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Nursery at Devonshire Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Balance bikes, a sensory room and a library for borrowing books give Devonshire Preschool a character beyond the classroom. This is Devonshire Primary Academy’s nursery provision on Devonshire Road in Blackpool, caring for three-year-olds. Its planned admission number is 52, spread across different session patterns rather than necessarily attending together.
Jungle Class is the group starting in the September before school; younger starters joining in January or the term after their third birthday are Jungle Cubs. Both groups use the same resources and learning opportunities. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good following its inspection on 26 and 27 November 2024. That judgement covers early years within the academy.
Play occupies substantial parts of the day, punctuated by short teaching sessions. Children begin with a snack and a song, then alternate exploration with work on knowledge about the world, early reading and phase 1 phonics. After lunch come stories, mathematics and preparation for writing. Numbers, shapes and solving problems sit alongside activities developing hand control and larger movements. The big play area has a physical-development slot in each half of the day.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, movement and relationships with reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Devonshire’s Learning Ladders organise skills for repeated practice, while Curiosity Corner, part of Success for All, introduces concepts and vocabulary. Adults teach directly, join children’s play and leave space for independent exploration. Children therefore encounter ideas through both guided activities and their own choices.
Indoors, the art gallery, crafty corner and easels provide places to make and experiment; outdoor activities include creating art with natural materials. Jungle Class also uses the school trim trail and sensory room, with dance, a sports coach and balance-bike practice adding movement. Borrowing from the preschool library extends books into family life.
In November 2024, adults’ questioning and use of more demanding vocabulary supported communication in early years. Curriculum continuity. Some early-years learning connected insufficiently with key stage 1, limiting how securely children accumulated knowledge. Strengthening those connections was an improvement priority, relevant to families thinking beyond the nursery year.
A key person provides a familiar adult relationship. Early-years staff have undertaken Professional Love training, and a high percentage of the team has Makaton training to support communication through signing.
Settling begins with a home visit by two preschool staff, followed by entry in small groups. Brief separations can build towards longer sessions when needed. If a child remains unsettled, staff telephone parents to discuss the next step; families also receive an update when their child settles. In November 2024, nursery children settled successfully, with adult help establishing routines and cooperative play.
Fruit is available daily, with milk or water at snack time; other snacks include pancakes and fruit loaf. A water machine supplies drinking water, and staff can track how much children drink using preschool cups. Families can speak with staff at session boundaries and exchange messages through Class Dojo.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the SENDCO or deputy joins the home visit to gather information. Parents contribute to planning and reviewing support, and referrals may involve the EYSEND Service or speech and language services. This gives families a route to discuss needs before attendance begins.
Preschool attendance neither guarantees a Reception place nor confers admission priority. Reception requires a separate application to the local authority where the family lives, using its normal application process and deadline. Blackpool residents apply through Blackpool Council. The 2027/28 priority categories concern care status, exceptional medical, social or welfare circumstances, siblings and distance.
Preparation is a separate matter. A School Ready session discusses starting-school skills with families, and an individual meeting lets the child explore the setting before Reception. These arrangements support familiarity; they do not alter allocation of places.
For 2024/25, preschool operated during term time, Monday to Friday, opening at 8.45am and closing at 3.00pm. Dawn combined Monday and Tuesday full days with Wednesday morning; Dusk combined Wednesday afternoon with Thursday and Friday full days. Sunlight covered full days throughout the week. Morning or afternoon sessions required review with the preschool manager. Confirm current times and session arrangements with the preschool.
There are 15 funded hours as standard and 30 for eligible families. Additional paid hours depend on availability and come in blocks of 15; school dinners are charged separately. Snack and sundries charges cover consumables and activities outside funded hours. Ask the school for current charges. Honeycombers provides separately booked breakfast and after-school care for preschool children through ParentPay.
Uniform is recommended for messy play. Bring labelled belongings and a small bag containing spare clothes and pull-ups if needed. Collection is through the double doors, with children released individually. For enquiries, email preschool@devonshire.svt.org.uk or telephone 01253 478271.
Devonshire Preschool cares for three-year-olds. Some places may begin in the term after the third birthday, subject to availability.
Children combine play with short sessions on stories, phase 1 phonics, mathematics and preparation for reading and writing. The big play area supports physical skills.
Two preschool staff make a home visit, and children start in small groups. Short separations can be extended gradually, with telephone contact if a child remains unsettled.
No. Attendance does not guarantee a place or give admission priority. Families must apply separately through their home local authority.
The preschool offers 15 funded hours as standard and 30 for eligible families. Honeycombers accepts preschool children for breakfast and after-school care, booked and paid for separately through ParentPay.
