St Basil's Catholic Primary School Nursery Review

Plasticine diya lamps, winter clothing practice and Christmas crafts with older prayer partners give St Basil's preschool a character of its own. Learning starts with things children can make, discuss and try. The provision is called F1 Preschool and takes children aged three to four within the school's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) unit in Hough Green, Widnes. Its Catholic identity appears in children's activities as well as the school name.

Play and conversations between adults and children shape the curriculum. Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language receive particular emphasis: learning to express an idea and relate to other people provides a starting point for further learning. The EYFS also covers physical development, early reading and writing, maths, discovering the world, and creative expression. That gives practical activities several purposes beyond making something to take home.

Classroom learning extends into an outdoor area. In the preschool's winter activities during 2025–26, children observed changes in plants, trees and weather, then practised putting warm clothes on dolls and themselves. Hats, scarves and gloves connected seasonal discussion with a useful everyday skill. Making snowmen with different materials added opportunities to explore texture and shape.

Diwali activities in the same academic year brought together plasticine diya lamps, watercolour painting and rangoli patterns made with Numicon, shapes and oil pastels. Children also tried Bhangra movements. Catholic learning took a practical form during Advent, with playdough angels and discussions about kindness. Christmas crafts with Year 6 prayer partners included Nativity cards and spiral trees, giving younger children opportunities to share ideas and get help with fiddly tasks. These are examples of learning through making, movement and conversation.

Settling into everyday expectations is an important part of the experience. At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that early-years children became familiar with routines promptly, while stories and rhymes supported their developing language. Those findings concern early years within the school rather than a separate nursery judgement.

For additional needs, the school uses the Graduated Approach, combining regular assessment with support and intervention. It also works with local-authority specialist teachers and external agencies. This gives families a school support structure through which a child's needs can be assessed and addressed. A Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy forms part of the school's welfare procedures.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. The school's admissions route is a Local Authority Preference Form or an online application through Halton's school-admissions website; the governing body makes admission decisions and the local authority coordinates the arrangements. Treat choosing preschool and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Places are offered for children with either 15 or 30 funded hours. These are funding options, so families should register their interest through the school office. The preschool enquiry route is sec.stbasils@haltonlearning.net or 0151 424 7887. The office also welcomes contact from families who would like to meet the school. This provides a direct starting point for arranging an introduction to the provision.