Acresfield Academy Nursery Review

Familiar stories become outdoor building projects in Acresfield Academy’s nursery: children have made a bridge for the billy goats, taking a book into their own play. That is the clearest picture of the provision’s character. Stories, practical activity and choices made with friends sit together here.

Ducklings is the nursery class within Acresfield Academy in Upton by Chester. It gives children a place within the school from their nursery years, with older pupils contributing buddy support. At the inspection on 2 and 3 July 2024, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Story time gives children material to use beyond the book itself. In July 2024, nursery staff shared familiar books to engage children’s imagination, and children retold the stories together. The outdoor bridge for the billy goats is a concrete example: a story became something to construct and act out with friends. Reading has a practical place in the nursery day, alongside listening and talking.

Independence is another clear thread. Nursery children selected play equipment alongside their friends, putting the school’s teaching about independence and resilience into practice. The choice matters: children have opportunities to decide what to use, rather than simply follow an adult’s selection. Playing alongside friends also gives those decisions a social context.

An ambitious curriculum was established across the early years in July 2024. Learning expectations were organised into small steps, allowing new ideas to build on earlier knowledge. For parents, the combination is useful: children’s own play choices sit alongside a planned sequence of learning. The strongest nursery examples are tangible ones, choosing equipment, sharing stories and building outdoors.

Older pupils provide buddy support for children in early years. In July 2024, this helped younger children develop confidence as members of the school. It gives the nursery’s place within a primary school a practical purpose: contact with older children supports belonging, rather than leaving the youngest children’s experience entirely within their own class.

Attending Acresfield’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions route and meet the relevant deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions.

Buddy support concerns children’s confidence and relationships within school. It should not be read as an admissions advantage or a promise of a future place.

The school is on Acres Lane, Upton by Chester, CH2 1LJ. Parents can contact the office on 01244 257350 or email admin@acresfieldacademy.org.uk. Visits can be arranged through the office, giving families a direct way to see the setting before deciding whether to choose its nursery.