The Richmond Hill Academy Nursery

Learning to be kind and moving between activities are part of the nursery story here, alongside developing language. The Richmond Hill Academy’s nursery serves three- and four-year-olds within the school on Clark Lane, Leeds. Children can begin from the term following their third birthday.

At the Ofsted inspection on 9 and 10 March 2022, early years provision received a Good judgement. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Language gives the learning its clearest focus. In March 2022, early years teaching emphasised children’s speaking and writing, their approach to learning and the way they talked with one another. Teacher-led group work was planned carefully, giving children new vocabulary to use in conversation. For parents, this makes the interaction between adults and children an important part of the day, alongside the activities themselves.

Early reading included learning sounds with accompanying actions to help children remember them. These are concrete examples of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in practice: developing communication and beginning to connect sounds with reading. Literacy and numeracy had clearer planning than some other learning areas in March 2022.

Independent learning. The March 2022 findings also identified uneven planning elsewhere in the early years curriculum. During activities children chose themselves, adults sometimes missed chances to reinforce learning and extend vocabulary. The learning environment and adult interactions needed to match more precise curriculum planning. The distinction matters: carefully organised group teaching did not carry through consistently into independent activity.

Social routines receive explicit attention. In March 2022, nursery staff taught children kindness and helped them learn how to switch activities. That gives everyday behaviour a teaching role, with adults explaining how children should treat each other and manage changes during a session.

Families receive nursery start-date messages through Class Dojo. The academy also sends letters to families each week, providing another route for communication beyond the child’s immediate classroom.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the academy says it aims to identify needs early and work with parents to understand each child’s strengths and difficulties. Families can contact its SEND team by telephone. Rainbow Base is the school’s specialist provision, but admission to the academy does not secure a Rainbow Base place. That distinction matters when considering specialist support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions; a nursery place should not be taken as an assurance of a later school place.

The EYFS timetable has classroom doors opening at 8.50am, followed by registration at 9.00am. Morning learning runs from 9.00am to 11.30am; lunch occupies 11.30am to 12.30pm, and afternoon learning runs from 12.30pm to 3.20pm. These times describe the timetable rather than establishing a choice of bookable nursery sessions.

For nursery applications, complete the form linked from the academy’s Early Years page. General enquiries can go through the contact form or by calling 0113 487 1600. The academy’s address is Clark Lane, Leeds, LS9 8PN.