Pool Hayes Primary School Nursery Review

Dough disco, Drawing Club and a large outdoor learning area give Catkin, Pool Hayes Primary School’s nursery class, its own character. This provision is for children aged 3 to 4 within the school’s Early Years department in Willenhall. Play and exploration sit alongside adult-led learning, with opportunities to practise new skills indoors and outside.

Families have a choice between morning attendance and an all-day pattern for working families. That choice makes a practical difference: the morning finishes before lunch, while children attending all day bring a packed lunch. The school’s overall Ofsted judgement is Requires Improvement; this is a whole-school judgement, not a separate nursery inspection grade.

Carpet sessions introduce learning that children then try out through play, supported by a teacher or teaching assistant. Children also choose activities themselves. The Early Years Foundation Stage covers communication, physical skills and emotional development alongside early literacy, maths, understanding the world and creative expression. Here, that means learning through movement, conversation and practical exploration as well as taught sessions.

Early writing begins with physical practice. Dough disco and squiggle while you wiggle develop pencil control, while Drawing Club connects mark making with words and phrases. A Writing area gives children somewhere to practise. Read Write Inc. uses pictures and rhymes to help children remember sounds, with a Reading corner supporting further exploration of books and reading.

Maths has daily sessions with the whole class and smaller groups. Children practise counting, recognising numbers and Numicon, and describing two-dimensional shapes. Roleplay provides another chance to use those skills independently, connecting taught ideas with children’s own activities.

Outdoor learning is part of the curriculum rather than an occasional addition. The large outside learning area complements indoor provision, giving children space to be active and explore. At home, the 1000 stories book-sharing routine lets families exchange books on Mondays. Nursery children wear their PE kit to school on Fridays.

Settling starts before the first nursery session. A key worker visits the child at home, followed by a school meeting and parent-and-child Stay and Play sessions ahead of a September start. This gives families several points of contact before attendance begins. Initially, parents can accompany their child into the nursery classroom; children are then encouraged to manage the cloakroom independently, with staff support.

Class Dojo carries important messages between families and nursery staff. Children receive fruit and milk free of charge, and families should disclose allergies. A named water bottle and a bag of labelled spare clothing cover everyday drinking, toileting accidents and wet play.

For children with SEND, the school uses an Assess Plan Do Review cycle to check needs and adjust support. Staff liaise with Early Years SENCos and staff from previous settings when children move into nursery. Across the school, personalised learning targets are reviewed with families at least once a term. That creates a recurring opportunity to discuss what is helping and what needs to change.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. The application route is Walsall’s online portal.

Preparation for the change is a separate matter from securing a place. Transition includes meetings and Meet the Teacher sessions in the new class, helping children and parents become familiar with the next stage. These activities support adjustment; they do not secure admission.

The morning option runs from 8:45am to 11:45am, five days a week, with 15 government-funded hours. Children offered this option are expected to attend all five mornings. The all-day option runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm over five days, with 30 government-funded hours for working families; parents provide a packed lunch.

Breakfast Club accepts nursery children from 7:45am on school days and carries a charge. Choices include bagels, toast, yogurt and fruit. Book through ScoPay before 3pm on the preceding school day, and contact the school for current charges.

Nursery uniform combines a white polo shirt with grey trousers or a skirt and a green cardigan or jumper; a logo is optional. Collection uses photographs and a password. If another adult will collect your child, inform the school before the end of the school day; that adult must have the password and be recorded on the trusted-adult list.

For nursery enquiries, email postbox@poolhayesprimary.co.uk or call 01902 368144. School tours can be arranged by appointment. Bridgnorth Grove has driving restrictions from 8:30am to 9:15am and from 2:45pm to 3:30pm, so plan morning travel around the restricted period.