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Nursery at Asterdale Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Shape rockets and carefully modelled conversation give Asterdale’s early years learning a clear character: children practise new skills through play, with adults helping them develop their ideas. This is the nursery within Asterdale Primary School on Borrowash Road in Spondon, Derby.
Ofsted’s March 2026 inspection judged the school’s early years provision Strong standard. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating. The curriculum starts in Nursery, with learning organised to build children’s knowledge progressively.
Play and direct teaching work together here. Across early years, children receive daily teaching in mathematics, early writing and reading, then have opportunities to use those skills in play. Making rockets from shapes is one example: mathematical learning becomes part of an imaginative activity. Children can put an idea to work rather than only hear an explanation.
Language receives close attention. Adults demonstrate how to express ideas and use conversation to stretch children’s thinking. In March 2026, this supported the development of foundational skills among children with SEND, children learning English as an additional language and disadvantaged children. Early writing activities also help children develop letter formation, while learning sounds supports their first steps in reading.
Outdoor learning adds another dimension. Forest schools and outdoor learning are provided for all children, giving nursery children opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. The combination of conversation, practical activity and teaching gives parents a useful picture of how learning takes shape across early years.
Getting to know children is an immediate priority. In March 2026, early years staff established their understanding of individual children promptly and recognised difficulties affecting learning or wellbeing accurately. Support followed those assessments. For a child who needs additional help, the significant feature is that identifying a difficulty leads to action.
Parents and carers are central to this work. Early years staff prioritise those relationships, and leaders regularly check children’s development and adjust provision in response. Support is therefore reviewed as children’s needs change.
Families can contact the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator through senco@asterdale.odysseyct.org.uk. This provides a direct route for discussing additional needs alongside conversations with the nursery team.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year.
For Derby residents, the application route is Derby City Council. Families living outside Derby city apply through their own local council, even when choosing Asterdale. In the 2026 admissions round, the online closing date was 15 January 2026; that deadline has passed. Keep the Reception application separate from arrangements for nursery attendance.
General enquiries go to admin@asterdale.odysseyct.org.uk or 01332 662323. The school also offers appointments for prospective parents and children to look around, arranged by email or telephone through the office. A school tour gives families an opportunity to consider the setting before choosing it.
Yes. It is the school’s nursery provision on Borrowash Road, Spondon, Derby.
The March 2026 inspection judged early years Strong standard, covering the school’s early years provision rather than giving the nursery a separate rating.
Early years teaching combines daily reading, writing and mathematics with opportunities to practise through play. Adults develop children’s language through conversation, and outdoor learning and forest schools are provided for all children.
No. Reception requires a separate application. Derby residents apply through Derby City Council; families outside the city apply through their own local council.
Contact the office on 01332 662323 or email admin@asterdale.odysseyct.org.uk. Prospective parents and children can arrange an appointment to look around the school.
