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Nursery at Leigh Academy Milestone
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Observation, assessment and specialist intervention give Leigh Academy Milestone’s nursery provision its distinct purpose. This is early education shaped around children’s developmental needs, with support extending into mainstream nursery settings through Specialist Nursery Outreach Intervention (SNI).
The academy’s Early Years Foundation Stage provision is based at Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard. Alongside this provision, outreach gives children access to specialist support in their existing settings. The distinction matters: an outreach programme and attendance at the academy are different arrangements, with different implications for a family’s week.
Individual needs shape learning here. Across the academy, teaching plans and targets are adapted to the learner, with communication, independence and personal development alongside classroom learning. For early years children, progress is captured in online journals that parents and carers can contribute to, bringing home experiences into the picture.
Outdoor learning space is part of the early years provision. It gives children somewhere beyond the classroom to explore and learn. In June 2025, Ofsted found that early years children sustained their attention on activities they chose, and that opportunities to enjoy stories began in early years. These are useful specifics for parents: choice, concentration and stories feature in children’s learning.
SNI has a different shape. Children receive 6 to 12 weeks of outreach, with 1 – 2 hours of intervention each week. This period also serves as an assessment, followed by discussion with parents and the local authority about whether further support is needed. It is a defined period of intervention rather than a nursery session booking model.
Starting at the academy is planned around the child. Staff visit the existing educational setting, and the child and their family visit the academy. Health and therapy representatives join the meeting before entry so that care needs and strategies from the education, health and care plan can be organised. A child may start gradually or attend full time straight away, depending on their needs.
Communication with families has several routes. Alongside early years journals, the academy invites parents to discuss progress twice a year, in addition to the annual review, and provides an end-of-year written report. Coffee mornings address practical subjects including play, toileting and communication.
Eating and drinking needs also feature in staff preparation. Induction includes training on eating and drinking difficulties, Makaton and moving and handling. This makes everyday care a relevant part of the conversation before a child starts, alongside their learning and communication needs.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. School placement is a separate decision through Kent’s local authority SEND process, rather than an automatic move following nursery support. Families should discuss their child’s next placement and any required application with the relevant Kent SEND team; the local authority arranges provision for children with education, health and care plans and applies special-school suitability criteria.
For children already attending the academy, transitions between classes and phases can include a familiarisation morning, information shared between class teams and additional support suited to the child. Photographs or symbols may be provided for use over the summer. These arrangements help prepare children for change; they do not establish an admissions advantage.
Access to SNI begins with referral and consultation through the Early Years Professional Resource Group. A mainstream nursery, Portage or Specialist Teaching and Learning Services (STLS) can initiate the process when a child’s developmental needs call for specialist intervention.
General enquiries can go to info@milestone.latrust.org.uk or 01474 709420. The academy’s administrative address is Ash Road, New Ash Green, Kent DA3 8JZ; its early years provision is based at Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard.
The academy’s Early Years Foundation Stage provision is based at Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard.
SNI runs for 6 to 12 weeks, with 1 – 2 hours of outreach intervention per week. The period includes assessment and is followed by consultation with parents and the local authority.
Parents and carers can contribute to the online journals used for Early Years Profiles.
Entry to the academy is personalised. Depending on their needs, a child may have a phased start or begin full time immediately.
No. Discuss your child’s next placement and any required application with the relevant Kent SEND team. The local authority arranges provision and considers special-school suitability through the education, health and care plan process.
