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Nursery at Alt 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Three-hour sessions and a shorter Friday for children using 30 funded hours give Alt Academy's nursery a clear practical shape. This is the academy's own nursery provision, part of The Harmony Trust, on Alt Lane in Oldham. Pre-school sessions run alongside the nursery sessions, with different timings, so families need to distinguish the two when arranging childcare.
Stories and nursery rhymes are concrete starting points for learning here. In November 2022, nursery children listened to stories and sang rhymes, while phonics began during the Nursery Year. That puts books, spoken language and the beginnings of reading into the nursery experience itself.
Clear routines also begin in the early years. At the inspection on 2 and 3 November 2022, children understood the behaviour expected of them. For a young child learning to take part in a group, knowing what happens and how to behave provides a useful framework for the session.
A snack is included each day as part of the session. Where applicable, families may contribute voluntarily towards snacks. Hot meals are available where offered, and require advance booking and payment through ParentPay. Food therefore needs some planning: a daily snack and a booked meal are different arrangements.
For concerns about special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), families can contact the academy's Inclusion Team on 0161 260 0622. Support information also includes POINT, the Parents of Oldham in Touch group, and Oldham's SEND IASS, a confidential, independent and impartial advice service operated by POINT Services. These give parents routes both into the academy team and to advice beyond it.
A nursery place does not guarantee a Reception place at Alt Academy. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat that application as a separate decision: arranging nursery sessions does not secure the next stage of schooling.
Morning nursery sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45; afternoons run from 12:20 to 15:20. Children entitled to 30 funded hours finish at 12:25 on Fridays to keep attendance within their entitlement, with no required top-up payment. That earlier collection matters when planning the working week.
For three- and four-year-olds, the universal entitlement is 15 funded hours each week. Eligible working families can access up to 30. Funding applies in term time and starts in the term following the child's third birthday, so families need to plan around that start point rather than the birthday itself.
To register for a 30-hour funded place, parents apply online through GOV.UK and must supply a valid eligibility code, then reconfirm it regularly. The academy cannot hold the place while eligibility remains unconfirmed. Nursery applications go directly to the academy office; enquiries can also be emailed to info@alt.theharmonytrust.org. Ask the academy for current meal charges.
Morning sessions are 08:45 to 11:45 and afternoon sessions are 12:20 to 15:20. Children entitled to 30 funded hours leave at 12:25 on Fridays.
Three- and four-year-olds have a universal entitlement of 15 hours per week. Eligible working families may access up to 30 hours. Funding is term-time only, from the term after the child's third birthday.
Children receive a daily snack during their session, with voluntary contributions where applicable. Hot meals, where offered, are charged separately and must be booked and paid for in advance through ParentPay.
No. A nursery place does not guarantee Reception admission at Alt Academy. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process.
Contact the academy office directly or email info@alt.theharmonytrust.org. For SEND enquiries, the Inclusion Team can be reached on 0161 260 0622.
