Laureate Community Academy Nursery Review

Bicycles, growing food and stories give Laureate’s nursery its character: play with plenty to talk about. The provision welcomes children from two years old and belongs to Laureate Community Academy on Exning Road in Newmarket. Caterpillar and Butterfly are its nursery classes, within the school’s early years provision.

In the Ofsted inspection of 14 and 15 January 2025, early years provision was graded Good. That judgement covers the school’s early years stage, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Children were settled and confident, with adults using conversation to extend their thinking.

Play provides the main shape of a session. Children have a daily phonics session or number and shape activities, sing about the weather and days of the week, and discuss feelings. Songs and books round off the session; sometimes children perform stories they have created. Forest fun, PE and wiggle and squiggle also feature during the week.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects physical development, communication and relationships with early mathematics, literacy, creativity and understanding the world. Here, activities respond to children’s interests and development. Resources children can select themselves give them practice in making choices.

CUSP supplies structured story sessions linked to each week’s learning focus, with experiences planned around that theme. A story book also goes home each week for families to share. This gives parents a concrete way to continue the conversation beyond nursery.

Outside, the garden and playground offer space for cycling, climbing, digging and food growing, alongside imaginative play. In January 2025, the outdoor provision included places for stories and nature exploration. Adults encouraged children to explain their learning, while children practised caring for equipment and resolving differences with one another. A school-wide improvement action from that inspection concerned correcting misunderstandings promptly so mistakes did not become established.

Two settling sessions ease the move from home. The first lasts 45 minutes to an hour and includes a parent; the second lets the child explore and play independently. Afterwards, the teacher discusses how it went. A key person has responsibility for a small group, giving families a familiar practitioner to build a relationship with.

Tapestry Online Learning Journal carries weekly updates and focused observations, plus care information about sleep, lunch and nappy changes. Staff support toilet training in partnership with parents, following signs of readiness. Families can supply nappies daily or in bulk.

A rolling snack lets children help themselves to fruit, vegetables, crackers or toast, with milk and water accessible throughout the day. Dietary requirements are checked. Children staying for lunch eat in the nursery with a teaching assistant, choosing a booked school meal or a packed lunch. Nut-containing foods and food swapping are prohibited, so lunch preparation needs care.

Staffing includes a nursery manager, a Caterpillar room leader and teaching assistants. The nursery SENCO coordinates additional-needs provision and can approach the Early Help Hub for further support. This creates a route for discussing emerging needs alongside everyday care.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application to Suffolk County Council, and transfer depends on a place being offered. For the 2026/27 entry cycle, the application deadline was 15 January 2026. That deadline has passed; it should not be treated as the date for a later intake.

Keep the nursery choice and the Reception application as separate decisions. Familiarity with Laureate does not replace the application process.

Morning sessions run from 9:00am to noon; afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Lunch occupies the intervening half-hour. A school meal carries a charge, and the lunchtime session is charged for non-funded children. Contact the school for current charges. Funded childcare eligibility can be checked through GOV.UK and Childcare Choices.

Nursery applications go directly to the school using its application form. Enquiries can be emailed to nurseryadmin@laureateacademy.co.uk. Collection is from the class door by an agreed carer; tell staff at drop-off if someone different will collect. Children remain in nursery if their carer is late.