Castle Primary School Nursery Review

At the June 2023 inspection, shape sorting, familiar story phrases and objects grouped for counting gave a concrete picture of early years learning at Castle Primary School. This is the school’s own provision for children aged two, three and four in Stoke-sub-Hamdon. The focus here is on those youngest children’s experiences.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 20 and 21 June 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The early years findings give parents specific examples to consider: children enjoying learning, using mathematical vocabulary and hearing familiar stories.

Stories and rhymes provide a starting point for early reading. In June 2023, children in early years heard classic stories and nursery rhymes, and enjoyed joining in with phrases they recognised. Repetition gives children something familiar to contribute. For a parent thinking about a first nursery experience, that is a concrete picture of participation: listening to language, recognising a phrase and joining the story.

Mathematics has an equally tangible example. Children sorted shapes and arranged objects into groups that helped them count. This connects a practical activity with a mathematical purpose, rather than treating counting as a string of words to recite. Children also used mathematical vocabulary to explain what they were doing. The activity therefore involved both handling objects and talking about the thinking behind their choices.

Those examples describe different kinds of involvement: listening and responding during stories, then sorting, grouping and explaining during mathematical activity. In June 2023, children in early years were happy and enjoyed their learning. The useful detail for families is what that learning involved, with familiar language and concrete objects giving children something to respond to and discuss.

Communication about learning connects parents with their child’s experience. In June 2023, early years staff communicated frequently with parents about children’s learning. That gives families a basis for conversations about what their child is working on, alongside the activities themselves.

The emphasis is specifically on learning, rather than simply contact between home and nursery. Shape sorting, counting groups of objects and responding to familiar stories provide concrete topics for those conversations. Parents can connect discussion of progress with recognisable activities.

Attending Castle’s nursery does not guarantee a place in the school’s Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the relevant deadline.

Separate applications. Choosing this nursery and applying for Reception are distinct decisions. Treat the nursery place as a choice about your child’s early years experience; make the Reception application separately. Familiarity with a school must not be treated as confirmation of a future place.

Castle Primary School’s address is Castle Street, Stoke-Sub-Hamdon, TA14 6RE. This gives families a concrete location to consider alongside the nursery’s provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The primary school operates its own nursery provision.