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Nursery at Gladstone 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Mud, paint and trips beyond the classroom give Gladstone Academy Preschool a practical, exploratory character. Children start from age two at the academy’s Gladstone Street site in Peterborough. The preschool is part of the school, sharing its site with Reception and Key Stage 1, so its setting is already connected to the next stage of education.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 31 October and 1 November 2023. This is an early years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating. The early years findings described children progressing well from their individual starting points, with activities supporting their development.
Play supplies the substance of learning here. Indoors, children experiment with paint, sand and water; outside, leaves and mud give them different materials to investigate. There is a preschool classroom and a garden. These are spaces for doing, talking and trying things out, with messy clothes a predictable consequence.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning about relationships, language, movement and the wider world. At Gladstone, children practise listening through songs and games, discuss stories and learn to recognise their names. Drawing and making marks develop the control needed for writing. Counting play objects and comparing groups introduce mathematical ideas through things children can handle.
Physical learning includes balancing, jumping and running, alongside using scissors and drawing tools. Relationships receive attention too: children are encouraged to consider other people’s feelings, build friendships and manage their own emotions. The preschool aims to adapt its curriculum to children’s interests while giving language and literacy particular attention through poems, books, songs and rhymes.
Weekly walks take children to the shop and post office, while bus journeys extend their experience to town and the library. Role-play then gives them opportunities to explore those experiences back in preschool. The connection is concrete: familiar local places become material for conversation and imaginative play.
Each child has both a Key Person and a supporting Key Person. Families can discuss concerns with these adults, giving them a consistent point of contact. Tapestry, the online Learning Journal, records learning and development with parents contributing to the assessment process. Face-to-face conversations, email and parent workshops provide other ways to keep in touch.
Settling starts with opportunities to play alongside a parent and meet staff in the classroom and garden. Parents stay for initial sessions outdoors, and the settling period varies with the child. An optional home visit allows staff to learn about familiar routines and discuss concerns before separation becomes part of the day.
In October and November 2023, early years children were happy and receiving attentive care. Staff supported communication in English and, where possible, children’s home languages. For multilingual families, that gives the child’s existing language a place alongside learning English.
Attending Gladstone Preschool does not guarantee a Reception place or confer nursery attendance priority. Families must make a separate application through Peterborough City Council’s coordinated admissions scheme, with a deadline of 15 January for entry the following September. Familiarity with the school site does not change that process. Treat choosing preschool and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.
The preschool operates during term time rather than throughout the year. It offers 15 funded hours for three- and four-year-olds and for two-year-olds who qualify for funding. There is also a 30-hour funded option for three- and four-year-olds, delivered during term time; parents apply for this themselves, with staff able to help with the application. Holiday childcare therefore needs separate planning.
An online preschool interest form starts the enquiry process, after which a team member contacts the family to arrange a visit. Guided tours can be arranged with the manager or deputy manager. Preschool places depend on availability and are allocated in order of application. Contact the school for current charges.
Children can start from age two. The preschool is part of Gladstone Primary Academy at its Gladstone Street site.
Learning centres on play, including paint, water and sand indoors, outdoor exploration, stories, counting activities and local outings.
Yes. Parents stay with their child for initial outdoor sessions, and settling time varies for each child. Home visits are optional.
No. It does not confer nursery attendance priority either. A separate application goes through Peterborough City Council’s coordinated scheme by 15 January for entry the following September.
It offers 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, plus a 30-hour option for three- and four-year-olds. Provision runs during term time, and parents apply for the 30-hour funding themselves.
