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Nursery at Victoria Lane 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play, friendships and learning to speak confidently give Victoria Lane Academy’s nursery its character. It takes three- and four-year-olds, with an admission limit of 26 children per session, and forms part of the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Coundon.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 7 and 8 February 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.
The EYFS combines learning with children’s social development and growing independence. Here, play and exploration sit alongside time learning with adults. In February 2024, early years children were developing the beginnings of maths and reading, giving their activities a purpose beyond keeping them occupied.
Conversation matters too. Adults demonstrated language and communication in ways that helped children grow more confident about speaking. Children made friends and enjoyed playing together. For a parent choosing a first group setting, those findings connect learning with the everyday business of joining in and expressing a thought.
Nursery children also encounter characters used within the school’s curriculum. The school aims to develop independence alongside curriculum learning, and can adapt teaching to individual needs. This places participation and personal development alongside the early reading and mathematical foundations.
Settling starts before the first regular session. A preliminary visit and transition visits are arranged in the term before a child turns three. A visit, or several visits, introduces the nursery routine, and staff can help families complete the paperwork. This gives children some familiarity with the people and pattern of their day before starting.
For children needing additional support, the school accesses a speech and language therapist on entry to early years. SEND support follows Assess, Plan, Do, Review: identify the need, arrange support, put it into practice and reconsider progress. Parents contribute to individual SEND Support Plans and have termly opportunities to discuss support. That creates a repeated conversation rather than a single assessment.
All staff have first aid training; five members have paediatric first aid training. Medical needs are planned with parents and relevant professionals through an Individual Healthcare Plan. The school also has a First Aid area with an adjoining room that can provide privacy.
Nursery school meals are charged and paid for through Arbor. Contact the school for current charges. Collection is restricted to adults authorised by parents or carers, and changes must be communicated to the teacher.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority, with Durham County Council Admissions Team administering school admissions. Apply through the normal Reception process by its normal deadline.
After a Reception place has been allocated, children and parents are invited to visit during the term before starting. That introduction supports the move into school, separately from the decision about admission.
The 15-hour funded offer for all three- and four-year-olds runs during term time across five morning sessions. Eligible families can take a 30-hour option. The morning pattern gives families a regular weekly arrangement; the longer entitlement depends on eligibility.
Contact the school office to register nursery interest and be connected with nursery staff. Telephone 01388 603 588 or email office@victorialaneprimary.co.uk. Visits can be arranged by appointment.
The school’s main entrance uses a buzzer and is accessible to wheelchair users. For collection, an unfamiliar authorised adult must be introduced formally to staff or identified through a photograph supplied by parents.
The nursery provides for three- and four-year-olds, with an admission limit of 26 children per session.
The 15-hour offer runs in term time across five morning sessions. A 30-hour option is offered to eligible families.
Staff arrange a preliminary visit and transition visits in the term before your child turns three, introducing the nursery’s daily routine.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the local authority’s normal admissions process.
Contact the school office on 01388 603 588 or at office@victorialaneprimary.co.uk to register interest and speak with nursery staff.
