Crigglestone Nursery School: curiosity in the everyday

Greenhouses, vegetable patches and everyday objects give curiosity something concrete to work with at Crigglestone. Children grow produce and invent uses for materials, making exploration part of their learning. This maintained nursery school on High Street in Wakefield caters for children aged two to four and forms a federation with The Castle Nursery School.

Crigglestone is a Curiosity Approach accredited setting. Its provision centres on early childhood, with qualified teachers and a qualified special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) forming part of the maintained nursery school staffing structure.

Play gives the day its shape. Children have extended opportunities to move between activities they choose, with adults joining their investigations and helping them develop ideas. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning, development and care together; Birth to Five Matters guides the team's planning. In parent terms, activities respond to a child's interests and stage of development rather than expecting everyone to learn at the same pace.

The Curiosity Approach uses natural materials and ordinary objects indoors and outside. An object can become whatever a child's game needs. In February 2025, children chose classroom resources independently, used pebbles for counting and sustained their attention during play. Teaching helped them develop ideas through conversation and imaginative games.

Books provide another thread. A two-year sequence of core texts starts in Preschool and continues into Nursery, with stories and vocabulary revisited so children can use new words themselves. Little Wandle Foundations for Phonics develops listening through songs, rhyme and sound games. Phase 2 work follows only when children are ready. Teaching Essential Number Sense (TENS) starts with noticing and recognising small quantities, rather than rushing straight to counting.

Outside, greenhouses and vegetable patches let children follow food from planting to eating. Hatching butterflies and chicks introduces the care living things need. Projects with artists from The Hepworth Gallery, regular Rhythm Time sessions and weekly dance add other ways to experiment and express ideas. Daily yoga also makes space for movement and slowing down.

Key people support children's emotional, physical and learning needs. Preparation for starting nursery involves working with parents, while Emotion Coaching gives adults a way to acknowledge feelings and help children calm down. Families can share photographs of activities at home through Class Dojo or the EEXAT learning journey, connecting experiences beyond nursery with the child's teacher.

Communication support includes Makaton signs used alongside spoken words. SEND support is coordinated by the SENDCo, with children included alongside their peers. At the February 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that teaching was adapted for children with SEND and safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Breakfast and Tea Club are staffed by the nursery team. Breakfast is covered by the Breakfast Club charge; Tea Club provides a light snack while children continue playing before collection. These extensions keep care and play within the nursery environment.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process. The Reception application route is Wakefield Council's online admissions service; use the deadline for your child's entry year.

Preparation and admission are separate matters. The federation leads local early years transition meetings, with summer discussions concentrating on handovers between settings and schools. That work supports continuity for children moving on, rather than securing a place at a particular primary school.

Crigglestone's opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm. Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am to 9am, and Tea Club from 3.30pm to 6pm. These extensions can help families fit nursery around work. The school accepts two-year-old funding routes and 15- or 30-hour funding for three- and four-year-olds, with eligibility determining the entitlement. Additional paid sessions are offered; contact the school for current charges.

There is no uniform. Dress children for movement, weather and messy play, and send spare clothes. Collection arrangements matter: anyone bringing or collecting a child must be at least 16, and staff need advance notice when a different person will collect.

Enquiries go to criggadmin@crigglestonecastle.wakefield.sch.uk or 01924 251151. Virtual tours provide an introduction to the setting, and the school invites families to look around.