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Nursery at Heathfield Special 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Small learning steps and communication support shape the nursery experience at Heathfield Special School. This is early education within a special school, where children’s individual learning priorities guide teaching rather than a single pace for the whole group.
Heathfield serves children from age three and is designated for moderate learning difficulties. Its nursery belongs to a federation shared with St Francis School in Fareham. For families, the central question is how the provision matches their child’s needs.
Play, adult support and direct teaching combine within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). This means developing communication, physical skills and social and emotional confidence alongside early literacy, maths, creative work and understanding the world. Children use indoor and outdoor environments, with learning spaces adjusted as their needs change. Choice and independence are built into the timetable.
Music gives a concrete picture of the learning. Hearing, singing, dancing and exploring sounds run through early years activities. In October 2022, Ofsted found that EYFS children built early sound awareness through musical instruments and body percussion, supporting their preparation for reading.
Topics connect practical activity with language. In summer 2025, Pop to the Shops linked Zoopermarket and Oliver’s fruit Salad with sensory exploration of food, cutting fruit and laying tables. Those activities bring communication, counting and everyday skills together. They illustrate the approach rather than a fixed current timetable.
Learning progression. The October 2022 inspection also identified uneven sequencing in some subjects, affecting pupils at the earliest developmental stages. Families should consider how successive activities build on their child’s starting point.
Settling can be paced around new entrants. When several early years admissions are pending, starting dates may be staggered to help children settle. Before admission, families are encouraged to visit with their child and receive a home visit from the class teacher. This gives home and school a chance to exchange information before the first day.
Teachers work with learning support assistants, with staffing matched to class needs. Communication approaches across the federation include Makaton signing, PECS picture exchange and Objects of Reference. These give children ways to express needs and make choices alongside spoken language.
A daily contact book and telephone calls connect families with the classroom. Teachers aim to answer enquiries within two working days, while parent consultations take place twice a year. Class staff hold pastoral responsibility, supported by designated pastoral staff and nursing support where appropriate.
Personal care has practical provision: federation hygiene rooms offer privacy and equipment for intimate care. Staff undertake some medical procedures only when health professionals have delegated them correctly. Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy depend on EHCP provision and commissioning decisions.
Chartwells provides school meals. Medical diet requests and nut or peanut allergy registration give families routes to communicate dietary needs; speech and language therapists also cover feeding and swallowing needs where required.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Here, the next step centres on the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP): staff work with nursery families on an application, and a child may remain for Year R once that process is completed.
All admissions are administered by Hampshire Local Authority, with places dependent on availability and whether the placement suits the child’s educational needs. Discuss the Reception placement through the local authority SEN process. Transition arrangements are discussed with families separately from the decision to offer a place.
The school day runs from 9:15am to 3:15pm. Visits are arranged by calling 01329 512804 during school hours, with appointments at set times during the week.
General enquiries go to adminoffice@heathfield.hants.sch.uk. The school is on Oldbury Way, Fareham, PO14 3BN. School uniform includes a navy sweatshirt or cardigan and a green polo shirt or T-shirt, with logo items supplied by School Trends.
The EYFS combines play chosen by children, activities supported by adults and direct teaching. Communication, physical development and social and emotional skills receive substantial attention.
Families are encouraged to visit with their child and receive a class teacher home visit. When several early years children are joining, starting dates may be staggered.
A daily contact book and telephone calls support communication. Teachers aim to respond within two working days, and parent consultations take place twice a year.
No. Staff support nursery families with the EHCP application, after which a child may stay for Year R. Hampshire Local Authority administers admissions, subject to availability and placement suitability.
Call 01329 512804 during school hours. Visits take place by appointment at set times during the week.
