Little Stars Nursery at Place Farm Primary Academy

Child-chosen play sits alongside adult teaching at Little Stars, with books and conversation giving the nursery day its language focus. This is Place Farm Primary Academy’s nursery provision on Camps Road in Haverhill, offering funded places for children aged 3–4. Learning happens indoors and outdoors. The emphasis is on exploring interests as well as joining activities led by adults.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the curriculum. At Little Stars, that means purposeful play, direct teaching and attention to children’s relationships and emotional wellbeing, alongside their learning. Activities combine children’s own choices with adult direction, giving them opportunities to pursue an interest and take part in planned learning.

Books and conversations are central to the nursery’s approach to language. Staff demonstrate positive learning behaviours, while the nursery aims to adapt learning to individual interests and needs. Indoor and outdoor activities give children different settings in which to explore. These are parts of the learning day, rather than outdoor time being described simply as a break.

The wider early years provision received a Good judgement at the Ofsted inspection on 12 and 13 October 2022; this was not a separate nursery rating. In October 2022, early mathematics teaching helped children understand numbers, and staff encouraged curiosity. There was also a specific weakness: subject leaders’ understanding of how learning developed from early years was uneven, leading to missed opportunities to extend vocabulary. Language development therefore deserves attention alongside the nursery’s emphasis on books and interaction.

Emotional wellbeing and positive relationships are explicit parts of Little Stars’ approach. The nursery aims to personalise learning around each child, making their interests part of the provision rather than treating participation as a single fixed pattern.

Across the academy, additional support follows Assess, Plan, Do and Review cycles. The SENCo, Pupil and Family Support Manager and Learning Support Rainbow Team work with families and staff. Support can involve specialist referrals, small groups or individual help, with progress reviewed through Support and Success Plans. This gives families a defined process for discussing additional needs.

For school hot lunches, Caterlink prepares the menus. Families should notify the office about allergies so lunches can be adjusted; cross-contamination remains possible, and meals cannot be guaranteed allergen-free.

Attending Little Stars does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Suffolk County Council for the normal Reception intake. Keep that application separate from arranging nursery attendance.

For the 2026–27 entry cycle, the application deadline was 15 January 2026. That date has passed. It should not be treated as the deadline for a later intake.

Little Stars runs during term time, Monday to Friday, with opening hours of 8:45am–3:15pm. Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 11:45am to 2:45pm. Optional wraparound care extends provision until 3:15pm and carries an additional charge.

Both 15-hour and 30-hour funded places are offered for 3–4-year-olds. Golden Ticket funding is accepted, and fee-paying places are offered to children who are not eligible for funding. Contact the school for current charges.

Enquiries can be made through the Nursery Information and Enquiry Form or by emailing littlestars@placefarm.org.uk. Visits can be arranged by contacting the nursery, giving families an opportunity to see the provision before choosing a place.