Leicester Islamic Academy Nursery Review

Classrooms and an outdoor learning area give Leicester Islamic Academy’s youngest children space to explore and become more independent. This is nursery provision within an independent Islamic primary school for boys and girls, with the school’s age range beginning at three. The setting is on London Road in Stoneygate, Leicester.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good following its inspection of 25 to 27 February 2025. That judgement covers the early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. The strongest nursery-specific features are a curriculum organised around developmental milestones, opportunities to learn indoors and outside, and staff who understand the children in their care.

Learning has a clear developmental sequence. In February 2025, the early years curriculum identified the milestones children were working towards across its areas of learning. For parents, this means exploration has a purpose: children have skills to develop as they move through Nursery, rather than simply activities to occupy a session.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is the framework for this provision’s learning and care. In February 2025, the school met its statutory requirements. Within that framework, classrooms and the outdoor area supported both learning and growing independence. Outdoor space therefore had an educational role alongside the indoor environment. Children could explore while practising doing more for themselves.

Early reading. In February 2025, the school’s phonics resources did not fit together consistently, and some reading books did not closely match the sounds pupils had learned. This slowed progress for some beginning readers. A replacement phonics curriculum had only just started to be introduced. This was a school-wide concern relevant to families considering the next stages of early learning, rather than a finding confined to Nursery.

In February 2025, early years staff had a clear understanding of individual children and looked after them well. That connection matters at nursery age: care and learning depend on adults understanding the child they are supporting. The early years findings linked this attentive care with a positive beginning to school life.

Additional needs. Across the school in February 2025, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received personalised help when they fell behind. However, in a small number of cases, lesson adaptations did not meet their needs sufficiently, limiting access to learning. Families should weigh that qualification alongside the positive early years care findings; neither statement establishes that every nursery child had the same experience.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Contact the school to confirm the Reception application process and deadline. Familiarity with the school does not itself secure admission.

The school’s address is 320 London Road, Leicester, LE2 2PJ. Nursery enquiries can be made by telephone on 01162705343. Contact the school for current charges.