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Nursery at Willowpark Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A mini-beast hotel, familiar nursery rhymes and play with a purpose give Willowpark’s youngest provision its character. Pre-School caters for two-year-olds. Nursery funding begins from January, April or September following a child’s third birthday. Both belong to the school’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), alongside Reception, on Vulcan Street in Oldham.
This is a school-based start with distinct provision for younger children. The school aims to develop independence and a willingness to try new things, using play alongside activities led by adults. For parents, the useful distinction is between learning through exploration and simply filling a session: children’s vocabulary, knowledge and practical skills are explicit priorities.
Play and adult-led learning share the day. The EYFS brings together early number work and literacy with physical skills, communication, emotional development, creativity and learning about the world. In parent language, that means learning to express an idea, manage relationships and explore a problem alongside the beginnings of reading and counting.
Pre-School has its own outdoor area. Children investigate nature there, including watching creatures in the mini-beast hotel. Inside, construction, imaginative games and role play give them different ways to test ideas. The physical spaces serve different purposes: outdoor observation invites curiosity, while indoor play lets children build and act out their own scenarios.
Named topics give these experiences a thread. It’s good to be me explores children’s families, bodies and senses; The Greatest Show! introduces celebrations such as Christmas and Diwali. Animal learning sits within All Creatures Great and Small. These themes connect new words and ideas to recognisable experiences.
Stories and rhymes supply another strand. Pre-School children learn Twinkle, twinkle little star and Old MacDonald had a farm, with rhyme work supporting listening, movement and vocabulary. During National Storytelling Week 2024, Nursery explored The Magic Porridge Pot. In May 2024, Ofsted found that children across early years, including the two-year-old provision, enjoyed discussing familiar stories. That gives a concrete picture of children using language around books.
Seesaw connects families with children’s learning. This digital journal records experiences and development, allowing parents to see progress and exchange information with staff. It gives families something specific to talk about with their child after a session.
WELLCOMM speech and language assessment is used when children join the setting to identify possible gaps in speech development. For children identified with SEND, the school uses a support plan and a one-page profile describing strengths, difficulties and suitable teaching strategies. A SENCO coordinates provision, giving families a route for discussing additional needs through the office.
Lunch can be brought from home or purchased as a hot meal. Pre-School offers lunchtime care for children staying all day, and Nursery includes a lunch period for children taking the 30-hour offer. This makes the meal arrangement part of choosing the session pattern, rather than a separate afterthought.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority’s primary admissions process; Oldham uses an online application. Willowpark must be included among the family’s school choices, and the application must meet the deadline for the relevant admissions year. Treat that application as a separate task while your child attends Nursery.
Nursery mornings run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. These are the nursery session times to use when planning collection.
Qualifying families can access 15 funded hours a week for two-year-olds. For Nursery, 15 hours of early education are funded from January, April or September after a child’s third birthday; working parents meeting the government criteria can access 30-hour places. Parent-funded Pre-School places and additional Nursery sessions are also offered. Childcare and lunch charges are payable beforehand; contact the school for current charges.
Applications and visit appointments go through the school office. General enquiries can be made on 0161 3595699 or by emailing info@willowpark.spacademies.org. Visits provide an opportunity to meet staff and look around before choosing the provision.
Pre-School is for two-year-olds. Nursery funding begins from January, April or September following a child’s third birthday.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am, and afternoon sessions from 12:30pm to 3:30pm.
Pre-School offers lunchtime provision for children needing all-day care. Nursery has a lunch period for children taking the 30-hour offer. Children can bring a packed lunch or have a charged hot meal.
Seesaw records early-years experiences and development and supports communication between families and staff.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the local authority’s primary admissions process, by the deadline for the relevant year.
