Millfields CE Primary School Nursery

Five mornings give this nursery its rhythm: a regular start to the week, with afternoons left for family life or other care. Millfields Church of England Primary School’s nursery is its Foundation Stage 1 provision, on Willington Avenue in Eastham. Children can join in the academic term after their third birthday.

The early years provision received a Good judgement at the Ofsted inspection on 26 and 27 March 2024. This applies to early years within the school, rather than being a separate nursery rating. The strengths were specific: knowledgeable early years staff, a carefully planned curriculum and close relationships with families.

Songs and rhymes are a concrete part of children’s learning. In March 2024, children in the pre-school class enjoyed these listening experiences. They put language and listening into a form young children can join in with.

The school aims to develop communication alongside creativity. Music-making, singing and experimenting with materials sit alongside imaginative activities, including storytelling, dance and role play. These give children different ways to express ideas and feelings, rather than relying only on spoken answers. The Foundation Stage also places emphasis on social development alongside learning skills.

In March 2024, early years staff had the expertise to put the planned curriculum into practice successfully. For parents, that connects the learning plan with the adults working with their child each morning.

Settling was a strength in March 2024: young children became comfortable with the daily routine promptly and developed trusting bonds with adults and other children. Staff understood families, and parents were helped to participate in learning. Those relationships matter when a child is beginning time away from home.

For additional needs, the class teacher is the first contact, with the special educational needs coordinator involved when further advice is needed. The school uses Assess, Plan, Do and Review, with termly reviews of support. Parents can contribute to One Page Profiles, which record the child’s needs.

SEND support. At the school-wide monitoring visit on 23 September 2025, leaders had made insufficient progress overall, including too little change to improve learning for pupils with SEND. Weak governance oversight had also left important compliance checks overlooked. These were school-wide findings. An Interim Executive Board has now replaced the governing body as a temporary arrangement to support improvement. Families should weigh that concern alongside the earlier strengths in early years. The school building is single storey, with wide doors, a shower room and a changing bed, practical features for children needing physical or personal care support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Wirral’s local authority admissions process, using the normal application timetable; online applications are encouraged. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

For children who find a change of class stressful, the school provides internal transition support adapted to individual needs. That support concerns the move itself and does not secure admission.

The nursery pattern is 15 hours each week, spread across Monday to Friday mornings, from 8:45am until 11:45am. Morning collection. The session ends before midday, so families need care arrangements that fit that finish.

Nursery availability enquiries go to the school office on 0151 327 1722. Parents and children are welcome to look around the school to consider whether its provision suits their needs.