Barrow Hill Primary Academy Nursery

Individual support is the clearest thread running through Barrow Hill’s nursery provision: parents help shape learning targets, children’s views inform support, and preparation for a new classroom can include a picture passport. The nursery forms part of Barrow Hill Primary Academy on Station Road in Chesterfield, where the school’s starting age is three.

For the school identified by URN 151309, there is No Ofsted graded rating yet. The school aims to include children by addressing their individual barriers to learning and developing independence. For parents, that makes the arrangements for recognising needs and sharing information a useful focus when considering the nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the framework for early learning and care. In plain language, it brings children’s communication, movement and social development together with early reading, mathematics, creative expression and learning about the world. These areas belong together: learning to communicate and participate matters alongside developing early knowledge.

Support is designed around participation in learning. Barrow Hill’s approach starts with teaching adapted to the child; additional help can involve particular resources, different activities or extra adults in the classroom. Where more targeted help is needed, speech and language work and sensory support are among the options. These are responses to individual needs, rather than a fixed programme for every nursery child.

Parents have a defined role in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support. Children with SEND have three review meetings a year, with progress discussed and new targets agreed together. The review cycle includes October, February and June. This gives families recurring opportunities to consider whether support still fits their child.

Children’s preferences matter too. Their views can contribute to a One Page Profile; where verbal communication is difficult, adults who know them and visual prompts help gather those views. The Birmingham Toolkit assessment system also provides suggestions that can be shared with parents for learning at home.

Specialist involvement depends on the child. School links include Educational Psychology and Speech and Language services. The SEND coordinator and class teacher are the contacts for discussing concerns, so parents can contribute their knowledge of their child alongside staff observations.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Barrow Hill follows Derbyshire’s local authority admissions arrangements; treat the application as a separate task from preparing your child for the move.

For children with identified SEND, transition support includes school transition days, an advance meeting with the SEND coordinator and a Transition Passport containing classroom and teacher pictures. Information and individual targets are shared with the next teacher. These arrangements help make the change more familiar; they do not secure admission.

Prospective parents are welcome to visit, with the school office handling enquiries. Contact the school on 01246 472494 to arrange the next step.

For families discussing additional needs, Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) provides independent guidance for children with SEND and their parents or carers. It offers a further point of advice alongside conversations with the school.