Little Learners Nursery at Ormiston Herman Academy

Books, conversation and practical play give Little Learners its character. Ormiston Herman Academy’s nursery caters for children aged 3 to 4, with up to 52 places overall. Within the academy’s early years provision, it combines activities guided by adults with opportunities for children to choose and explore. Curiosity is an explicit nursery aim.

Families can choose a morning, afternoon or all-day session. The overall capacity is distinct from the group attending together: up to 26 children attend at any one time, with at least three adults. That distinction helps parents picture the scale of a session.

Play and practical experience shape the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), supported by Development Matters, provides the framework. In parent terms, this brings together communication, physical skills and emotional development with early literacy, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. Activities also respond to children’s interests and needs, giving their own ideas a place in the day.

Inside and outdoors, children have resources they can return to independently. Adults introduce additional materials and prompts to extend exploration or practise something already taught. This combination gives children both direction and room to experiment. Staff draw attention to persistence, trying things out and developing ideas, helping children recognise how they learn as well as what they learn.

Early reading begins with listening closely and enjoying words, sentences and sounds. Vocabulary and language receive emphasis, while adults model how to engage with books. Little Wandle is the named phonics approach across the early years; the nursery’s initial focus is on the listening and language foundations that come before reading words.

Practical experiences extend beyond classroom resources. A nursery outing to Oasis Camel Park included families: children could lead a llama, meet animals in the pet barn and ride the road train. This was a concrete opportunity to connect learning about animals with direct experience.

At least three adults support a group of up to 26 children. The team includes two teaching assistants, alongside oversight from the early years lead and provision run by a higher level teaching assistant on four days each week. For families, this describes the adult team involved in the nursery day.

The academy’s early years approach emphasises relationships with adults and partnership with parents and carers. Adults respond to individual interests and needs when supporting learning. This places the child’s development, rather than a fixed activity alone, at the centre of planning.

Attending Little Learners does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline.

Learning resources are planned to develop skills across the move from nursery to Reception. There are also shared experiences: Reception children performed a dragon dance for the nursery during Chinese New Year celebrations. Such contact gives nursery children an experience involving the older early years children; it does not secure admission.

Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon sessions start at noon and finish at 3pm. The all-day option runs from 8.30am to 3pm. These are three distinct attendance choices, so families can consider which session fits their routine.

For nursery enquiries, call 01493 661 355. The academy is on Oriel Avenue in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, NR31 7JL. An online contact form also lets families direct a message to the school office.