The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at Co-op Academy Hillside
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Stories, conversation and early sound games give Hillside’s nursery its character. Provision starts with 2-year-olds within Co-op Academy Hillside in Prenton, on Ridgeview Road. This is the school’s own early years provision, with morning, afternoon and full-day options.
Ofsted’s April 2026 inspection judged early years to be Strong standard, with teaching and curriculum strengths beginning in the provision for the youngest children. That judgement covers early years within the school. It is not a separate nursery rating.
Language gets sustained attention. Staff use stories, poems and rhymes, introduce a class word of the week and encourage children to talk about their interests. Concept Cat and Poetry Basket support this work, and nursery staff have Wellcomm training. For a young child, this means opportunities to practise both speaking and listening through familiar activities.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning to communicate, move and manage relationships with early reading, number work, creative expression and discovering the world. Half-termly Imaginative Learning Projects bring these areas together around children’s interests and learning needs. In April 2026, children enjoyed story discussions, singing, active play and games; they also developed counting skills and learned to follow routines.
Phonics begins with listening. Children explore environmental noises, rhythm, body percussion and voice sounds before working on separating and combining spoken sounds. In FS1, a daily focused lesson introduces Read Write Inc Set 1 sounds. Rhymes and pictures help children connect sounds with letters, giving early reading a structured starting point.
Practical exploration also features in early years learning: children construct, investigate food and use materials to make structures. These activities give them reasons to make choices, solve problems and explain their thinking.
Early identification of difficulties is a strength. In April 2026, teachers and teaching assistants recognised learning needs promptly, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and worked effectively with families and other professionals. Children with SEND achieved well alongside their peers. The next step for early years was to keep developing teaching and support towards exceptional standards.
Across the school, additional support can include a Pupil Passport with targets reviewed termly, with parents contributing their views. Termly SEND Coffee Mornings provide another opportunity for discussion. Speech and Language Therapists and the Early Years Specialist Support Team are among the professionals the school works with.
Some school corridors have short stairways, while classrooms have accessible external entrances. That distinction matters for families planning access. School lunch arrangements allow either a packed lunch or a school dinner.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and does not confer priority under Hillside’s oversubscription criteria. Families must make a separate application through their local authority. For Wirral residents, the route is Wirral Council; families living elsewhere apply through their own council.
For the September 2026 intake, the deadline was 15 January 2026. That cycle is past. Nursery participation and Reception allocation remain separate decisions, so choosing the nursery should rest on the experience it offers your child now.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. The full day runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm. These options let families compare a shorter session with a day spanning both parts of the timetable.
Contact the school office on 0151 677 9960 or email hillside-office@coopacademies.co.uk for nursery enquiries. The school also offers a tour booking route, giving families a way to see its learning spaces and meet staff.
The early years provision includes places for 2-year-olds.
Morning sessions are 8:45am–11:45am, afternoon sessions are 12:15pm–3:15pm, and the full day is 8:45am–3:15pm.
No. Nursery attendance neither guarantees a place nor confers priority under Hillside’s oversubscription criteria. A separate local authority application is required.
They develop listening and sound awareness through activities including rhythm, rhyme and body percussion. FS1 children then begin Read Write Inc Set 1 sounds in a daily focused lesson.
Parents contribute to Pupil Passports, whose targets are reviewed termly. The school also holds termly SEND Coffee Mornings and works with specialist professionals.
