Newdale Primary School & Nursery: Nursery Review

School-hall lunches and time in the forest schools area give Newdale’s youngest children a connection with the wider school day. The nursery caters for children aged 2 to 4 within the main school building. This is the school’s own nursery provision, with everyday opportunities to become familiar with spaces beyond the nursery itself.

Relationships and language are its clearest strengths in the early-years findings from Ofsted’s inspection on 17 and 18 May 2023. Staff developed constructive relationships quickly, understood individual children and gave early language development particular attention. For parents, that brings the focus back to the foundations of nursery life: being understood and learning to communicate.

Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from 12:20pm to 3:20pm. These are distinct nursery timings, useful for planning collection around a child’s session rather than assuming the main school timetable applies.

Planning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with children’s interests and individual needs shaping the learning. For children, one concrete focus is developing early language skills and learning to communicate. Early language was a priority in the early-years findings from 17 and 18 May 2023. The nursery also works with the school on monitoring children and daily teaching support.

Outdoor learning includes use of the forest schools area, which nursery children often visit. Lunch takes place daily in the school hall. Together, these routines extend children’s experience beyond their immediate nursery space and build familiarity with the school environment.

A key person system provides regular contact with parents at the beginning and end of sessions. Questions can also go to the nursery teacher, with the SEND coordinator, inclusion manager or EYFS manager providing further points of contact. That gives families a route from everyday conversation to discussion of a more specific concern.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), support follows Assess, Plan, Do, Review once a need has been identified. Progress is assessed every 6 weeks, with support then planned and reviewed. This gives provision a cycle of checking and adjustment rather than treating the initial plan as fixed.

Parents can attend termly SEND information sessions and arrange further appointments with the coordinator. Consultation meetings cover children’s targets and advice for learning at home. A nursery pastoral lead also provides a contact for queries or concerns before and after school.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through Telford and Wrekin’s normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. The local authority coordinates Reception applications and allocates places; nursery booking is a separate process.

Familiarity is a different matter from admission. A summer-term transition day brings parents and children together with their new teachers, including lunch in the hall. Additional classroom and teacher visits may be arranged according to individual need. These activities help children prepare for the change; they do not secure a place.

To apply for nursery, complete an Expression of interest form, available to download or request from the school office. Session booking and registration forms are also part of the joining arrangements. Contact the school on 01952 387720 or at newdale.primary@taw.org.uk; refer to the school for current charges.

For children transferring from another school or nursery, families can book a tour through the main office during school and nursery hours. This provides an opportunity to see the setting during its ordinary working day.