Compass Primary Academy Nursery Review

Songs, stories and growing independence give Compass Primary Academy's nursery its character. Little Explorers is the school's pre-school provision on Windmill Avenue in Kettering, placing early learning within a primary academy rather than a separate nursery setting.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023. That judgement covers the early years as a whole; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Communication runs through the learning. In April 2023, rhymes and storytelling supported children's developing confidence in expressing themselves, while activities encouraged them to investigate ideas and practise what they had learned. For parents, the emphasis is on children taking an active part: trying things, talking and building understanding through experience.

Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), staff selected knowledge for children's immediate learning and their later education. In everyday language, this meant activities with a learning purpose, alongside opportunities to explore. Children developed the ability to work together and do things independently. Both matter in a nursery day, where learning to join in and learning to manage a task oneself sit alongside each other.

Adult involvement was carefully judged in April 2023. Staff recognised when children needed help, when demonstrating their own thinking would be useful, and when to leave children to continue exploring. This gave children room to develop their ideas while keeping support close by.

Relationships across the early years were strong in April 2023. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received targeted help with barriers to learning. The early years findings connect support directly to children's participation and communication, rather than treating additional needs as a separate part of the day.

An Assistant Principal holds the Early Years Lead role. Across the academy, the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) works with parents, teachers and outside specialists on individual support plans. Children's progress is reviewed and support adjusted. Families therefore have a team structure through which to discuss their child's needs.

Cambridgeshire Therapeutic Thinking shapes the academy's approach to behaviour. Adults model the approach with children and families, and the school believes that feeling accepted and respected helps children learn.

For snacks, the academy encourages healthy choices such as vegetables or fruit. Snacks brought from home should be nut free. Children bring a water bottle each day and take it home for cleaning, making this a straightforward part of daily preparation.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application through North Northamptonshire Council's Parent Portal. Treat choosing Little Explorers and applying for Reception as two distinct decisions.

For the September 2026 intake, the application window ran from 10 September 2025 to 15 January 2026. That cycle has passed. Children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan follow a separate application process through the council.

Little Explorers does not require uniform, so families do not need to buy academy uniform for the pre-school.

The school office can be contacted at office@compassprimary.org or on 01536 532707. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm; these are office contact hours, rather than nursery session times. The academy's address is Windmill Avenue, Kettering, NN15 7EA.