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Nursery at Silverdale School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Specialist education shapes the context for Silverdale’s nursery provision in Howdon, Wallsend. It sits within a special school supporting pupils with social and emotional needs and mental health challenges. The school’s age range starts at three; that is a whole-school figure, rather than a separate nursery age band.
At the April 2025 inspection, there were too few early-years children for Ofsted to judge the provision. The nursery therefore cannot be assigned the school’s judgements. For families, the distinction matters: nursery provision and the wider school’s inspection position need to be considered separately.
Silverdale describes its school curriculum as personalised, with teaching adapted around pupils’ interests. Its named approaches include PACE and the Thrive Approach, alongside Outdoor Education and Outdoor Learning. These describe the wider school’s approach and should be understood in that scope.
The school aims to use this combination to support pupils towards adult life. For a parent considering its nursery, the relevant emphasis is on individual needs and interests, rather than assuming that the school’s subject plans describe a preschool session.
Link Workers provide a school-level contact for families. Parents can telephone or text them, request printed information and suggest information they would find useful. This creates a direct route for communication with the school. Safeguarding concerns can also be raised with its Designated Safeguarding Leads.
The wider school’s safeguarding position deserves attention. In April 2025, safeguarding was ineffective. By February 2026, action had addressed safeguarding shortcomings and procedures were in place to protect pupils during the day. Work on recording suitability checks for staff and visitors was still being developed. These are school-wide findings, rather than a nursery-specific assessment.
Continuing oversight. In February 2026, the school remained in special measures, although leaders and governors were taking effective improvement action. Curriculum weaknesses persisted, including provision that did not appropriately meet pupils’ needs. This context matters when weighing specialist support for a young child.
Attending Silverdale’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Nursery admission and Reception admission are separate processes: families must apply again through the appropriate normal route and meet the relevant deadline.
The admissions question should be kept separate from a child’s familiarity with the school. Being part of the nursery is not, by itself, an assurance of a later place. Families should plan for the Reception application as a distinct step when making their nursery choice.
Parent and carer enquiries go through the main school office. Contact it on 0191 605 3230 or at info@silverdaleschoolnt.org.uk. The school’s address is Langdale Gardens, Howdon, NE28 0HG.
For a planned visit to the main site, road access is from the A1058 through Coniston Road and then Langdale Gardens, alongside the A19. Check additional school closure dates, including inset days, with the office before making firm arrangements. Paper copies of school information can also be requested there, giving families another way to keep essential information to hand.
No. Nursery and Reception admissions are separate, and families must make a separate Reception application.
No early-years judgement was reached at the April 2025 inspection because there were too few children in that provision. The school’s judgements should not be presented as a nursery grade.
The wider school uses the Thrive Approach and PACE, with Outdoor Learning and Outdoor Education. These are school-level approaches.
Families can telephone or text their Link Worker. General enquiries go through the main school office, and safeguarding concerns can be raised with the Designated Safeguarding Leads.
Call the main school office on 0191 605 3230 or email info@silverdaleschoolnt.org.uk. The address is Langdale Gardens, Howdon, NE28 0HG.
