Fir Tree Primary School and Nursery: Nursery Review

A book chosen for home, a garden explored in wellies and a snack children serve themselves: Acorn Class gives Fir Tree’s nursery day its own identity. This is the school’s Foundation 1 provision in Newbury, taking children from the term following their third birthday. The nursery has 24 places and sits within a purpose-built Foundation Unit.

There is an important qualification to that everyday picture. At the Ofsted inspection on 11 and 12 May 2022, early years provision was judged Requires improvement. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Topics and a weekly book shape Acorn’s learning experiences. Children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with learning intended to cover its seven areas of development. In parent terms, the nursery combines practical experiences indoors and outside with attention to children’s developing skills; it aims to build on what each child already knows.

Early reading begins with listening. Stage One: Tuning in includes recognising sounds from the surroundings, instruments and body percussion, alongside rhyme, rhythm and voice sounds. Children also practise splitting words into sounds and joining sounds together. These activities form the nursery’s preparation for later phonics teaching.

Books connect classroom learning with home. Children can select a library book each day from a box outside the classroom, and parents record shared reading in a reading diary. Holding the book, turning its pages and talking about the pictures give children an active part in that routine. Outdoors, the Nursery garden provides a place to explore in different weather, with named wellies kept for use there.

Curriculum development. In May 2022, the early years curriculum remained incomplete, and teaching did not consistently put the intended learning into practice. Children consequently lacked sufficient preparation for their next educational stage. The required work was to organise learning into a coherent sequence and teach it consistently across early years. For families, the content of activities matters alongside how each activity builds towards the next.

Snack time gives children a small, practical choice. Fruit, vegetables and milk are offered through a rolling system: children decide when to sit down and help themselves. Families do not need to send a snack. Children attending for 30 hours bring a packed lunch each day.

Tapestry connects parents with classroom learning through observations, photographs and videos in an online learning journey accessible from home. Questions can also be discussed with the class teacher at the nursery door during collection or drop-off, or by email. That provides both a record of progress and a direct conversation about the child’s day.

For additional needs, the school’s SEND provision includes interventions tailored to pupils and discussed with those involved. Parents can contact the SEND coordinator through the school. This is a useful route for discussing the support their child needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through West Berkshire’s normal admissions process by the applicable deadline; the local authority allocates places, rather than the school. Choosing Acorn therefore needs to work for the nursery years themselves.

Transition activities are a separate matter. Incoming children are invited to sessions before the summer holidays, and Foundation home visits are arranged. These opportunities help children become familiar with school before starting, but do not secure admission.

The 15-hour pattern consists of a three-hour morning or afternoon block each day. Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am; afternoons run from 12:10pm to 3:10pm. Families may express a preference, which the nursery accommodates where possible.

Eligible families can access 30-hour funded places, subject to availability. All-day attendance runs from 8:30am to 3:10pm, with a charged extension from 2:30pm to 3:10pm. Families using 15 hours can discuss paying to increase attendance to 30 hours with the office. Late collection attracts a charge. Nursery children cannot use the school’s breakfast or after-school clubs, so collection arrangements need to fit the nursery timetable.

Bring a named, clear bottle containing water and named wellies; spare clothes can be supplied in a named bag. To arrange a visit and obtain an application form, contact the school office on 01635 42129 or office@firtree.newburyacademytrust.org.