Roseberry Academy Nursery Review

Caterpillars and Butterflies mark two stages of nursery life at Roseberry Academy: provision for two-year-olds, followed by the group for three- and four-year-olds. This is the academy’s own nursery in Great Ayton, with a room lead for Caterpillars and a nursery manager overseeing Butterflies.

The strongest endorsement concerns the early years curriculum. Ofsted graded the academy’s early years provision Outstanding at its inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery. For parents, the useful detail lies in the activities and adult conversations behind it.

Stories, songs and rhymes give Nursery children their starting point for reading. Listening comes first. In April 2023, this work gave children a secure basis for learning to read, while adults’ conversations helped broaden the words children could understand and use.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning into practical activities: exploring ideas, talking together and developing early mathematical understanding. In April 2023, mathematics activities connected counting with questions about how much something holds, how heavy it is and how money works. These are concrete ways to make early concepts meaningful, rather than treating numbers as an isolated exercise.

Colour mixing was another early years example. Children’s experiences with colour formed part of a planned sequence of learning. The emphasis was on extending their thinking through chosen activities, giving exploration a clear educational purpose.

Concentration also mattered. In April 2023, children stayed with activities for substantial periods and talked with one another in a settled learning atmosphere. Clear expectations and familiar routines supported positive responses from children in early years. Together, these findings suggest a day in which conversation and sustained attention have room to develop.

The nursery manager also holds the deputy designated safeguarding lead role, linking nursery leadership with safeguarding responsibility. Lunch has its own slot between the morning and afternoon sessions, from 11:30am to noon, so the timetable separates eating from the two learning sessions.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), support follows an assess, plan, do, review cycle. Parents contribute to agreed goals and support strategies, with reviews at least termly. The SEND coordinator works with families and outside agencies, giving parents a role in shaping support rather than simply receiving updates.

Clarity of SEND support. In April 2023, a school-wide improvement requirement concerned insufficiently precise SEND plans, which left some teachers uncertain about the strategies individual pupils needed. Families considering nursery support should pay close attention to the specific goals, actions and review arrangements agreed for their child.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority’s normal admissions process and meet the deadline for the relevant intake. The 2023–2024 arrangements required this separate application; nursery attendance was not among that cycle’s oversubscription criteria.

Support with a change of setting or class is a separate matter from admission. For pupils with SEND, the SEND coordinator liaises with the people involved in transition and keeps parents informed about options. That planning supports the child’s next step; it does not secure a school place.

Both nursery age groups have morning sessions from 8:30am to 11:30am and afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm. These two session windows are the practical starting point for matching nursery attendance to family routines.

Enquiries go through the school office, which handles telephone and in-person enquiries from 8am to 4pm. Contact Roseberry Academy on 01642 722883 or email office@roseberryacademy.org.