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Nursery at Viewley Hill 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A sensory room gives Viewley Hill's early years provision a concrete feature for children who need support with sensory needs. This is the nursery within Viewley Hill Academy in Hemlington, Middlesbrough. Children usually join around their third birthdays, with a morning or afternoon place allocated according to age.
Learning to share and work with other children is part of the early years experience. At the June 2022 inspection, children were learning how cooperation benefits them. For parents, that gives a specific picture of the social learning taking place alongside the move into classroom routines.
The early years environment includes access to a dedicated sensory room, intended to support young children's development and wellbeing, especially where there are additional needs. Across the school site, quieter outdoor areas provide an alternative for children who find busy playtimes overwhelming. The site has a single level, with ramps available where access needs require them.
SEND from the Start is the school's approach to planning for different learning needs, using the Lingfield Teaching Compass. The school aims to anticipate barriers when preparing teaching. Content, pace and delivery can be adapted to the child, so additional support is considered as part of classroom learning.
Preparation begins before a child starts. Get-to-know-you days let children spend time in their new classroom and meet the adults who will teach them. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child with staff, giving the team information to help with settling. Familiarity has a practical role here.
Every nursery child completes a language screen under the Trust's arrangements, intended to identify communication difficulties early. The early years leader works with the SEND coordinator on identifying needs among the youngest children. This gives families a route into support while their child is beginning nursery.
For children receiving SEND support, families contribute to plans and can suggest changes at termly reviews. Parents can also arrange a discussion with the class teacher between consultation evenings. Possible support includes individual teaching, small groups and specialist input, selected according to the child's needs rather than offered as a fixed package.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process; Viewley Hill follows Middlesbrough's local authority arrangements. Treat the nursery place and the later school application as two separate decisions.
Preparation for the change is a different matter. Children have opportunities to meet staff and become familiar with their new classroom, and a meeting with the Reception team allows parents to discuss their child and ask questions before full-time education begins. For children with SEND, teachers exchange information about needs when children move between year groups. That continuity supports planning; it does not secure admission.
Two sessions operate, with children offered either the morning or afternoon according to age. Families give their child's details to the school office for the nursery admissions list, and the nursery contacts parents when a place becomes available.
Tours and an admissions discussion with the Parent Support Adviser are available. Contact the office on 01642 591053 or email office@viewleyhill.lingfieldtrust.org.uk to enquire.
Children are usually admitted around their third birthdays.
The nursery offers morning and afternoon places, with allocation depending on age.
Get-to-know-you days introduce children to their new classroom and staff. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child with the team.
No. A separate Reception application is required through the normal school admissions process.
Early years children have access to a sensory room, and nursery children complete a language screen. Support is planned around individual needs, with families involved in SEND plans and reviews.
