Littlecoates Primary Academy Nursery

A shared outdoor area, visits to the school nature reserve and books that children return to give Littlecoates’ early years provision its character. Day Care and Nursery sit within Littlecoates Primary Academy on Harlow Street in Grimsby, with provision beginning for two-year-olds. The school describes a family feel, with relationships between children and practitioners central to its approach.

This is an introduction to the wider school in small steps. Children share their achievements between classrooms, while school leaders join their activities. That gives the youngest children contact with school life beyond their own room.

Children’s interests help shape the learning. Staff start with what children already know and their everyday experiences, then introduce new skills and ideas through short topics. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning, development, health and safety together; here, activities chosen by children sit alongside teaching directed by adults. Children have room to explore as well as time for guided learning.

Books provide a recurring focus. A book is selected each week, although staff may stay with it longer when it prompts further learning. These books remain within children’s reach for revisiting. The emphasis is on stories and vocabulary, giving children repeated opportunities to become familiar with words and ideas.

Drawing Club is part of the early years approach. Read Write Inc begins in Nursery’s summer term, introducing the connection between letters and sounds. During June 2025, two-year-olds were learning through selected rhymes, stories and songs that supported their language development. These experiences give the youngest children a starting point before formal phonics begins.

Outdoor activity includes opportunities to develop larger movements, with dedicated PE sessions from ages three to four upwards. The shared outdoor space and visits to the nature reserve extend learning beyond the classroom. Walks around the neighbourhood and visits from people who support the local community connect learning with places children recognise.

Language support includes Wellcomm and Language Through Listening. These named interventions sit alongside the everyday emphasis on books and conversation. In June 2025, staff were building constructive partnerships with parents from the beginning of early years, giving families a role in supporting their children.

Snack is part of each Nursery session, usually vegetables or fruit, with occasional alternatives to introduce something new. Children are offered milk daily. Those attending a full day have milk in the morning and water with their afternoon snack; drinking water is accessible throughout the session. Staff check the allergies and intolerances families have shared before serving food and accommodate children’s cultural needs.

Class Dojo connects school and home, and Day Care’s weekly snack choices are shared there. For parents, that makes food information part of the same communication channel used to keep in touch.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process.

Shared outdoor play and children exchanging achievements across classrooms provide familiarity with the wider early years setting. These are transition experiences, separate from the allocation of a Reception place.

Full-day attendance is catered for in Nursery’s snack routine. Enquiries go to the school office on 01472 354601 or office@lpacademy.co.uk, at Harlow Street, Grimsby, DN31 2QX.

Writing foundations. The June 2025 inspection identified a school-wide concern about pupils tackling writing tasks before they had enough practice or the necessary skills. This was not identified specifically as a Nursery finding, so families should keep that distinction when considering the early years provision.