Lee Brigg Infant and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Dough disco, sand weighing and stories give Lee Brigg’s nursery a practical, language-focused character. Tiger Cubs is the nursery class within Lee Brigg Infant and Nursery School in Altofts, catering for children aged 3 and 4. Children can normally start in the term following their third birthday; April-born children start part-time in September, not after Easter, regardless of when Easter falls. Capacity is expressed as 26 places of 15 hours, with extended places allocated within that capacity rather than added to it.

Ofsted’s March 2026 inspection judged the school’s early years provision to be Strong standard. That judgement covers early years, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Provision for three-year-olds was calm and organised, with teaching adjusted to children’s starting points: a useful foundation for those beginning group learning.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) gives the nursery its framework. Here, the emphasis is on learning to communicate, manage feelings and become independent alongside early number and writing skills. Talking is part of the learning itself. In March 2026, adults extended children’s vocabulary and thinking through conversation. Early years learning took place indoors and outdoors, with balancing and weighing sand among the activities.

Daily pre-phonics activities develop attention and listening before formal reading. Stories and rhymes sit alongside number songs, sorting objects and comparing quantities. Children make marks using different tools, giving early writing a practical starting point rather than beginning with finished letters.

Named movement activities make the approach tangible. Dough disco and wake up, shake up develop hand control and larger movements. Spring learning includes climbing, throwing and using scissors safely. Water play, building and simple experiments introduce materials through their texture and behaviour, so children investigate with their hands as well as talk about discoveries.

Outdoor learning is a daily opportunity, and Wellington boots stay at school for muddy conditions. Practising coat fastenings and choosing manageable clothing helps children take part more independently.

Settling can begin with a home visit from nursery teaching or care staff, with SENDCo involvement where appropriate. Staff also visit children in another setting, and extra Foundation Stage visits can be arranged. These opportunities allow adults to understand a child’s needs before the move into nursery.

Parents can raise concerns with their child’s key worker on entry. For children needing additional support, My Plans record targets and strategies, with families involved in decisions and progress reviewed at least termly through Assess–Plan–Do–Review. The school has paediatric first aiders. In March 2026, nursery learning was adapted for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, supporting their safety and independence.

A full funded day includes lunch, for which nursery children bring a packed meal. Nut products, including those labelled may contain, are prohibited. Morning fruit or vegetables are free. Learning overviews help families talk about activities at home, while My Child at School (MCAS) handles school communication, permissions, bookings and payments.

There is also a school-wide improvement action from March 2026: assessment and monitoring need further refinement to identify needs precisely and check the impact of support for disadvantaged pupils. This is a whole-school next step, rather than a nursery-specific criticism.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority under the adopted Reception criteria. Families must make a separate application through their local authority in the normal admissions round. Wakefield residents use Wakefield’s Common Application Form; families elsewhere use their home authority’s form. Apply by the deadline for the relevant entry year.

Transition support is a separate benefit. Children take part in a summer shuffle up day, and staff discuss them with their receiving teacher before the summer term ends. Familiarity and information sharing help prepare children for change; they do not secure admission.

Provision runs during term time for 38 weeks. The 15-hour patterns are five mornings, 8:30am to 11:30am, or five afternoons, 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Eligible children taking 30 hours attend five full days, 8:30am to 2:30pm. Extended places depend on availability and a valid HMRC code, reconfirmed each term.

Optional Early Bird Drop Off adds 15 minutes before the day, and additional childcare can extend a full day to 3:30pm, subject to availability. Nursery children cannot use Breakfast Club. Paid nursery sessions are fixed three-hour blocks, normally booked for a full term; changes or cancellation normally require a full term’s written notice. Ask the school for current charges. Optional services are not a condition of funded access.

Enquiries and visits can be arranged on 01924 967609 or leebriggadmin@watertonacademytrust.org. Nursery applications go directly to the school. Uniform includes a red jumper or cardigan, a red or white polo shirt and dark trousers, shorts or skirt; logos are optional. Name clothing and collect promptly at the agreed finish time.