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Nursery at Calthorpe Academy
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Understanding what a child’s behaviour communicates shapes Calthorpe’s approach to support. Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) focuses on adapting surroundings and teaching useful skills, with individual communication and sensory needs informing the response. For families considering the nursery, this gives a concrete picture of the academy’s approach to everyday care.
Nursery provision forms part of Calthorpe Academy on Darwin Street in Highgate, Birmingham. The school’s age range starts at two. Its specialist intake includes children with severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, sensory impairment and autism.
Individual learning targets sit within different curriculum pathways. Practical learning and developing independence are part of the academy’s approach, alongside helping children use skills beyond the classroom. Tasks are divided into manageable steps, with encouragement chosen around what motivates each learner. This makes the next step in learning specific to the child.
Communication aids and visual schedules are among the tools used in targeted behaviour support. They give children ways to understand expectations and express needs. Sensory profiles also inform support, with an occupational therapist contributing regulation strategies and work on the sensory learning environment.
The timetable for provision covering ages two to 16 runs from 09:00 to 15:20, with a morning break and lunch between 12:00 and 13:00. Hours may change after September according to the new context; confirm current hours with the academy. These are school-day timings rather than a nursery session booking model.
Well-being passports bring together each learner’s communication needs, regulation needs, transitions and motivating responses. Parents, teachers and therapists contribute, and the passports are shared with families and reviewed as needs change. The practical value is continuity: adults can draw on the same account of how a child needs to be supported.
A speech and language therapist contributes communication strategies to behaviour support plans; occupational therapy contributes sensory strategies. PBS practitioners and mentors help staff put plans into practice through observation, coaching and modelling. Support therefore includes guidance for the adults working with the child, as well as an individual plan.
Targeted plans and accompanying risk assessments are reviewed at least termly. Where targeted support has not improved outcomes, specialist work can include a fuller assessment of behaviour and collaboration between agencies. The academy aims to anticipate difficulties and teach alternative ways for learners to get their needs met.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Treat the next placement as a separate admissions decision rather than assuming that attending nursery secures it. Calthorpe is commissioned by Birmingham’s SENAR service, and admission requires an Education, Health Care plan (EHCP), in draft or final form. That condition matters when considering the child’s next stage.
Well-being passports form part of transition and EHCP documentation. They carry information about communication, regulation and transitions, helping the next team understand the child’s support needs. This preparation is separate from any entitlement to a place.
For enquiries, contact enquiry@calthorpe.thrive.ac or telephone 0121 773 4637. The academy’s address is Darwin Street, Highgate, Birmingham B12 0TP.
Calendar planning. Autumn half-term in 2026 falls from 26 to 30 October, and 2 November is a teacher training day. Families planning care around the school calendar need to account for both the holiday and the training day.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place; treat the next placement as a separate admissions decision.
Yes. All pupils admitted must have an Education, Health Care plan already in place, either in draft or final form.
The timetable for the two-to-16 provision runs from 09:00 to 15:20, with lunch from 12:00 to 13:00. Hours may change after September according to the new context; confirm current hours with the academy. These timings describe the school day.
Parents contribute to well-being passports alongside teachers and therapists. The passports are shared with families and reviewed as the learner’s needs change.
Email enquiry@calthorpe.thrive.ac or call 0121 773 4637.
