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Nursery at The Milestone 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Specialist support is the defining context for nursery provision at The Milestone School, but an important qualification comes first: at the inspection on 5 and 6 November 2024, no children were attending its nursery for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a historical position, not a statement about attendance today.
The school serves children with severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, and physical disabilities. Every pupil has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Families are therefore considering provision within a special school, with learning and care shaped around substantial individual needs.
Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good in November 2024. That judgement covers the early years phase; it should not be read as an assessment of an occupied nursery at that time.
Communication provides a useful picture of the wider school's approach. Total Communication brings together signing, pictures, symbols and spoken language, according to the pupil's needs. Classrooms have visual timetables, with individual schedules where needed. These give children ways to understand what happens next and express themselves beyond speech.
Books also have a physical place in each classroom. Across the school, daily storytelling can involve sensory stories or story massage, while classroom book areas and department libraries provide reading spaces. This makes engagement with stories broader than listening to an adult read aloud.
The Outdoor Learning Area gives practical learning its own space outside. Activities connect with curriculum topics and include using tools, making things and exploring the natural world. These are school-wide features, rather than a description of a particular nursery session.
Early years oversight. In November 2024, checks on the implementation of curriculum pathways and policies, including in early years, were still being refined. Families should weigh the early years grade alongside that unfinished monitoring work.
Class teachers work alongside Learning Partners, who support pupils individually and in small groups. For children joining the school, transition days introduce the new setting; additional days or an individually adapted transition depend on the child's needs and operational capacity. Preparation is personalised, with practical limits.
Families meet class teachers three times a year to discuss EHCP outcomes, progress and support. Between meetings, Dojo provides a route to the teacher. The Family Support Team also helps families reach other services and organises parent workshops and coffee mornings.
An in-house catering team prepares school meals, with vegetarian and allergy-friendly choices. Midday supervisors help pupils eat in classrooms and the dining hall. Feeding assistance is part of the wider school's care arrangements.
Operational constraints. During the 2025–26 academic year, flood damage displaced classes into temporary classrooms and reduced access to specialist therapy spaces. The school was also operating above its commissioned capacity, while a financial Notice to Improve limited the trust's additional investment. Interventions depend on staffing, physical capacity, individual need and EHCP priorities; they are not an unconditional offer.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Discuss Reception placement with Gloucestershire Local Authority through the EHCP process. All admissions here go through Gloucestershire Local Authority, with referrals following identification of special educational needs and an EHCP.
For moves between departments, the school arranges introductions to new teachers and Learning Partners. Familiarisation with playgrounds, assemblies and dining halls can be phased. This is transition support, not an admissions advantage.
Contact the reception team on 01452 874000 for enquiries or to reserve a school tour. Uniform is optional; practical clothing suitable for activities is expected. Collections during school hours use a parental password, and identification may also be requested.
Preschool children do not automatically receive transport. Parents can apply in special circumstances, with Family Support Workers helping with the application when needed.
The November 2024 inspection identified provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds, with no nursery children attending at that time.
No. All school admissions are managed through Gloucestershire Local Authority and the EHCP process.
The school's early years provision was graded Good at the inspection on 5 and 6 November 2024. No children were attending the nursery then, so the grade should not be presented as a separate nursery assessment.
Yes. Contact the reception team on 01452 874000 to reserve a place on a school tour.
No. Parents may apply in special circumstances, and Family Support Workers can help with the application if needed.
