Carr Lodge Academy Nursery Review

Forest School and a nursery class called Busy Bees give Carr Lodge Academy’s youngest provision its own identity. The nursery has 52 places within the primary academy in Balby, Doncaster, with children eligible to begin in the term following their third birthday, subject to places being available. This is the school’s Lower Foundation provision.

The practical choice is between morning and afternoon attendance. That makes the nursery session, rather than the longer primary school day, the timetable families need to plan around.

Three-hour sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am or from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The 15-hour pattern consists of five mornings or five afternoons, giving children a repeated session pattern rather than a mix of shorter bookings.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning draws on experiences children already recognise. For example, early map work starts with a bird’s-eye drawing of their bedroom, while timelines begin with events from their own lives. These activities connect new ideas about place and time to something familiar. A named nursery topic, I Wonder...What makes me Wonderful?, brings the focus closer still: the child’s own identity.

Forest School forms part of Foundation Stage provision alongside classrooms designed around immersive learning. The academy also has a purpose-built sensory room and spaces for intervention across the school. These are school facilities; they should be distinguished from the nursery’s own classroom provision.

Together, the personal topics, early mapping and outdoor approach give parents concrete examples of the learning children encounter. Familiar experiences become starting points for exploring a bigger world.

Busy Bees has nursery class teachers and teaching assistants. Leadership also connects early years with inclusion: the Early Years Foundation Stage Leader’s responsibilities include SEND coordination and a deputy safeguarding role. That gives families an identifiable team structure for discussing learning and additional needs.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the academy involves parents in identifying needs and agreeing targets, and seeks specialist advice to develop individual plans. The practical implication is a role for parents in shaping support, rather than simply receiving updates about it.

Family support extends beyond classroom learning. A Pastoral Family Support Worker sits within the school’s support team, while Doncaster SENDIAS provides advice for parents and carers about SEND and related health or social care matters.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to Carr Lodge Academy’s Reception. Parents must make a separate application through Doncaster Council’s online admissions route. Treat this as another application to complete by the deadline for the relevant entry year, even if your child already attends Busy Bees.

Choosing the nursery and obtaining a Reception place are separate decisions. The nursery’s place within the academy does not remove that application requirement.

The academy provides 15 hours through five morning sessions or five afternoon sessions. A 30-hour place may be possible for a child with a qualifying tax code, but those places are limited. The headteacher allocates sessions; parental preferences are considered but cannot always be met. This matters when arranging work or other childcare.

Visits can be arranged by emailing enquiries@carrlodgeacademy.org. For general enquiries, call 01302 230700. Nursery uniform includes a compulsory bottle-green sweatshirt or cardigan bearing the logo, a white polo shirt, grey jogging bottoms or charcoal-grey trousers, and suitable footwear.