Burrowmoor Primary Academy Nursery Review

A nursery garden, regular Forest School visits and access to the school field give Burrowmoor’s youngest children several places to play and explore. This is an onsite nursery at Burrowmoor Primary Academy in March, with learning centred on play and developing the skills children need before starting school.

Burrowmoor Primary Academy joined the Diamond Learning Partnership Trust on 1 November 2023. No Ofsted graded rating yet applies to the current academy. That matters when weighing the nursery’s approach: its aims and arrangements should be considered separately from an inspection judgement.

Play combines activities directed by adults with experiences children choose themselves. Practitioners watch how children learn and use those observations to adjust their next activities. The nursery aims to develop independence, conversation and social skills through this mixture, giving children opportunities to make choices alongside support from adults.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together physical development, relationships and communication with early reading, mathematics, creative work and learning about the world. In parent terms, learning extends beyond letters and numbers. Talking, managing feelings and developing movement skills are part of the curriculum too.

Primary Knowledge Curriculum (PKC) texts feature in nursery learning, with attention to spoken language and the physical preparation for writing. Work includes developing strength through the body and control of larger and smaller movements, progressing towards holding a pencil. The emphasis is on preparation rather than written outcomes alone.

Outdoors, the nursery garden supports imaginative play, movement and exploration. Children also regularly use Forest School and the school field. These spaces broaden the setting for learning beyond the indoor play environment and give outdoor activity a recurring place in the nursery experience.

Communication support includes Makaton: children encounter 10 shared signs or words, and families are encouraged to use them at home. This gives home and nursery a common way to support communication. The school’s inclusion team includes a SENDCo and a speech and language practitioner.

Safeguarding arrangements include discussing concerns with parents before involving other agencies, unless doing so could compromise the child’s welfare. Referrals are made where safety concerns arise. For families, that qualification matters: parental communication sits alongside the responsibility to protect a child.

Catering is managed within the school, and menus can be adapted for specific dietary needs. This is a useful practical consideration for families managing food requirements.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Cambridgeshire Local Authority, using its online application route and meeting the deadline for their child’s entry year. For the 2026 Reception admissions cycle, the closing date was 15 January 2026; that date has passed.

Transition work is a separate matter. Nursery staff collaborate with the Reception team, using familiar routines, consistent expectations and relationships with staff to prepare children for the change. That preparation concerns the child’s experience, rather than securing an admission offer.

Families can choose a morning session from 9am to noon, an afternoon from noon to 3pm, or a full day from 9am to 3pm. Fully funded places are offered. Extra early and late windows extend attendance to 8:45am and 3:15pm respectively, with an additional charge for those windows; ask the school for current charges.

Entry is through the nursery gate. If collection is delayed, parents should alert the office. Enquiries and requests for a nursery tour go to office@burrowmoor.cambs.sch.uk, giving families a direct route to discuss a place and see the provision.