Distington Community School Nursery

A three-hour morning, with wraparound care arranged through the school office, gives Distington’s nursery a clear practical shape. The provision serves three- and four-year-olds within Distington Community School on Church Road, Workington. It is a school nursery, so families use the school’s office and support structures alongside the nursery session.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am. Nursery lunch is scheduled for 11:15, giving families a concrete point in the morning’s routine as well as a clear collection time.

Letterjoin provides an online resource for handwriting and letter formation that nursery children can use. Home logins allow families to continue that practice beyond the classroom.

Parents can follow classroom activity through Earwig and Class Dojo. These provide a connection between learning at school and conversations at home.

For special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the class teacher is the first person to approach, with an EYFS and Key Stage 1 SENCo available through the school office. Support uses an assess, plan, do, review cycle: needs are considered, adjustments planned and their effect revisited. Changes can involve teaching methods, resources or classroom work, so support can be shaped around the child rather than a single fixed programme.

Medical needs have a separate care process. A Care Plan is developed with parents and the school nurse, then discussed with the staff involved. Within the wider school, the Sensory / Nurture Room provides space away from the ordinary classroom for children with special educational needs or concerns about mental health and well-being. The school building is on one level, with ramps and accessible toilet and shower facilities.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal school admissions route and meet the deadline for their entry year. Cumberland Council is the route for school admissions; keep that application separate from arrangements made with the nursery office.

Transition support and admission are different matters. The school’s general transition arrangements include time with a new class teacher, plus extra visits for pupils who need longer to become familiar with a new school. These are support practices, not an entitlement to a Reception place.

All three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 funded early education hours each week; many working families may qualify for 30 childcare hours. Wraparound provision can be arranged for nursery children through the office, giving families a way to discuss care beyond the morning session.

For nursery enquiries, call 01946 830526 or email admin@distington-comm.cumbria.sch.uk. Application forms and welcome packs can be collected from the office.

Nursery drop-off uses the EYFS entrance. Tell the school if collection arrangements change, including when another adult will collect your child. That gives staff a clear plan for handing children over.