Hearsall Community Academy Nursery Review

Story maps, dough gym and obstacle courses give Hearsall’s nursery curriculum its practical character. Children work on conversation and early number skills alongside learning to manage feelings and look after themselves. Small everyday tasks count here: washing hands and changing clothes are part of the learning, too.

This is Hearsall Community Academy’s own nursery, within a primary school on Kingston Road in Coventry. The school serves children aged 3 to 11; that is the whole-school age range. Nursery learning belongs to its early years provision, with a curriculum that combines play, communication and physical development.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together emotional and social development, movement and language with early literacy, maths, creative work and exploring the world. Hearsall organises these through its named 5 Ms approach. For parents, the practical connection is clear: talking, making marks, investigating and moving are learning activities, rather than breaks from learning.

Spring nursery activities include songs and stories each day, small-group conversations and making simple maps of stories. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt introduces words for position through play. Children also practise recognising the first sounds in words and copying their names for registration. These are small steps towards understanding how speech and written marks connect.

Maths takes a similarly hands-on form. Children build with blocks and shapes, fill differently sized containers and sort objects by size or colour. Musical instruments introduce differences in sound. Dough gym and obstacle courses give movement a place alongside these quieter tasks, while playground games add opportunities to play together.

The early years classroom can also change with a story: a beanstalk appearing for Jack and the Beanstalk, or newly equipped role play, are examples of Hearsall’s approach. Such changes give children something concrete to investigate and talk about.

In May 2025, Ofsted identified support for communication and language among children learning English as an additional language, including those joining in the early years. It also found that positive approaches to learning developed from the early years.

Independence is taught through ordinary care routines. Spring nursery learning includes toileting, handwashing and changing into fresh clothes. Turn-taking games sit alongside conversations about feelings, with deep breathing and sensory toys among the strategies children explore. The emphasis is on practising manageable actions.

Tapestry connects learning with home. Parents can see activities and their child’s development through this online journal, then contribute comments and media themselves. It gives families a way to add their own perspective, rather than only receive updates.

For additional needs, the school’s SENDCo is accessible through the office. Support planning includes early conversations with parents and a repeated cycle of assessment, planning, action and review. The school also uses Thrive across its provision to guide responses to social and emotional needs. Nursery lunch is scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority under the 2027–28 admission criteria. Families must make a separate application through Coventry City Council, following the normal application timetable. Choosing the nursery and applying for Reception are separate decisions.

A further distinction matters for siblings: a child attending nursery does not count as a sibling attending the main school for admissions purposes. Families should assess their Reception application against the relevant criteria independently of their nursery arrangements.

General enquiries go to admin@hearsallacademy.org or 02476 674625. Families considering joining can telephone to arrange a school tour. The office is the contact point for organising that visit.

School uniform is encouraged, with red, white and grey as the colours. Plain red cardigans and jumpers are accepted, and an on-site shop provides pre-loved uniform to all pupils. This gives families alternatives to buying branded clothing.