Springhill Primary Academy Nursery Review

Chicks hatching at school and Chinese Dragon Dancing give Springhill’s nursery a character of its own. Real experiences shape the learning, with activities taking place inside and outdoors. This is the nursery within Springhill Primary Academy in Burntwood, accepting children from the term after their third birthday.

Capacity differs between sessions: there are currently up to 24 morning places and up to 16 afternoon places. Those are session limits, rather than a single nursery total. For families weighing up their routine, the distinction matters: the morning and afternoon sessions have different capacity limits.

Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. In practical terms here, children explore, make things and solve problems: painting sits alongside planting and digging, with opportunities to connect ideas and think for themselves. Springhill calls its approach mini-missions, using themed learning to encourage children’s curiosity and independence.

The nursery’s experiences include watching chicks hatch and grow, exploring life cycles and taking part in Chinese Dragon Dancing. These give children concrete things to investigate and discuss. Movement has a place too, with nursery PE on Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons.

Outside, the Early Years environment supports activities involving larger movements. Playing fields, Forest school and an outdoor classroom surround the provision, giving outdoor learning several distinct settings. Springhill aims to develop children’s confidence and respect for nature through practical experiences.

In October 2024, Ofsted found that Early Years children developed language well and used newly learned words confidently when discussing their activities. That is a useful strength for parents to weigh alongside the nursery’s emphasis on exploration: children were learning to explain what they were doing.

The nursery team includes a manager who also works as an Early Years practitioner, alongside other practitioners. In October 2024, Early Years care was strong, with the environment arranged around children’s differing needs.

Across Springhill, support for special educational needs and disabilities includes adjustments to teaching and targeted help. Parents can contact the Special Educational Needs Coordinator about concerns, providing a route for discussing an individual child’s support.

Lunch club occupies the gap between the two nursery sessions. School meals are cooked on site by edwards and ward; ParentPay allows families to order meals ahead. For a diagnosed allergy, intolerance or medical condition requiring a special diet, parents must register the child’s details with the caterer. Springhill asks families to avoid foods containing nuts, while recognising that it cannot guarantee a nut-free site.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families need to make a separate application: Staffordshire County Council handles Reception admissions, with online applications running from 1 November to 15 January. Treat that application as a separate task, even when your child already attends the nursery.

Morning nursery runs from 08:30 to 11:30, followed by lunch club until 12:20. The afternoon session then runs from 12:20 to 15:20. Both 15-hour and 30-hour funded places are offered, subject to availability. Unfunded nursery hours are charged by the hour, while lunch club has a separate session charge; contact the school for current charges.

Nursery enquiries begin with an online expression of interest, and the office can answer questions. Open Days offer an opportunity to see the nursery. For working families, one boundary matters: Mega Club, Springhill’s wraparound care, is for Reception to Year 6, so it does not cover nursery children.