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Nursery at Leigh Academy Molehill
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play with a learning purpose defines the early years provision at Leigh Academy Molehill. Counting is one example: activities give children opportunities to practise an important skill through play. The nursery is on the primary school site in Maidstone, placing this first stage of education within a school setting.
Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 10 and 11 December 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating. The early years findings give parents a picture of purposeful play, developing concentration and teaching that responds to children's progress.
Learning through play has a deliberate educational purpose here. Activities help children practise skills such as counting, connecting play with the foundations they will use in later learning. The emphasis is on what children learn through an activity, as well as taking part in it.
Attention is another part of that picture. In December 2024, children in early years were developing sustained concentration quickly, allowing them to tackle learning with increasing complexity. For parents, this connects an everyday skill, staying focused, with a child's ability to take on more demanding learning.
Progress through the early years curriculum was excellent. Staff checked children's development against important milestones and adjusted their plans when learning needed further attention. This gives teaching a responsive shape: what children have mastered, and what still needs work, informs what staff plan next. The findings connect that combination of play, concentration and responsive planning with readiness for the next educational stage.
Checking developmental milestones also gives staff a way to recognise where a child needs further help with learning. Rather than treating an activity as finished simply because it has taken place, staff consider children's progress and adapt their teaching to address gaps. The practical value is support linked to the child's learning needs.
Safeguarding arrangements across the school were effective in December 2024. This is a school-wide finding, relevant to the nursery's place within the same setting.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery and securing a school place are separate decisions; parents should plan for both.
The early years findings concern educational preparation for the next stage. Readiness to continue learning is distinct from an entitlement to admission.
The nursery is based at Leigh Academy Molehill on Hereford Road, Maidstone, ME15 7ND. The school's telephone number is 01622751729, providing a direct contact point for nursery enquiries.
It is on the Leigh Academy Molehill school site, Hereford Road, Maidstone, ME15 7ND.
The school's early years provision was judged Outstanding at the inspection on 10 and 11 December 2024. This is not a separate nursery inspection grade.
Play activities reinforce skills such as counting. Staff check developmental milestones and adapt their plans to address gaps in learning.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to Reception, and families must apply separately through the normal admissions process.
The school's telephone number is 01622751729.
