Croft Primary School Nursery

Songs, stories and rhymes give Croft’s youngest children a shared starting point for learning. The nursery belongs to Croft Primary School in Warrington and includes provision for two-year-olds alongside a Nursery class. The provision includes both two-year-olds and children in the Nursery class.

The emphasis is on learning from the start. In July 2023, Ofsted found an ambitious, broad curriculum extending to the youngest children. This gives the two-year-old provision an educational purpose as well as a place within the school’s early years.

Language is the clearest thread running through the nursery day. In July 2023, both the two-year-old provision and the Nursery class surrounded children with stories, singing and rhymes. These are concrete activities parents can picture: listening to a story, joining a song and hearing the patterns in spoken language. The emphasis gives younger children ways to participate before independent reading becomes the task.

For a family choosing nursery, the useful detail is that this work begins with the two-year-olds. Stories and songs are part of their learning too, rather than an introduction reserved for children in the Nursery class. The same activities connect the two parts of the provision.

There is also a curriculum caution to keep in perspective. In July 2023, some school subjects contained more material than teachers could readily prioritise. The improvement required was to sharpen the choice of essential knowledge. That was a school-level concern, rather than a finding specifically about nursery activities, so it should not be read as a criticism of the youngest children’s story and rhyme experiences.

Identifying additional needs starts early. In July 2023, staff recognised special educational needs and disabilities from the earliest ages. Parents, carers and external agencies worked with the school on targeted help, and teaching was adapted to support participation and achievement.

For families whose child may need extra support, the practical significance is the connection between identification and action. Recognising a need was followed by collaboration and changes to teaching. This is relevant to the youngest children because the identification work began at the earliest age, although the finding covered the school rather than nursery alone.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at Croft Primary School. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions: joining the early years provision does not itself settle where a child will start school.

Croft Primary School’s address is Mustard Lane, Croft, Warrington, WA3 7DG. For enquiries, telephone 01925764276. This gives families a direct school contact when considering the nursery.