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Nursery at Greenacre School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Communication, sensory learning and making choices give Greenacre’s early years approach its character. This is provision within a special school for children with severe and complex needs, whose school age range starts at 3 and extends to 19. The setting is on Keresforth Hill Road in Barnsley.
An important historical qualification comes first: at the Ofsted inspection on 15 and 16 June 2023, no nursery-aged children were attending. Families should distinguish the school’s early years model from an inspected nursery cohort.
Greenacre’s early years approach uses the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with play, adult-supported investigation and opportunities for children to choose. Physical development and sensory processing receive attention alongside learning. For a child with complex needs, participation and expressing a preference are meaningful parts of the day.
Personal Learning Maps give children individual targets. Alongside this early years approach, the school’s Access Curriculum uses sensory experiences and communication work for pupils who are not ready for learning organised by subject. Its emphasis includes taking part in routines and expressing personal preferences. Learning starts with what a child can engage with.
Books also have a place before formal reading begins. Across Greenacre, preparation includes handling books, developing attention, taking turns and recognising pictures and text. Reading corners, a reading den and the library are school facilities, rather than nursery-specific spaces. These provide a physical setting for the school’s emphasis on books and stories.
Medical support is part of the school’s provision. Apollo Healthcare supplies the on-site School Health Team, with support for tube feeding and complex epilepsy. The team also trains and supervises school staff, allowing care needs to be supported when children take part in activities with peers.
The Pastoral Team includes care workers, welfare leads and a manager. Parents can receive photographs, videos and notes about learning through Seesaw, giving families concrete experiences to talk about at home. Workshops also address family concerns such as sleep.
Meals are cooked on site, with menus following a 4-week cycle. Children with dietary requirements can be catered for through discussion with the catering team. Milk requires a form returned to the school office.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Reception admission is a separate process, rather than an automatic consequence of attending nursery.
Greenacre accepts new admissions only for children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Parents may express a preference for the school; before naming Greenacre in a plan, the local authority must consult it and consider suitability, parental views and the implications for education and resources. This is a specialist placement route, so families need to keep the Reception placement decision separate from their child’s nursery experience.
The school day runs from 09:00 to 15:30, Monday to Friday. These are school hours. For enquiries, telephone 01226 287165, email greenacre@greenacre-school.co.uk or use the school contact form.
School uniform includes green knitwear and grey or black bottoms, with non-branded clothing permitted. Clothes should carry the child’s name. This gives families an alternative to buying embroidered items while keeping to the uniform requirements.
Greenacre is a special school for children and young people with severe and complex needs, including communication, learning, physical and sensory needs.
No. Reception admission is separate. Greenacre’s new admissions require an EHCP and local authority consultation before the school is named in the plan.
Seesaw shares photographs, videos and notes with parents and carers through an app. Families can request an account through the home school book or the school’s form.
Yes. The catering team can accommodate special dietary requirements, which families should discuss with them. Food is prepared on site.
Call 01226 287165, email greenacre@greenacre-school.co.uk or complete the school contact form.
