Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

Woodland exploration, sound games and quieter spaces for the youngest children give Wicklewood’s nursery its character. This is the school’s own provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds, based on Hackford Road in Wicklewood. The emphasis is on learning through play, with room for children to take part together or step away from busier activity.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 26 and 27 November 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Indoor play and outdoor exploration both contribute to learning. In November 2024, early years children explored the woodland confidently and participated in group activities. The outdoor space gives children somewhere to investigate their surroundings, while group experiences bring a different rhythm to the session. Learning reaches beyond the classroom.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the nursery’s early learning framework, shapes activities across seven learning areas. Wicklewood uses Development Matters alongside Characteristics of Effective Learning, combining attention to children’s stages of development with how they learn. Activities are planned for both outside and inside, so the curriculum is not confined to seated tasks.

Read, Write, Inc. provides the phonics approach. Nursery children practise through games: they listen for the first sound in words and learn to combine spoken sounds into words. As they progress, they also begin separating words into their sounds. These are listening and speaking activities that introduce the building blocks of reading.

Adult conversation matters too. In November 2024, some staff extended children’s vocabulary during early years play. Across the school’s wider curriculum, however, questioning and discussion were uneven, sometimes slowing learning. The improvement priority was more consistent use of these interactions, including spontaneous opportunities during play.

For two-year-olds, quieter areas provide a place to withdraw when needed. In November 2024, their care needs were met to a high standard. Early years children also became familiar with routines quickly and understood how to use different parts of the provision. Those everyday expectations help children know what to do next.

Support for special educational needs and disabilities involves the school’s SEND coordinator working with parents, teachers, the pastoral team, leaders and other professionals. This gives families several roles involved in planning support. Concerns about a child’s safety can be raised with the designated safeguarding leads.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, meeting the normal deadline. The admissions route is Norfolk County Council’s school admissions service. Treat choosing a nursery session and applying for a school place as separate decisions.

Three session patterns are offered: 9am to noon, noon to 3pm, and 9am to 3pm. Families can therefore choose a morning, an afternoon or a full nursery day. The full day runs for six hours, ending at 3pm.

The school’s extended care from 7.45am to 6pm is for children from Reception to Year 6. Keep that age restriction in mind when planning childcare around a nursery session.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01953 602333 or email office@wicklewoodschool.co.uk. The address is Hackford Road, Wicklewood, Wymondham, NR18 9QJ.