Little Harriers Nursery at Harriers Banbury Academy

Making a game, testing someone else's and deciding what works gives Little Harriers a distinctive learning example. This is Harriers Banbury Academy's own nursery, on the school site in Banbury. Children can join from the term following their third birthday, with September, January and April starting points determined by their date of birth. The provision combines shorter sessions with a longer funded attendance pattern.

The Aspirations No Limits curriculum has a concrete nursery application: children collaborate to design a game, make it and evaluate games created by their peers. That gives a shared task a practical purpose. Children have something to discuss and decisions to make together, rather than simply completing an activity individually.

Early reading also has a place in the early years. Sounds Write is the phonics programme used at this stage. In March 2024, Ofsted found that early-years children were developing an interest in books and that phonics began from the outset. For parents, this connects enjoyment of stories with the beginnings of learning to read.

The wider school grounds include a Storytelling Garden, a wooded Forest School area and allotments assigned to year groups. In May 2024, Allotment Day offered every child an opportunity to work on the raised beds by digging, removing weeds and planting again. This provides a specific example of learning through handling soil and plants, with the shared school grounds extending the possibilities beyond indoor activities.

A school-wide improvement point in March 2024 concerned checking understanding: some pupils missed connections in their learning or became distracted when instructions were unclear. This was a whole-school concern, rather than a finding identified specifically with the nursery.

Starting arrangements allow for a staggered beginning. The preliminary calendar for 2026-27 gives nursery children individual start dates for the January and April terms, with a later September start also planned. Families should use their child's assigned date when arranging the first weeks of care.

For children attending for 30 hours, a school meal can be booked through Arbor and carries an additional charge. Harriers operates a nut-free rule; packed lunches should avoid nuts, crisps and large chocolate bars. Fruit is welcomed as a snack. These are practical considerations when preparing food for the nursery day.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Oxfordshire County Council's online process and meet the deadline for their child's entry year. The school asks parents to give three school preferences in order. Choosing Little Harriers therefore needs to work as a nursery decision in its own right, alongside a separate plan for Reception admission.

The 15-hour funded pattern is a morning session from 8.30am to 11.30am or an afternoon session from 12.15pm to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday during term time. The 30-hour funded pattern runs during term time from 8.30am to 3.15pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday ending at 11.30am.

Wednesday collection. Parents can pay to extend Wednesday attendance until 3.15pm. Families needing the same collection time throughout the week should account for this extra session and contact the school for current charges.

Nursery applications use the school's Admission Form. Enquiries and fee-paid place requests go to the office on 01295 263 067 or office@harriers-aspirations.org. Parents can also use the Best Start in Life eligibility checker to check their childcare support entitlement.