Measham Church of England Primary School Nursery Review

Tadpoles in the classroom and lavender playdough give Measham Pre-School's Caterpillars class a distinctly practical character. This is the nursery provision within Measham Church of England Primary School, for three- and four-year-olds. The pre-school opened in September 2022, giving younger children their own starting point within the school.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at its inspection on 24 and 25 September 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Children's interests help shape the learning, with adults adding activities and extending conversations. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together communication, relationships, physical development and early academic learning. Here, that means stories and mark-making alongside number activities, art and exploration of the world. Play has a purpose.

Learning uses both indoor and outdoor spaces. Inside, children work together, experiment with early writing and explore creative activities. Outside, nature investigations, movement and imaginative challenges give them other ways to practise skills and solve problems. Adults use questions and conversation to develop what children are doing, rather than leaving exploration entirely to chance.

Recent activities make that approach concrete. In January 2026, pre-school children drew shapes, lines and repeating patterns using different materials and tools, practising the hand control needed for writing. February brought pasta-threading for bracelets, card-making, scented playdough and baking jam tarts. These are manageable tasks with something tangible to make and share.

In May 2026, classroom tadpoles gave Caterpillars a living example of a frog's life cycle. Children watched for changes as they grew. In September 2024, pre-school staff helped children understand new words, showed them how to take part in activities and made sure everyone participated. Language learning was woven into doing.

The pre-school team includes a room leader and a pre-school assistant. For children attending morning and afternoon sessions, Lunch Club bridges the two parts of the day. Families supply a healthy packed lunch, so lunch preparation remains part of the home routine.

Speech and language support was effective for early years children who needed it in September 2024. Across the school, SEND support involves parents in discussing needs and reviewing progress. Speech and language therapists, Educational Psychologists and Autism Outreach can contribute specialist advice when needed. Parents can raise concerns with the class teacher and arrange further discussion with the SENDCo through the office.

Individual support. The September 2024 inspection identified school-wide weaknesses in how SEND plans specified classroom help, how some staff adjusted tasks and how consistently understanding was checked. Those findings were not identified specifically as nursery weaknesses, but they make the detail of an individual child's support a useful focus for parent discussions.

Attending Measham Pre-School does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as two distinct decisions.

For children with SEND arriving at the school, transition support includes orientation and transition days, exchanges between key staff and workshops involving families. Preparation for the next stage supports familiarity; it should not be confused with an admissions entitlement.

Sessions run Monday to Friday during term time, across 38 weeks each year. Morning attendance is 8:40am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. The full-day option, including Lunch Club, runs from 8:40am to 3:15pm.

Children can use funded hours or paid sessions. Lunch Club and additional childcare hours carry charges; contact the school for current charges. Bookings cover a term, or part of one for a mid-term start. Registration is followed by a Parental Statement of Undertaking once a place is confirmed. If all sessions are full, the pre-school operates a waiting list. Enquiries go to the office on 01530 271019 or office@measham.risemat.co.uk.