Warwick Nursery School: the nursery day

The Messy Room, The Big Playroom and The Garden give Warwick’s youngest nursery children three distinct places to explore. Nurture Nursery caters for two-year-olds, alongside Nursery School for older children. This is a maintained nursery school on Coventry Road in Warwick, with provision described for children aged two to four, rather than a nursery within a primary school.

Nurture sessions have a maximum of 18 children and one adult for every four children. An adult covers each area, while another moves between them to support play and personal care. That arrangement gives children freedom to move while keeping staff close by.

Play shapes the curriculum. The nursery aims to use the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to plan activities with a learning purpose: children explore and choose, while adults organise experiences around what they want children to learn. Learning covers communication, relationships and emotions, and exploring the world: children practise talking with others, expressing feelings and learning about the environment. Planning displayed by the nursery door includes activities and songs, giving parents something concrete to follow up at home.

For Nursery School children, Choosing Time allows indoor or outdoor play, interspersed with a 10-minute Big Sing and a 15-minute session in a small adult-led group. Tidying is shared, and the session closes with a story, song or discussion. Children staying all day have afternoon group activities adapted to their needs. There is room for independent play and time together.

Nurture Nursery follows a predictable sequence of play, a shared snack, more play and songs before home time. Instruments, dancing and listening games feature in the closing group activity. Children who are not ready to sit for long can keep playing or participate as they wish.

In October 2023, children used an outdoor book nook and books in the construction area, grew vegetables, cooked and cared for guinea pigs. Forest school learning included tree vocabulary. However, some learning lacked sufficiently precise steps for different developmental stages, so adult-led activities sometimes advanced learning too little. Curriculum detail matters alongside enjoyable experiences.

A Key Person gives each Nursery School child a main contact, with experiences recorded in a Magic Moments Book. Family relationships begin with a home visit and continue through conversations and written progress summaries. Nurture children have a Key Worker responsible for personal care and wellbeing, with a Magic Moments book shared with families. Two staff are Speech and Language Champions, trained to support early communication.

Settling support for children with additional needs is planned with parents so children can adjust at their own pace. The SEND team works with speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, specialist teachers and physiotherapists. In October 2023, SEND needs were recognised promptly and individual support enabled participation across nursery activities. Safeguarding arrangements were effective. Understanding of the changing local community was uneven, however, limiting curriculum personalisation and the precision of staff training.

Fruit and vegetables form Nurture’s shared snack, with water or milk. Nursery School children can independently take snacks and drinks during sessions; families provide packed lunches. Nurture staff also help with changing and learning to use the toilet. Staff working directly with children hold paediatric first aid training and valid Food Hygiene Certificates.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Treat choosing nursery and choosing a primary school as separate decisions.

For children with additional needs, preparation for the next setting can include a transition meeting or an Education Health Care Plan application. This supports continuity of care and learning; it does not secure admission.

Term-time provision runs Monday to Friday. Nursery School mornings are 8.45–11.45am, afternoons 12.30–3.30pm and full days 8.45am–2.45pm, with an extension to 3.30pm. The 15-hour pattern can be five mornings, five afternoons, or two full days plus a half day. Families using 30-hour funding can choose five full days or combine three-hour sessions across up to five days.

Nurture’s morning runs 8.45–11.45am and its full day 8.45am–2.45pm. The nursery recommends at least two sessions each week. Breakfast Club runs 8–8.45am; Tea Club finishes at 5pm, starting at either 2.45pm or 3.30pm.

Funding and extras. Nursery School takes no deposit and charges no session fees within 15 or 30 funded hours. Funded hours can also cover its additional sessions; charges apply beyond those hours. Nurture has funded and paid sessions. Ask the school for current charges.

For enquiries or to arrange a visit, telephone the office on 01926 492701.