Leighton Academy Nursery Review

Bikes, climbing equipment and a playdough disco give Leighton Academy’s nursery a distinctly active character. Children join from age 2 and stay until school age, with provision for two-year-olds alongside preschool for children aged 3–4. There are 57 nursery places within the academy in Crewe.

Small rooms give key worker groups their own space for registration, while a large outdoor area supports play in all weather. This is a nursery where clothes need to cope with movement and mess. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 14 and 15 February 2023; that judgement covers early years within the school.

The morning starts at 8:45am with registration in key worker groups and a brief activity led by an adult. From 9:15am, children choose between indoor and outdoor play. A group snack and another adult-led activity follow at 10am, before more time to explore. Playdough disco starts at 11:15am, followed by outdoor play and an 11:45am finish. Afternoons follow a similar pattern.

Choice has a substantial place in the day. Construction resources, small world toys, a reading area and role play sit alongside spaces for creative work and making marks. Adults model skills during play and offer targeted activities, including speech and language support. Weekly Monday physical activity sessions use the main school hall: Active Kids for the two-year-olds and PE for preschool children.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, physical and social development with early literacy, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Learning combines children’s interests with planned activities, rather than relying solely on group teaching. Nursery children have brief practical sessions in maths and phonics each day. German also starts here, with greetings and requests for fruit woven into daily routines.

In February 2023, children aged two began exploring reading as soon as they joined, through listening walks, rhymes and traditional stories. There were also weaknesses: in some early years classes, including provision for two-year-olds, learning did not consistently build securely on earlier knowledge. Checks on understanding were insufficient in a small number of early years classes, leaving gaps unaddressed. These concerns matter alongside the Good judgement: playful activities need a clear learning sequence and careful checks on each child’s progress.

Each child has a key worker. Registration and snacks happen in these smaller groups, giving the day a recurring point of contact. Nursery home visits support entry, and two-year-olds may bring a comforter while settling. Families receive an email update each week about activities and special events.

For children attending all day, lunch can be a charged hot school meal or a packed lunch. School meals require advance payment through Arbor; contact the school for current charges. Children bring a named plastic water bottle, and families supply nappies and wipes when needed. Staff support children as they begin toileting, with extra changes of clothing requested for the early stages.

The school’s Early Identification Pathway provides a process for responding to emerging needs. Parents are involved in planning support, and the class teacher is the first contact for concerns about development. This gives families a route to discuss needs alongside the nursery’s speech and language interventions.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no attendance-based priority under the 2027–28 admission arrangements. Families must make a separate application through Cheshire East’s primary admissions system and meet the normal application deadline. Familiarity with the academy does not replace that application.

Transition support is a separate matter. New Reception pupils have transition visits, while children with SEND can have additional sessions with their incoming teacher. Class transition booklets include photographs of staff and the environment, helping children prepare for a change of classroom.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am, afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and full-time places from 8:45am to 3:30pm. Both paid and funded places are offered for two-year-olds. Three-year-olds have a 15-hour funded entitlement; 30-hour funded places depend on eligibility.

Use the Nursery Enquiry Form or email nurseryadmin@leighton.cheshire.sch.uk to enquire. Preschool uniform is optional, and PE kit is unnecessary. Easy-to-manage clothing, a named coat, wellington boots and spare clothes suit the practical day. L.A. Stars provides preschool wraparound care before and after school and during holidays, with bookings through Kids Club HQ.