The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at The Ferrars 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Books, conversation and outdoor learning shape nursery life at Ferrars. Children have paved space, artificial turf and grass to explore, alongside indoor areas for learning together or in smaller groups. This is the school's own nursery on Macaulay Road in Luton, serving children aged 3 and 4. Entry begins in the term after a child's third birthday.
Qualified teachers work alongside nursery practitioners and assistants. Each child has an allocated key worker, giving small-group learning a familiar adult focus within the wider team.
A book provides the starting point for each half term's theme. Development Matters guides the early years curriculum, with activities organised by adults alongside learning that children initiate themselves. In practical terms, children have a part in choosing what to explore. Staff can change planned activities in response to their interests or something that happens that day.
Language runs through the day. Adults use conversations across curriculum activities to develop communication, while the chosen books introduce varied vocabulary. In December 2022, Ofsted found that nursery children were learning ambitious vocabulary and recognising sounds within words, building preparation for phonics. Listening comes before formal reading.
Large indoor spaces accommodate individual activities, small groups and the whole class. Outside, the mix of grass, artificial turf and paving gives children different surfaces for practical learning. Activities take account of children's interests across both environments, so learning extends beyond a seated group session.
Settling starts before the first nursery session. Families are invited to transition sessions, and the Family Support Team arranges a home visit. That creates time to discuss concerns individually before children begin. Stay and Play also gives under-threes an introduction to the setting.
The key worker teaches and supports children in small groups, with the rest of the nursery team involved too. In December 2022, nursery adults helped children practise sharing, listening and waiting their turn. These are everyday skills for joining in with other children.
Children staying for lunch bring food from home; cooked kitchen meals are not offered to nursery children. Nursery pupils receive fruit, and milk is free until their fifth birthday. Water bottles are encouraged, with drinking water accessible throughout the day.
For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the class teacher is the first contact, with support coordinated by the SENDCo. Individual Support Plans are reviewed each term with parents. The nursery block has a ramp for wheelchair access, a concrete feature for families considering physical accessibility.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no nursery-attendance priority under the September 2027 arrangements. Families must make a separate application through Luton Council's school admissions process. The starting-school deadline is 15 January for entry that September. Choosing the nursery and applying for Reception are separate decisions.
Summer-term transition activities help children become familiar with the next setting. Children with SEND may have additional classroom visits, meetings with their new teacher or a booklet using photographs of people and places. These arrangements are tailored to individual needs; they support familiarity rather than admission.
The nursery operates for 38 weeks during term time, with attendance expected on five days each week. Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The 15-hour funded offer uses either pattern, with preferred sessions dependent on space.
Eligible working families can use the 30-hour offer across five days. Staying from 8:30am to 3:30pm includes a charged, supervised lunch hour, bringing attendance to 35 hours each week. Children can instead be collected during lunch. Hours beyond funded entitlement also attract charges; contact the school for current charges.
Early Birds provides care before nursery. Children using it must arrive by 8:20am for the nursery start, or by 8:05am if they need breakfast. Wraparound sessions require booking and payment through ParentMail by midnight the previous day. Nursery collection is at 11:30am or 3:30pm, and late collection attracts a charge.
Email enquiries@ferrarsacademy.co.uk to arrange a nursery tour or make an enquiry.
Children can start in the term after their third birthday. The nursery serves children aged 3 and 4.
Mornings run from 8:30am to 11:30am and afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The full-day offer runs from 8:30am to 3:30pm, with an additional charge for staying during lunch.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission or confer nursery-attendance priority under the September 2027 arrangements. Apply separately through Luton Council, by 15 January for entry that September.
Children staying for lunch need a packed lunch from home. Cooked kitchen meals are not provided for nursery children.
Email enquiries@ferrarsacademy.co.uk to arrange a tour of the school and nursery.
