Oasis Academy Benson Nursery Review

Daily writing drawn from real experiences gives Benson’s early years a concrete starting point: children have a reason to put their ideas on paper. The nursery belongs to Oasis Academy Benson, a primary school on Benson Road in Hockley, Birmingham. It is school-based provision.

Oasis Academy Benson has no Ofsted graded rating yet. Families should distinguish that position from any judgement attached to Benson Community School.

Writing activities take place daily across the early years, using experiences from real life. The school’s stated purpose is to give children meaningful reasons to write. For parents, that places the emphasis on what children want to communicate, rather than simply completing a task.

Across the school, the curriculum aims to develop knowledge that children can remember and use again. Benson names a Mastery approach and Little Wandle Phonics, with reading and vocabulary as priorities. These are school-wide approaches; they should not be read as a nursery session timetable.

In April 2022, nursery children were invited to make bonnets at home for the Easter Bonnet Parade on 6 April. That historical example shows a practical link between family activity and participation at school.

Inclusion is organised across the school, with a SENCO and support from outside specialists. Soundswell provides speech and language therapy in school on Mondays and Wednesdays for children with speech, language and communication difficulties. This gives families a specific support service to discuss when a child needs help communicating.

Other partners include the Communication and Autism Team, an educational psychologist and sensory specialists covering hearing and vision. The school can consult external agencies when parents or staff raise concerns. Access to that advice is a support arrangement, rather than a promise of a particular intervention for every nursery child.

For learning at home, families can use Singing Hands signed songs and nursery rhymes, alongside speech and language activities involving naming, sounds and turn-taking. These provide concrete ways for adults and children to practise communication together.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal Reception admission process by its normal deadline.

Benson Community School’s admission arrangements gave precedence to looked-after or previously looked-after children, followed by siblings and then distance. They did not include nursery attendance as a criterion. Families should confirm the academy’s current Reception criteria; familiarity with the school does not establish entitlement to a place.

Benson Community School’s arrangements offered part-time nursery places first, with full-time places conditional on remaining capacity and eligibility. Families should confirm the academy’s current session allocation rules before planning around a full-time place.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 0121 554 4913 or email enquiry@benson.bham.sch.uk. Benson Community School’s arrangements directed nursery applications to the school; confirm the academy’s current application route with the office. A metro stop opposite the school connects with Birmingham City Centre, a useful practical detail for families travelling by public transport.