Saxon Hill Academy Nursery Review

Communication, physical care and the first steps towards independence shape Little Saxons, Saxon Hill Academy’s pre-school provision. Morning placements sit within a special school in Lichfield specialising in physical disabilities, complex medical needs and associated sensory or learning difficulties. This is provision built around children’s individual needs.

The nursery includes provision for 2-year-olds under the school’s registration. Within the school, pre-school belongs to the Explorers department, where learning starts with exploration, relationships and communication. The site is accessible, with healthcare on site and access to special school nurses, bringing education and care into the same setting.

Little Saxons runs from 9:00am to 12:00pm, Monday to Friday, through 15-hour placements. Those mornings are the practical starting point for families planning care around nursery.

The Explorers approach combines activities children choose with adult direction and In the Moment Planning, which responds to their interests as they emerge. The LEADERS curriculum connects early learning with communication, wellbeing, physical development and creativity. Its links with the Early Years Foundation Stage include learning about the world and developing language: the emphasis is on skills children can use, with teaching adapted to their developmental stage.

Communication takes several forms. Makaton combines speech with signs; PODD organises symbols and words to support understanding and expression; TaSSeLs uses touch cues for learners with multisensory impairments. These approaches give children different ways to participate. Early reading can involve sensory stories, shared books and story massage, while pre-phonics activities include responding to sounds, making marks and exploring sounds through play.

Physical spaces support that variety. Sensory classrooms accommodate learning and personal care. Forest School is accessible across ages and abilities, with an indoor teaching space, outdoor classroom areas, a fire-pit and a yurt containing a wood-burning stove. Outdoor experiences are therefore part of the school’s offer for its youngest learners too.

Starting arrangements can include a gradual introduction or part-time induction where appropriate. Visits let families meet staff and discuss their child’s needs; care plans are developed with health agencies before children start. Initial assessments consider sensory needs, equipment and what motivates each child, helping the class team plan support.

Care is treated as a learning opportunity. Eating, drinking and personal care routines are part of education, rather than breaks from it. The wider team includes personal care workers and teaching assistants, alongside nursing and therapy support. Clinical staff have training and assessed competencies for enteral feeding and diabetes procedures.

Parents can communicate through daily home-school diaries and staff conversations. Evidence for Learning shares photographs, video and comments about learning, making small steps visible beyond the classroom. Under-fives receive milk and fruit free of charge; families supply additional snacks. Nuts must stay at home, and families send nappies or pads, suitable wipes and any required feeding equipment.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. At Saxon Hill, school placement offers come from the local authority’s SEND team. Discuss arrangements for the next stage with the school and Staffordshire’s SEND team.

Learning transitions are a separate matter. Children meet different staff across the school, and class teachers organise transition sessions for pupils who need them before changing classes or departments. That supports familiarity with the next stage; it does not settle admissions.

Morning provision. Little Saxons currently offers 15-hour placements and is not offering 30-hour placements. Families need a care plan that works around the noon finish.

For an initial discussion or a visit, contact the school office on 01543 414892 or office@saxon.set.org. The school is on Kings Hill Road, Lichfield, WS14 9DE. Ask the school for current charges. Label belongings, including a change of clothes and the child’s drinking cup or bottle, so everyday care supplies can be identified easily.