Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Books and language give this nursery its clearest character. At Stephenson Way Academy and Nursery School in Newton Aycliffe, nursery children have books around them to encourage early reading, while communication has a central place in early learning.

Morning and afternoon nursery groups sit within the school’s staffing structure, with a class teacher and teaching assistant. Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 18 and 19 October 2022. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Language comes first. In October 2022, the early years curriculum built learning in a planned sequence, with ambitious expectations and an emphasis on communication from the outset. Children learned through rhymes and songs, and showed confidence in counting and mathematical vocabulary. For parents, these are concrete examples of how talking and singing contribute to learning.

The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum forms part of the school’s teaching approach. In everyday terms here, the evidenced emphasis is on developing language, beginning mathematical understanding and encouraging independence. Books are a physical feature of the nursery learning environment, giving children an early introduction to reading alongside spoken language.

Curriculum development. In October 2022, history and science needed clearer decisions about the knowledge children should acquire, with the required work extending from early years across the school. Assessment also needed closer links to curriculum planning. These were school-wide improvement actions, relevant to the continuity of children’s learning.

Settling was a strength of early years in October 2022: children adjusted quickly and approached learning eagerly. This is a dated finding about early years as a whole.

For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school uses Assess, Plan, Do, Review: identify needs, organise support, put it into practice and check progress. An individual SEND Support Plan brings together a child’s needs, intended outcomes and provision. Parents contribute to that process, giving families a role in shaping support.

Contact continues through termly parent meetings, conversations with the teacher or SENCO, and reviews of support plans. The school also works with Speech and Language Therapists and the Durham Autistic Spectrum Team. Those partnerships provide routes to specialist input for children whose needs require it.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Tudhoe Learning Trust is the school’s admissions authority and operates admissions on the same basis as Durham Local Authority.

Morning and afternoon nursery groups are identified separately. Nursery enquiries go through the school office on 01325 300324 or office@swans.education.

The school’s uniform includes a purple cardigan or jumper, a white polo shirt and grey or black bottoms. Branded clothing is optional, so families can choose plain items. Cre8tive Schoolwear in Bishop Auckland handles uniform orders directly.