Skelton Primary School Nursery Review

Outdoor challenges gave Skelton’s early years provision a distinctive character at the July 2023 inspection: children practised teamwork in a forest area and learned to judge risks with adult help. The nursery serves three and four-year-olds within Skelton Primary School, on Brecksfield in Skelton, York.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good following its inspection on 12 and 13 July 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery inspection. The school aims to help children develop self-belief alongside their learning.

Physical learning has a concrete place here. In July 2023, adults used the outdoor space to develop children’s movement skills and helped them assess what they could safely attempt. One activity involved jumping from high blocks over skittles. This gave children a practical challenge in judging height, distance and their own capabilities, with adults supporting their decisions.

The forest area also supported teamwork among early years children. Outdoor learning therefore involved cooperating with other children as well as physical activity. These are useful details for families who value opportunities to learn through doing.

Inside, the early years team maintained a settled atmosphere with a clear learning purpose and resources that interested children. Adults supported the changes between activities, helping children move from one task to the next. The early years foundation stage experience described in July 2023 combined physical development, relationships and the beginnings of reading: nursery children began phonics in the summer term, preparing for the next stage of learning.

Relationships were a strength in early years in July 2023. Adults formed positive connections with children and supported them through activity changes. For a young child, that adult guidance matters alongside the activities themselves.

Children needing extra help in early years were recognised promptly and received support. There was also a wider school concern: although SEND targets were appropriate, pupils had too few opportunities to practise them. Families should distinguish the positive early identification finding from this concern about how targets translated into everyday work.

Curriculum adaptation. In July 2023, school-wide concerns included leaders not mapping the important knowledge pupils needed to learn in the wider curriculum and insufficient adaptation for mixed-age classes. This makes the fit between activities and a child’s stage of learning a useful focus when considering the nursery.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. City of York Council coordinates the school’s admission arrangements, so choosing the nursery and applying for school remain separate decisions.

At the July 2023 inspection, nursery children started phonics in the summer term to prepare for Reception. That educational preparation should be considered separately from the allocation of a place.

School visits can be arranged through main reception. Contact Skelton Primary School on 01904 806285; its address is Brecksfield, Skelton, York, YO30 1YB. A visit offers families a chance to discuss their child’s needs and consider whether the nursery suits them.