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Nursery at Tornedale Infant Academy
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Friday reading with parents, a Tales Toolkit reading corner and time to choose learning indoors and outside give Tornedale’s nursery its character. This is Foundation 1, the nursery within Tornedale Infant Academy in New Rossington, Doncaster. It can accommodate a maximum of 52 children. Nursery entry is normally in the September after a child’s third birthday; earlier starts depend on available places and the child’s birth term.
The practical appeal is choice: families can use mornings, afternoons or a pattern spread across two and a half days. Eligible children can attend the Monday-to-Friday 30-hour provision. Those arrangements support different family routines while keeping children within the same nursery programme.
A session begins with welcomes and a look at the date, weather and timetable. Children then gather by the smartboard for a shared teaching activity before choosing what to explore indoors. A writing table, construction area and painting easel sit alongside water and sand play, pretend play and small-world resources. There is room for both making things and making up stories.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects emotional development, communication and physical skills with early reading, maths, creative work and understanding the world. Here, children learn through active exploration and play, with activities adapted to their needs and interests. Tales Toolkit adds a named storytelling resource; White Rose Maths supports planning from nursery onwards, with practical experiences, songs and stories helping children explore mathematical ideas.
Snack precedes outdoor choices, then a story rounds off the morning before collection or lunch. Outside, children have opportunities to dig, climb, balance and run, giving physical development a place in the daily routine. Afternoon sessions repeat the broad pattern, with learning extended for children who have already encountered that week’s shared teaching.
Themes include Toys, Moon Zoom and Splish Splash! Staff can change the focus to follow children’s interests. On Fridays, parents join their children for classroom reading, making shared books part of the nursery experience as well as home life.
Settling support includes home visits, a nursery meeting and stay-and-play. Home visits, a nursery meeting and stay-and-play give families opportunities to explain their child’s needs and help staff prepare support. Staff are also available for conversations before and after sessions, so smaller concerns have a straightforward route into discussion.
The Foundation Stage uses a key-person system. Progress is shared through Class Dojo, floor books and sparkle books, and parents can contribute achievements from home. For children with additional needs, the school’s support arrangements include parent meetings with the SENCO at least three times a year. Referrals to Doncaster’s Speech and Language Therapy Department and input from the ASCETs team, with parental consent, provide routes to specialist help.
Children staying for a full day can have a charged nursery meal or bring a packed lunch. Families choosing a packed lunch should notify the office. Milk is free for children under five, with registration through Cool Milk required to receive it.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and does not confer priority under Tornedale’s admission criteria. Families must make a separate application to the City of Doncaster Council through the normal Reception process by the normal deadline. Allocation considers looked-after and previously looked-after children, catchment residence, siblings or other members of the same family unit attending Tornedale, and proximity.
Familiarity is a separate benefit. During the summer term, nursery children visit Reception classes regularly, join assemblies and experience playtime. A June meeting brings together parents whose children are starting Reception in September. These activities support the change of routine; they do not secure admission.
Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from noon to 3pm. The two-and-a-half-day patterns span Monday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Friday. For children meeting the Government’s qualifying criteria, the 30-hour option runs Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 3pm. The funded 15-hour entitlement covers 38 weeks.
Extra sessions. Purchased three-hour sessions depend on availability and may be withdrawn if a place is needed for a child entitled to funded 15-hour provision. Lunch is charged separately. A baking contribution is also requested; contact the school for current charges.
For nursery enquiries, call 01302 868387 or email admin@tornedaleacademy.com. Nursery applications go through the local authority.
Mornings, afternoons, Monday-to-Wednesday or Wednesday-to-Friday two-and-a-half-day patterns, and a Monday-to-Friday 30-hour option for children meeting the Government’s qualifying criteria.
Families take part in home visits, a nursery meeting and stay-and-play, allowing them to share information and prepare with staff.
Yes. Children staying for lunch can bring a packed lunch instead of having a charged nursery meal; families should notify the office.
No. Nursery attendance gives no Reception priority under Tornedale’s criteria. Families must apply separately to the City of Doncaster Council.
Class Dojo, floor books and sparkle books record learning. Parents can share achievements from home and speak with nursery staff before or after sessions.
