Castletown Primary School Nursery Review

Curiosity and independence give Castletown’s nursery its clearest character. In March 2022, Ofsted found that nursery children showed both, and graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Acorns is the nursery class at Castletown Primary School on Grange Road in Sunderland. The school’s leadership structure includes an EYFS lead and a SEND coordinator, giving early education and additional needs distinct places within the leadership team.

Castletown’s curriculum approach includes equality and special educational needs and disabilities. For parents, learning and inclusion therefore belong in the same conversation about their child’s nursery experience.

In March 2022, positive approaches to learning were already evident in early years, with nursery children showing an interest in exploring and doing things independently. Those are useful qualities for a child beginning group education: willingness to investigate and growing confidence in managing for themselves.

Additional needs have a direct contact route. Families can arrange a discussion with the SEND coordinator by emailing senco@castletownprimary.org.uk. Castletown’s SEND approach combines identifying needs early, adapting teaching and working with families and outside professionals. The practical emphasis is on addressing barriers to participation while encouraging independence.

Communication and interaction needs, including speech and language difficulties, are covered in the SEND Information Report. So are learning difficulties, emotional or mental health needs, and physical or sensory needs. This gives parents several starting points for discussing support, rather than treating SEND as a single category.

Safeguarding responsibilities include an assistant lead for EYFS. Before a child joins, the school collects emergency contacts, information about health needs and dietary requirements or allergies, and details of parental responsibility. Families must update these when circumstances change. Keeping that information accurate matters for everyday care and emergency decisions.

ClassDojo provides updates for parents and carers. For families who prefer paper documents, the office supplies copies free of charge, including school policies. The SEND policy pages also direct parents to the Equality, Anti-Bullying and Complaints policies, giving families clear documents to consult when raising a concern.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal Reception admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing Acorns and applying for Reception as two separate decisions; a familiar school setting should never be mistaken for an allocated place.

For nursery enquiries, contact schooloffice@castletownprimary.org.uk or telephone 0191 549 7777, choosing option 2 for the office. The contact page also provides an online form, so families can send a written enquiry.

Early years uniform is red. It can be bought through theschooloutfit.co.uk or Little Gems in Sunderland. The school’s home page welcomes families interested in being shown around; contact the office to express interest in a visit.