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Nursery at Tonacliffe Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Wednesday Forest School, Tuesday library time and outdoor play each day give Tonacliffe’s nursery a clear character: books and movement share the week. This is teacher-led provision within Tonacliffe Primary School in Whitworth, with learning divided between play and activities guided by adults.
Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 2 and 3 July 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating. The nursery aims to prepare children for school while encouraging them to become more independent.
Play carries the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum here. Its seven learning areas bring together language, physical development and relationships with early reading, maths, creativity and understanding the world. For parents, that means learning extends beyond letters and numbers to communicating, getting along with others and developing physical skills.
Adult-guided tasks sit alongside organised play in the classroom and outdoors. Activities respond to children’s interests as well as the current topic, giving their curiosity a place in the learning. Science has a tangible starting point: classroom curiosity corners change each week, with resources for children to investigate independently or with staff support.
Outside, early years children use the school field and forest area to explore nature. Nursery children also have daily physical activities, with Forest School on Wednesdays. Appropriate shoes and outdoor clothing are part of the routine, rather than equipment reserved for an occasional outing.
Tuesday is library day. Homework goes home on Wednesdays and comes back on Mondays, adding another rhythm for families to follow. In July 2024, early years children were learning through stories and visits to the local library, and followed established routines. Books therefore have a place both in the nursery week and beyond the classroom.
Meals are prepared by the school’s kitchen team on site, with menus rotating over three weeks. The school describes meals as balanced and based on fresh ingredients. Cool Milk supplies milk, free for children under five, with parents registering directly; this is a separate step from joining the nursery.
Support for additional needs sits within the school’s SEND provision. Staff work with families and outside agencies to understand children’s needs and arrange support. Speech and communication, sensory or physical needs, and emotional development are among the areas the school aims to address. This gives families several starting points for discussing support, rather than treating SEND solely as an academic concern.
The nursery also encourages families experiencing difficulties to seek early help. Staff may offer advice, provide support or connect parents with other services. Changes and updates can reach parents through TheSchoolApp, making school communication accessible by phone.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the applicable deadline. Choosing nursery and applying for school are separate decisions.
Tonacliffe’s nursery aims to ease children’s move into Reception and prepare them for school. That educational aim should be kept separate from the allocation of a place.
For a 15-hour place, the morning session runs from 9:00am to noon, or the afternoon from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Children with a 30-hour place attend from 9:00am to 3:00pm. An extension to 3:30pm is charged separately and booked through ParentPay; contact the school for current charges.
Longer places are limited. When 30-hour places become available, they are offered first come, first served to families already attending. Eligibility alone therefore does not secure that pattern. Families eligible for 30 funded hours who receive only 15 hours here can use the remaining 15 at another setting.
Label wellies and waterproof clothing; these can stay on your child’s peg. To enquire or arrange a visit, call 01706 344609 or email sbm@tonacliffe.lancs.sch.uk.
Morning sessions run from 9:00am to noon and afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. A 30-hour place runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm, with a paid extension to 3:30pm bookable through ParentPay.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions route by the applicable deadline.
Children play outside and have physical activities daily. Forest School is on Wednesdays, and early years children use the school field and forest area.
Places are limited. As they become available, families already attending are offered them on a first come, first served basis.
Yes. Contact the school on 01706 344609 or at sbm@tonacliffe.lancs.sch.uk to arrange a visit.
