidsgrove Primary School’s Mice class. This is the school’s nursery provision on Gloucester Road, with a curriculum that connects play, conversation and practical exploration. The school aims to develop independence and confidence, giving children opportunities to choose activities and express their ideas.

At the Ofsted inspection on 24 and 25 May 2022, the school’s early years provision received an Outstanding judgement. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating. For parents, the nursery’s defining feature is the combination of book-led themes and activities adapted around individual interests.

Children alternate between choosing their own activities, working with adult guidance and joining sessions led by adults. The Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS, brings together physical development, communication, relationships, early literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. Development Matters helps staff track learning and decide what comes next. In parent terms, play has a purpose, with adults using what they observe to plan further experiences.

Six themes provide the half-term structure, each introduced through a book. Children can communicate through speech, pictures, writing and mixed-media work, while activities and resources support learning outside as well as indoors. Books also feature in both spaces. Counting and making patterns form part of early mathematics, giving children practical ways to explore number and sequence.

Nursery rhymes provide another starting point for language and reading. Adults demonstrate vocabulary and ways of thinking during play, helping children develop the words to explain their ideas. In May 2022, early-years teaching included effective language modelling and opportunities to return to earlier work in more depth. This gives substance to the emphasis on conversation: adults help children extend their learning rather than simply complete an activity.

Settling begins with conversations between staff and families about the child, their interests and their existing development. Contact with previous settings can contribute to that picture. Early observations then help adults plan activities around each child’s starting point, while attention to friendships and communication supports the move into nursery life.

Learning journeys and Class Dojo connect parents with children’s experiences. Families are encouraged to contribute learning from home, so communication works in both directions. Children in EYFS receive fruit at the morning break, adding a clear food routine to the session.

For children with SEND, support follows a cycle of assessment, planning, action and review. Parents contribute to discussions, and the school works with professionals including Speech and Language Therapists and the Autism Inclusion Team. The school building is largely on one level, with ramps, a lift and adapted toilets supporting physical access. Parents can raise safeguarding concerns with the team or contact the safeguarding leads directly.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place and does not confer nursery-based admission priority. Families must make a separate application through the Staffordshire admissions system. Choosing the nursery therefore needs to be a decision about the nursery experience itself.

Transition support is a separate matter. For children with SEND, arrangements include passing information to new teachers, visits with parents and a gradual introduction to the next setting. These help adults understand the child’s needs; they do not change the admission criteria.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am, and the afternoon session runs from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. The school offers 15-hour and 30-hour nursery places and allocates nursery places itself. Parents can contact the office on 01782 973970 or email office@kps.set.org to enquire. Visits can also be arranged by email.

Uniform is compulsory. Nursery clothing includes a purple sweatshirt, white shirt or polo shirt, dark grey bottoms and black shoes; generic clothing and items carrying the school logo are both permitted. Contact the school for current charges before committing to a place.