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Nursery at Battledown School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Communication, individual learning and practical independence shape Battledown’s early years provision. The nursery sits within a special school in Cheltenham whose specialist assessment work covers children aged 2 to 11 with additional needs, including developmental delay, communication difficulties and physical or sensory needs. That is the context for choosing it: support is organised around the child’s needs.
Class groups across Battledown can contain up to 9 children, depending on their needs. Teaching can take place individually, in small groups or with the class. For a preschool child, this means learning need not depend on keeping pace with a larger group.
Play provides the starting point. Battledown uses the Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS, to plan individual learning and care, aiming to help children progress at their own pace. In everyday terms, play gives children chances to try out skills, make decisions, solve problems and interact with adults and other children. Adults observe and extend that play rather than treating it simply as a break from learning.
Observation also shapes each child’s learning objectives. Teachers send families a termly outline of the learning theme and ideas for continuing learning at home. This gives parents a practical connection with what their child is working towards.
The learning spaces accommodate different needs, with specialist seating, standing frames and hoists used where required. Forest School sessions are available to all pupils and follow children’s interests, bringing outdoor exploration into the learning offer. Across the school, interventions include TacPac and Sherbourne Movement; their use may be individual, in groups or with a class.
Communication has several forms here. Children may express choices through photographs, symbols, eye pointing or electronic aids as well as speech. Each pupil has a Communication Profile and individual outcomes, giving staff a shared basis for responding to the child.
Settling is arranged with the family after a visit, so the introduction can fit the child. Within the first 6 weeks, the class teacher and Family Worker make a home visit to discuss how the child has settled. Families also have meetings linked to their child’s EHCP.
Support extends beyond classroom learning. Speech and language therapy includes individual or group work, while personal care programmes cover eating, dressing and toileting. Children staying for lunch can have a cooked meal. For complex medical needs, staff work with the school nurse and relevant health professionals.
The Family Worker contacts new families and can help with sleep, continence and behaviour concerns. INFOCUS brings parents and carers together in the Parents’ Room, usually once or twice a term. Class teams also meet with therapists and other professionals to share information, connecting daily support with each child’s needs.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families should treat Reception admission separately, applying through the normal route by the relevant deadline. Battledown’s school placement process involves a local authority referral, so discuss the next placement decision with the authority rather than assuming nursery attendance settles it.
Transition support is a separate matter. Children transferring to another school have supported visits and photograph booklets showing their new setting and staff. These help make the change more concrete for the child; they do not confer an admissions advantage.
Preschool attendance is agreed between parents and the headteacher. The usual pattern is between three and five half-days each week, with other arrangements possible where necessary. This is an individual discussion about access to learning rather than a fixed package for every child.
To arrange a visit, contact the school office on 01242 525472 or email admin@battledown.sandmat.uk. Battledown is on Harp Hill, Cheltenham, GL52 6PZ. Parents can discuss progress with the class teacher by arrangement and can contact staff by telephone, writing or Voxer.
It is part of a special school providing specialist assessment for children with additional needs. Early learning follows an individual approach using the EYFS.
Between three and five half-days a week is the usual pattern. Parents and the headteacher agree attendance, and other arrangements can be made if necessary.
Staff arrange the introduction with the family after a visit. The class teacher and Family Worker visit at home within the first 6 weeks to discuss settling.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must approach Reception as a separate admissions decision.
Contact the school office on 01242 525472 or email admin@battledown.sandmat.uk to arrange one.
