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Nursery at Valley Primary School and Nursery
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Two-year-olds have their own morning and afternoon sessions at Valley, alongside nursery provision offering 15 or 30 hours. That gives this school nursery a practical point of difference for families considering an earlier start. Places cater for children aged two, three and four within Valley Primary School and Nursery on Whinlatter Road in Whitehaven.
Active learning, conversation and revisiting ideas shape the school's stated curriculum approach. Valley emphasises learning together, teaching vocabulary explicitly and giving children opportunities to ask questions. For parents, the emphasis is on children taking part and building understanding through practice, rather than simply encountering something once.
Outdoor learning belongs to that wider school approach too. Valley describes it as part of classroom learning, with aims including problem-solving and respect for nature. These are school curriculum principles, rather than a nursery activity timetable. Nursery lunch is at 11.40am, providing a concrete marker in the day for children staying for lunch.
Support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) includes a school register, with parents involved in the discussion before a child is added. Children on that register receive additional help, which may be delivered individually or in a group. Advice from other professionals informs the support. Parents are also involved when progress means a child can leave the register, so the arrangement can change as needs change.
Early Help adds a family dimension. Participation is voluntary, and an assessment considers both a child's needs and what is going well. An agreed action plan brings together the people supporting the child, including teachers and health visitors. Its practical purpose is coordinated help, with less need for families to repeat their account to different workers.
For impartial advice, families can contact Cumbria SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS). Support includes preparing for meetings with a school or local authority and help during those meetings.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application, even when their child already attends Valley's nursery, by 15 January each year. The route includes an online Reception application or an SA1 form, with Cumberland School Admissions providing an enquiry contact.
Treat that application as a separate task in the family calendar. Choosing nursery provision and applying for a school place are distinct decisions; completing one does not complete the other.
The nursery offers 15- and 30-hour provision, while two-year-old provision uses morning and afternoon sessions. Funded hours are free, and optional extras cannot be made a condition of taking a funded early education place. Families can supply their own items or decline additional services. Ask the school for current charges.
Nursery applications use the SA13 form. For enquiries, contact the school office on 01946 694152 or email office@valleyprimary.cumbria.sch.uk. A contact form also accepts questions. This gives families a direct route to discuss taking a nursery place and to submit practical enquiries.
Places cater for children aged two, three and four.
Nursery provision offers 15 or 30 hours. Two-year-olds have morning and afternoon sessions.
No. A separate Reception application is required by 15 January each year, including for children already attending nursery.
No. Additional charges are optional, and families can provide their own items or opt out of additional services.
Contact the school office on 01946 694152 or office@valleyprimary.cumbria.sch.uk. Nursery applications use the SA13 form.
