Tuxford Primary Academy Nursery Review

Discovery through play gives this on-site nursery its character. Tuxford Primary Academy’s provision serves three and four year olds, with children joining from the term following their third birthday. The nursery aims to develop curiosity through investigation and exploration, putting children’s activity at the centre of their early education.

Play carries the learning here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together children’s education, development and care, and the nursery organises its teaching around a different topic each half term. Children explore those topics through conversation, shared play, practical activity and experiments. That gives learning a concrete starting point rather than treating each area as an isolated subject.

Seven areas shape the curriculum. Language and communication sit alongside physical development and learning about feelings and relationships. Early mathematics and literacy join creative expression and discovering how the world works. For parents, this means that talking, making, moving and playing together are part of the educational programme, alongside the beginnings of reading and number work.

In June 2024, Ofsted found that the early years curriculum had a clear sequence and that activities helped children retain their learning. Children retold Jack and the Beanstalk and explained castles they had constructed, identifying features such as towers and a drawbridge. This was an early years example, showing how storytelling, construction and vocabulary could connect.

Nursery children also take a reading book home and have phonics practice each week. This gives families a specific way to participate in learning beyond the nursery session.

Teaching staff and support staff make up the nursery team. Across the academy, SEND support addresses learning and cognition, interaction and communication, physical or sensory needs, and emotional and social needs. The academy works with external agencies to bring specialist advice into teaching, giving families a route to support that extends beyond the classroom team.

Parents can raise welfare concerns with the designated safeguarding team through the academy office. A family support advisor also forms part of the school’s support structure. These are useful points of contact for families whose concerns involve both their child’s learning and their wellbeing.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process, administered by Nottinghamshire County Council, and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year.

For September 2026 entry, the application window closed on 15 January 2026, with offers made on 16 April 2026. Those dates belong to a past admissions cycle. Treat the nursery choice and the Reception application as separate decisions: taking a nursery place does not remove the need to apply again.

Both part-time and full-time nursery places are offered. Funded provision covers 15 hours weekly for children aged three and four; eligible working parents may receive up to 30 hours weekly. Eligibility matters when deciding which attendance pattern fits the family.

Applications for nursery places can be made online. For nursery enquiries, call 01777 870482; the academy office can also be reached at office@tuxfordprimary-ac.org.uk. Tours of the academy during a normal school day can be arranged through the office team, giving families an opportunity to see the school setting before making their choice.