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Nursery at Hardingstone Academy
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Rhymes, songs and stories give Hardingstone Academy's nursery a clear starting point: learning to listen. Children can join from two years old, and applications are open. This is the academy's own nursery provision on Martins Lane in Hardingstone, so families are choosing an early years setting within a primary school.
Listening comes before reading here. At the March 2023 inspection, nursery teaching helped children pay attention to stories, rhymes and songs. These are concrete activities for parents to picture, with an emphasis on hearing and following language rather than simply having books around.
Across the early years, activities developed learning children had already begun. The practical emphasis was on giving activities a purpose and helping children establish routines. For a parent considering the nursery, that combination matters: the experience involves both learning and becoming familiar with how a school session works. Listening and routines are the clearest features of the day.
Settling was a positive feature in March 2023. Early years children became comfortable with the setting and picked up its routines; staff kept them happy and safe. That gives families a dated indication of how children adjusted to their first school experiences.
For children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school's support arrangements include discussions with the class teacher and access to the SENCo. Parents can share strategies that help at home, allowing staff and families to work towards a consistent approach. Additional support plans are reviewed each term with parents involved. A home-school contact book can also be used when the family and school agree it would help.
Individual support. In March 2023, a school-wide concern was that additional help in some classes did not reliably match pupils' precise SEND needs, limiting their progress. This was not identified as a nursery-specific finding. Families considering SEND support should distinguish the arrangements for reviewing a plan from how its adaptations work in practice.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through their home local authority and meet the normal application deadline. For West Northamptonshire residents, the route is West Northamptonshire Council.
Treat that application as a separate decision in the family calendar. Choosing this nursery and applying for the academy's Reception are distinct steps; accepting a nursery place should not be treated as completing both.
Enquiries can go to the school office at office@hardingstone.emat.uk or by telephone on 01604 346805. The address is Martins Lane, Hardingstone, NN4 6DJ. Applications for the nursery are open, making the office the direct point of contact for families wishing to express interest.
Children can join from two years old.
In March 2023, nursery teaching focused on listening to songs, stories and rhymes. Across the early years, purposeful activities built on children's existing learning.
In March 2023, children adjusted well and learned routines, with staff keeping them safe and happy.
No. A separate application is required through the family's home local authority. West Northamptonshire residents apply through West Northamptonshire Council and must meet the normal deadline.
Parents can discuss concerns and progress with the class teacher and SENCo. Additional support plans are reviewed with parental involvement each term; a home-school contact book may be used where agreed helpful.
