Dunstall Park Primary School Nursery

Stories, oral phonics and learning through touch and play give Dunstall Park Nursery its character. Children explore ideas through first-hand experiences, with key texts connecting teaching to their social, physical, emotional and creative development. The emphasis is on doing things themselves.

The nursery opened in September 2024 as part of Dunstall Park Primary School in Tamworth. Children can join from the term after their third birthday. There are 16 full-time places, alongside an additional 10 morning and 10 afternoon sessions. This gives families a choice between shorter sessions and a day that includes lunch. There is no Ofsted graded rating yet.

Play and explicit teaching work together here. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the early years approach combines adult teaching with activities children choose and explore independently, indoors and outdoors. In parent terms, that means time to investigate resources and follow an interest, alongside teaching that introduces ideas and language.

Structured story times give nursery learning a focus. Adults introduce foundational knowledge through key texts, while regular stories also explore emotions and imaginative adventures. Oral phonics develops early reading understanding through spoken sounds. These are distinct strands: stories supply meaning and vocabulary, while oral phonics focuses attention on sounds before reading.

Communication runs through this approach. Adults use conversation and questions during early years activities to extend children's thinking. Playing, exploring and persevering are part of the intended learning process, so children's independent activity has a purpose alongside the teaching.

For a child staying all day, lunch can be a packed meal from home or a purchased hot school meal. Menus repeat over three weeks. Online meal selection includes allergen information and lets parents exclude unsuitable choices, giving families a practical way to manage food preferences and allergies before lunch.

Across the school, classrooms have quiet calm spaces, with separate breakout zones for children who need a pause from busier surroundings. These provide places to step away and regulate emotions. Inclusion is a shared staff responsibility, supported by the ATLP Hub SENDCo.

Additional needs are addressed through an assess, plan, do and review cycle involving parents. Support can include individual work or small groups, with specialist agencies involved when needed. Learning Plans go home, and parents are invited to termly review meetings. Nursery home visits also provide an opportunity to discuss adjustments, allowing families to explain access needs before their child starts.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the usual Staffordshire process and meet the deadline for their child's intake. For the 2027/2028 intake, nursery attendance is not a Reception priority criterion. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the nursery experience itself.

Transition support is separate from allocation. The school's SEND transition arrangements include classroom visits, individual or small-group sessions and personalised programmes where needed. Information and Learning Plans pass to the next teacher or setting, helping staff prepare for a child's needs.

Morning sessions run from 8:40am to 11:40am; afternoons run from 12:20pm to 3:20pm. A full day, including lunchtime, runs from 8:40am to 3:20pm. Nursery operates during school terms only and accepts the 15- and 30-hour government funding schemes, subject to eligibility. Extra sessions and hot meals carry charges; contact the school for current charges.

Progressive Kids provides term-time wraparound care for nursery children. Breakfast Club runs daily from 7:30am to 8:40am, and After School Club from 3:20pm to 6:00pm, with a shorter option ending at 4:30pm. Breakfast is included in the morning provision; afternoon care includes a light snack and drinks. Sessions are booked through Progressive Kids.

Children wear school uniform, with soft grey joggers or leggings permitted on their lower half if needed. Email admin@dunstallparkprimary.atlp.org.uk to book a tour or additional nursery sessions. The school is on Austen Drive, Tamworth, B78 3BQ.