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Nursery at Esh Winning 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Purpose-built areas for different ages give Esh Winning Academy’s youngest children their own space within the school. Two-year-olds and nursery children have separate areas, with indoor learning and outdoor play forming part of both stages. This is provision organised around age, rather than one shared group for all the youngest children.
The two-year-old provision has 10 places and starts from the term following a child’s second birthday. Nursery begins from the term following the third birthday and continues up to Reception age. Staffing changes with that progression: two teaching assistants manage the younger group, while qualified teachers lead nursery. Adult-to-child ratios are 1:5 for two-year-olds and 1:13 in nursery.
Short teaching activities alternate with longer stretches of play and exploration, indoors and outside. Children have time to interact and make choices, alongside focused work with adults. That balance gives the session its shape.
The early years curriculum connects learning activities to the knowledge and skills children need for their next stage. Alongside that structure, the school aims to develop independence through play and interaction. Learning therefore includes how children work with others as well as what they know.
Music brings concrete activities into that picture. In early years, children sing familiar songs and nursery rhymes, perform together and begin matching their movements to a beat. Instruments feature in exploratory play and planned teaching sessions. Children can try sounds for themselves as well as join an adult-led activity.
Teaching assistants and key workers support the early years team, with additional SEN teaching assistants providing help where needed. For families whose children need extra support, this places assistance within the provision’s staffing structure.
Welcome visits provide an opportunity to discuss toilet training with nursery staff. Parents are asked to attempt potty training before nursery wherever possible; children who are still learning can receive further advice and help. It is a practical conversation to have before starting.
Across the school, staff have training in Emotion Coaching, an approach that helps children recognise feelings and respond to them. Family support also covers bedtime and morning routines, emotional wellbeing and managing SEND-related behaviour at home. The office connects families with an appropriate member of the team, giving parents a route into support beyond classroom concerns.
Meals are prepared in the school’s own kitchens. Most dishes use fresh, seasonal ingredients and are made from scratch; the school also aims to reduce processed food. Nursery families can add a charged lunch session to their child’s attendance pattern.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority’s admissions team, following the normal application process and deadline. Choosing nursery and applying for school are separate decisions.
For two-year-olds, the session model is five three-hour sessions each week, with morning or afternoon attendance. The morning runs from 8:45am to 11:45am; the afternoon runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Eligible children can receive 15 funded hours weekly over 38 weeks.
For nursery-age children, the standard offer is five three-hour morning sessions, from 8:45am to 11:45am, providing 15 funded hours per week. Places with 30 funded hours depend on eligibility. Parents can pay for extra sessions or add lunch, so the attendance pattern can extend beyond the morning offer. Contact the school for current charges.
Applications for both nursery and two-year-old places begin with an application pack from the school office. The contact number is 01913734701.
The two-year-old provision starts from the term after the second birthday. Nursery starts from the term after the third birthday.
There is one adult for every five children in the two-year-old provision and one for every 13 in nursery.
Eligible two-year-olds can receive 15 hours a week over 38 weeks. Nursery children receive the standard 15-hour offer, with 30-hour places subject to eligibility.
Parents are asked to try potty training before nursery wherever possible. If your child is not toilet trained, nursery staff can discuss help and advice during welcome visits.
No. Families must apply separately for Reception through the local authority’s admissions team, following the normal process and deadline.
