Palmers Cross Primary School Nursery

Small-group learning and outdoor exploration shape nursery life at Palmers Cross. Within the primary school’s Early Years provision, the nursery has 30 places: 15 for mornings and 15 for afternoons, with up to 15 spaces for 30-hour provision. Those options give families a choice between shorter sessions and a longer day.

An Early Years team runs the provision. The school describes its staff as qualified and experienced, with a focus on working alongside parents to support children’s development.

Adult-led activities alternate with learning that children initiate themselves. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework: here, that means practical work on early reading, maths and the hand skills needed for writing. Small teaching groups sit alongside opportunities for children to explore their own interests. Topics and carefully selected stories connect the learning.

Indoor and outdoor areas are used for learning, with resources arranged into distinct areas for exploration. Wellington boots and a waterproof coat are part of the nursery kit because outdoor activity belongs in the ordinary day. PE takes place on Fridays and Mondays, with occasional extra lessons linked to learning.

The spring programme includes Let’s Play, a topic about toys, followed by Jurassic Park after half term. Celebrations include Easter, Chinese New Year and Mother’s Day. A WonderDome experience has also brought space learning to Early Years, with children exploring planets, the Moon, rockets and astronauts. These give children concrete subjects to investigate and talk about.

In July 2024, stories were an established feature from nursery onwards, and adults’ work on language helped Early Years children develop a broad vocabulary. Early Years children also took part in forest school challenges. Across the school, support for pupils beginning to read was sometimes inconsistent, with mistakes occasionally left uncorrected for too long. That makes timely feedback during early reading a useful point for parents to discuss.

Settling involves getting used to routines and building relationships. The autumn settling period gives those tasks explicit attention, and the nursery invites parents to raise concerns with the team. This places the adjustment to nursery alongside the learning programme.

Children attending the 30-hour provision need a packed lunch, so preparing food is part of the family’s daily routine.

For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), families can contact the school directly. Wolverhampton Advice and Support Service provides impartial help, including preparation for meetings and participation in decisions. This gives parents another route for discussing their child’s needs and understanding support in early years settings.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at Palmers Cross. Families must make a separate Reception application through Wolverhampton City Council and meet the normal application deadline. Choosing the nursery therefore needs to be a decision about the nursery experience itself; the Reception application remains a separate task.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am, with doors opening at 8:30am. Afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:15pm. The 30-hour provision runs from 8:30am to 3:15pm. These different finishing times matter when arranging collection.

Children can wear their own play clothes, with a yellow Early Years polo shirt requested each day. The office supplies the polo shirt and an optional jumper. A PE kit stays at nursery and goes home for cleaning at the end of term.

Nursery enquiries go through the school office on 01902 558322 or office@palmers.org.uk. Families can also book a school Open Evening through the office. Nursery children must be collected by an authorised adult or competent person over 16, unless another arrangement has been agreed with the school. Keep staff informed when the collector changes.