St Anthony's Catholic Primary Academy Nursery Review

Books and conversation shaped nursery learning at the July 2023 inspection. Children met books from the beginning of Nursery, while stories and adult conversation helped develop their vocabulary and self-expression. For parents, the emphasis is on what young children can say and understand, as well as their introduction to books.

Nursery provision forms part of St Anthony's Catholic Primary Academy in Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, where the school's age range begins at three. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good following its inspection on 3 and 4 July 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Stories provide a concrete starting point for learning. In July 2023, books featured from the beginning of Nursery, while daily conversations supported children's developing language. This gives parents a useful picture of the learning emphasis: listening, talking and meeting words through stories. The value lies in helping children express ideas and understand more of the world around them.

Adult interaction matters as much as the book itself. The July 2023 findings included examples of effective exchanges between staff and children in the nursery classroom. Adults modelled language and encouraged children to speak and broaden their vocabulary. Such exchanges can turn a child's initial comment into an opportunity to explain an idea or learn a new word.

Adult interaction. In July 2023, staff sometimes missed opportunities to extend children's learning through conversation. Strengthening those exchanges was an early years improvement requirement. For families, this makes the way adults develop children's answers a useful point of attention, alongside the presence of stories and books.

Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities sits within the school's wider arrangements. In July 2023, needs were identified promptly, with resources adapted or additional adult help provided so children could participate in the curriculum. These were school-wide findings, rather than a separate assessment of nursery support. Their practical relevance is access to learning through adjustments to materials or adult assistance.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective in July 2023 across the school. That school-wide finding combined rapid safety checks when concerns arose with staff safeguarding training informed by local risks. For parents choosing nursery provision within the academy, these routines form part of the wider school's care arrangements.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing this nursery and applying for a school place are separate decisions; attendance should not be treated as securing the next stage.

The nursery is part of the academy on Stafford Road, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, WV10 6NW. The school's telephone number is 01902558935, providing a direct contact route for families considering the provision.