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Nursery at Linden Lodge School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Sensory needs shape the early years experience at Linden Lodge: play, communication and growing independence take place in a designated area with its own sensory room, soft play and outdoor space. This is nursery provision within a special school for children with vision and sensory impairments, rather than a separate childcare setting.
The EYFS+ department caters from rising 2s and continues beyond nursery age. Its spaces and teaching are adapted around individual needs, giving families a starting point built around how their child accesses learning.
Play and real-life experiences drive the EYFS+ curriculum. Children’s interests help determine their learning, with development recognised as individual rather than something that proceeds at the same pace for everyone. The Early Years Foundation Stage becomes a practical framework for learning to communicate, move, relate to others and explore.
Communication, physical development and emotional and social development form the prime areas. Alongside these come early mathematics and literacy, creative expression and learning about the world. The emphasis is on access: children work towards these areas through an adapted curriculum designed for vision and multi-sensory impairments.
Classrooms sit alongside the sensory room, outdoor environment and soft play area. These give children different spaces for play and exploration within their own department. Teachers specialising in hearing, vision and multi-sensory impairment work with therapy, habilitation and creative and therapeutic arts professionals, so teaching can draw on several disciplines around a child’s needs.
Progress is considered against individual Personal Learning Goals Maps each term. For EYFS+, assessment includes Deyo and Mapping and Assessing Pupils Progress (MAPP). This connects learning to personal goals rather than relying on a single measure of development.
Settling depends on understanding the child. Staff work with families to build that understanding and adapt provision accordingly. In January 2023, Ofsted found that early years children settled promptly with predictable routines and clear expectations, while staff adjusted their surroundings and attended closely to sensory needs. Those findings give concrete reassurance about the foundations of the day.
Specialist support extends beyond the classroom team. The school employs speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists on site. Arts therapies are also accessible from early years, with individual or small-group sessions allocated through referral according to need. They are a possible part of a child’s support, rather than an automatic element of every timetable.
Meals follow a rolling menu lasting three weeks, and specialist foods or diets are arranged with the catering manager. This makes dietary requirements part of planning care. Community at Linden Lodge (C@LL), the parent and staff association, also connects families through Classlist, providing a way to exchange information and support one another.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Discuss the move to Reception and any application requirements with the school and the case manager in your home local authority.
At this special school, placement discussions involve the case manager in the family’s home local authority. The authority consults the school about whether it can meet the child’s needs and makes the placement decision. Keep those discussions separate from the benefits of becoming familiar with the early years team and environment.
Visits are arranged individually around a child’s age, abilities and needs. Enquiries go to admissions@lindenlodge.org.uk. When a placement is agreed by the local authority, the school arranges a start date and transition, with a named school contact supporting the family.
School uniform includes a light blue polo shirt with navy clothing. Branded items are optional, and the school recognises the need for adapted garments. Label belongings and include spare clothes: practical preparation for a day shaped around individual care and learning.
The EYFS+ curriculum caters from rising 2s and extends beyond nursery age to the start of Key Stage 1.
The designated EYFS+ area includes classrooms, a sensory room, soft play and an outdoor environment.
Staff work with families to understand individual needs. In January 2023, early years children settled quickly through clear routines and expectations, with surroundings adapted to their sensory needs.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and the admissions processes are separate. Placement discussions at Linden Lodge involve the family’s home local authority and case manager.
Yes. Visits are tailored to the child’s age, needs and abilities. Contact admissions@lindenlodge.org.uk.
