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Nursery at Leavening Community Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Water, sand and small-world play give Acorns Nursery its practical character. This is Leavening Community Primary School’s own nursery on Back Lane, with children eligible to start in the full term after their second birthday. The nursery has 16 full-time places; provision for two-year-olds has a maximum of 15 children. Those figures describe different parts of the offer.
Ofsted judged early years provision Good at the inspection on 28 and 29 November 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.
For two-year-olds, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) focuses on three foundations: physical development, communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development. In parent terms, the emphasis is on moving, talking and learning to play alongside others. Brief activities guided by adults sit alongside play shaped by children’s interests, giving them opportunities both to follow an activity and make choices themselves.
The classroom and outdoor space have areas for construction, role play, reading and early drawing or writing, alongside sand, water and small-world activities. Children can explore materials and textures, practise drawing shapes and experiment with mixing colours. Scissors and paintbrushes are among the tools used to develop control of small hand movements. These are practical building blocks for later writing.
Stories have several routes into the day. Foundations for Phonics develops listening and language through songs, traditional rhymes and patterns in stories. Drawing Club adds a creative response to a tale or animation: children invent a character or object, draw it and talk about their ideas. A classroom book corner gives reading its own space.
In November 2023, early years children explored alongside pupils in key stage 1, with adults extending their talk and vocabulary. Investigating frost and ice outdoors connected early mark making with discovering how the world works. The learning was preparation for what came next, through concrete experiences children could discuss.
Settling begins with an encouraged one-hour session for each new starter, spent with staff while their adult is away. Afterwards, staff tell the family how the session went and explain the next steps. That makes the first session a starting point for the child’s transition, rather than a fixed expectation about how quickly they should settle.
Staffing includes a nursery lead practitioner and a teaching assistant. The lead practitioner completed a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education in 2023. Across the school, SEND support includes adapting the learning environment and curriculum to individual needs, giving families a clear basis for discussing how their child will participate.
School meals carry an additional charge where applicable. Families should refer to the school for current charges when planning their child’s attendance.
Attending Acorns Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority’s normal admissions process, using the North Yorkshire application route. Nursery attendance and school admission are separate decisions, so choosing Acorns should be based on the nursery experience itself.
The shared learning with older children seen in November 2023 gives a practical connection with wider school life. It does not secure a place for the following stage.
Part-time and full-time places operate during term time. Morning sessions run from 8.55am to 11.55am; afternoon sessions run from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. Each is three hours, and a full day comprises six hours. Sessions run every day, with the two-year-old provision operating five days a week.
From the term after a child’s second birthday, eligible families may access 15 or 30 funded hours a week and must supply a valid code. Extra attendance and an applicable 15-minute unfunded period carry charges. For nursery children who do not attend breakfast club, an optional 8.45am start is charged separately and cannot count towards funded hours.
Visits are welcomed. For nursery enquiries or to arrange a visit, contact the office on 01653 658313 or email admin@leavening.n-yorks.sch.uk. Acorns is at Back Lane, Leavening, Malton, YO17 9SW.
Children can start in the full term after their second birthday.
Term-time places can be part-time or full-time. Morning sessions are 8.55am to 11.55am and afternoon sessions are 12.15pm to 3.15pm. A full day comprises six hours.
New starters are encouraged to spend an hour with staff without their adult. Staff then tell the family how the session went and explain the next steps.
Yes. From the term after a child’s second birthday, eligible families may receive 15 or 30 funded hours each week, with a valid code required. Meals and additional attendance can carry charges; the optional early start is outside funded hours.
No. Families must apply separately for Reception through the local authority’s normal admissions process, using the North Yorkshire application route.
