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Nursery at Fosse Way Academy
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Paint mixing, gardening and story-based role-play give Fosse Way Academy’s pre-school its character: play is the starting point for learning. This is the school’s own nursery in North Hykeham, with entry beginning in the half term after a child’s third birthday. It sits within the Early Years Foundation Stage team and operates during school terms.
The nursery aims to build independence, curiosity and confidence. Its activities make that ambition concrete, from choosing what to do to learning how to share equipment and recognise another child’s feelings.
The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum brings together seven areas of development. In parent terms, that means children practise communicating, getting along with others, moving confidently and exploring ideas alongside early reading, writing, mathematics and creative work. The nursery places enjoyment through play at the centre of its approach.
A role-play area lets children act out stories and try purposeful writing, such as making lists. Books, rhymes and songs introduce language, while early letter formation begins with letters from children’s own names. Conversations also involve listening to someone else, making communication a social activity as well as a learning task.
Mathematics uses practical materials and imaginative play. Children compare objects on scales, sort and match items, build with shapes and investigate patterns. These give numbers and mathematical ideas something tangible to attach to.
Exploration extends to gardening and cooking. Magnifiers help children examine the natural world, while old toys introduce questions about the past. Computers and iPads sit alongside practical tools and scissors, so investigation involves handling materials as well as using technology.
Physical activity has a clear outdoor setting. In the outside classroom, children practise balancing and swinging; wheeled toys and large apparatus provide opportunities to pedal and move over, beneath and through obstacles. In the creative area, scissors and glue provide practice in handling smaller materials. Creative activities include experimenting with instruments and mixing paint, giving children different ways to express an idea.
A nursery class teacher works alongside teaching assistants and teaching assistant apprentices within the early years team. For parents, communication about learning includes Tapestry: photographs and achievement records are shared electronically. A separate paper Learning Journal collects work such as paintings and drawings and goes home at the year’s end. This gives families both ongoing updates and a collection of their child’s work to keep.
Support for special educational needs starts with a discussion involving parents and the school’s Special Needs Co-ordinator. Where a specialist referral is considered, such as to the Speech and Language Therapy Service, staff discuss it with the family before taking action. Parents are encouraged to raise concerns too, making that conversation a two-way process.
Attending Fosse Way Academy’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery and obtaining a school place are separate decisions; nursery attendance should not be treated as an offer of admission.
The nursery follows the main school’s term calendar. Core provision can use the 15-hour funded entitlement, or 30 hours where eligibility is accepted. Families who do not qualify for 30 hours can purchase additional sessions. Ask the school for current charges.
Starting before funding begins. Nursery entry can begin in the half term after a child turns three, but funding begins in the following full term. Children starting in October, February or June therefore have paid sessions until their funding starts. That distinction matters when planning a start date.
For the 30-hour entitlement, eligibility details need reconfirming every three months; failure to reconfirm makes the code invalid and sessions chargeable. A child cannot begin claiming those hours during the grace period.
Enquiries go to the school office at admin@fosse-way-academy.org or 01522 682020. The office also arranges school tours, giving families a practical way to explore the setting before choosing it.
Entry begins in the half term after their third birthday. Funded hours begin in the following full term, so some children start with paid sessions.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process and by the applicable deadline.
Children use wheeled toys and large apparatus, practise swinging and balancing in the outside classroom, and take part in gardening.
Staff share photographs and achievement records through Tapestry. A paper Learning Journal containing work such as drawings and paintings goes home at the end of the year.
Core hours can be covered by the 15-hour entitlement or, where eligibility is accepted, 30 hours. Additional sessions can be purchased by families who do not qualify for 30 hours.
