St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Nursery Review

Regular Forest School sessions give this nursery a clear outdoor thread. An external specialist leads them, adapting activities to the children’s interests and needs. St Joseph’s own nursery sits within its Catholic primary school on Station Road in Tadcaster, with provision starting at age two.

Two three-hour sessions shape the day: mornings run from 9:00am to noon, while afternoons begin at 12:30pm and finish at 3:30pm. A separate lunch period sits between them. These clear boundaries give families a practical starting point for planning their child’s attendance.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning includes the beginnings of writing and conversation. Children start with making marks, while adults introduce new vocabulary through their own speech and the subjects children explore. Familiar languages from home are incorporated into early-years learning, giving children a connection between family life and what they do in the setting.

Outdoor learning has a named approach here: Forest School. Its regular nursery sessions add specialist-led activity to the routine. The wider school site also has open, bright classrooms, developed outdoor areas and a large playing field; these are school facilities rather than a description of a separate nursery campus.

For children needing additional help, an EYFS assessment tool divides learning into smaller steps. That gives staff a more detailed basis for planning what a child should work on next.

Support for additional needs involves families in planning. An Individual Education Plan may record a child’s strengths, obstacles to learning, intended outcomes and support, with a review each term. A Pupil Passport also brings parents and staff together to review progress. For some children with SEND, daily communication uses a home/school book or conversations with the class teacher.

Teachers and teaching assistants deliver targeted support, coordinated by the SENCO. The school and nursery work with the North Yorkshire SEN Hub, alongside professionals including occupational therapists and a speech and language therapist. This gives families a route to specialist input when their child needs it.

Food is cooked fresh on the school site. The nursery timetable includes lunch from noon to 12:30pm, placing a meal break between its morning and afternoon sessions.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through North Yorkshire’s Common Application Form; nursery attendance gives no priority under the 2027-28 oversubscription criteria. Treat the next application as a separate decision.

For entry in September 2027, the application deadline is 15 January 2027. Families seeking a particular admissions category, such as Catholic, must also submit a Supplementary Information Form and supporting evidence to the school by that date. The form can affect the category in which the application is considered.

A school and nursery tour is the first step towards a nursery application. Arrange one through the office at admin@stjosephstadcaster.org or on 01937 832344.

The morning and afternoon session times provide the main planning anchors. If a child is too ill to attend nursery, families must notify the office before 9:00am on each day of absence; a voicemail can be left outside office hours.