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Nursery at Kentmere 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 fire circle, outdoor exploration and early reading give Kentmere’s nursery its character. This is the preschool provision within Kentmere Primary Academy on Kentmere Avenue in Smallbridge, Rochdale, with morning, afternoon and full-time attendance patterns. For families, that means a choice of session length alongside an introduction to school learning.
Learning follows an Early Years programme organised around planned areas of development. The emphasis is on building children’s learning step by step. Reading has a named approach: Read, Write, Inc. is used in the early years, with daily phonics sessions introducing the sounds involved in reading. In July 2024, Ofsted found that phonics was taught expertly from the beginning of early years. That gives early reading a clear place in the day.
Forest School brings practical responsibilities into early-years learning. Games exercise listening and cooperation, while demonstrations introduce skills such as knot tying and handling tools safely. Collecting, carrying and putting away equipment gives children a part in caring for the outdoor area. Before activities begin, they check the weather and consider what clothing they need.
The fire circle provides a place to talk about feelings, changes in the surroundings and experiences from earlier sessions. Children also get time for exploration guided by their own interests. A drink and snack accompany the closing conversation. Together, these activities make room for independent choices, shared tasks and discussion, giving outdoor learning several purposes beyond physical activity.
Getting familiar with the setting starts through transition visits for children and parents, offering opportunities to meet staff and talk. Children with SEND can have further visits to help them become accustomed to their surroundings. Where a child comes from another setting, teachers exchange information with its staff about interests, abilities and needs.
Support sits within the school’s graduated SEND approach: personalised teaching can be supplemented by targeted intervention. Parents participate in discussions with the class teacher or SENCO, with termly SEND coffee mornings and workshops offering further contact. Personal visual timetables and quiet work stations are among the school’s adaptations. The school building also has wheelchair access and disabled toilets, practical features for families with mobility needs.
The school reviews SEND support rather than leaving it fixed. Teachers and the SENDCo assess its impact after 10 weeks, and parents take part in regular reviews of SEN Support Plans or EHC Plans. Speech and language therapists and educational psychologists are among the external professionals involved in agreeing individual targets. For families, those reviews provide opportunities to discuss how support is working and what should happen next.
Food features in Forest School’s closing snack and drink. Breakfast Club is open to all children and includes breakfast, games, reading and craft activities, giving families another opportunity for children to eat and socialise.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal route by the applicable deadline.
For the 2022/23 Reception intake, applications went online through Rochdale Borough Council. That cycle included children attending Kentmere Academy as the sixth admission criterion; families should not treat this historical wording as a promise about a later intake.
Transition support is a separate matter. Staff hold end-of-year handover meetings for all pupils, with extra detail for children with SEND. Additional visits and transition materials help these children prepare for their move before the summer holiday.
Nursery sessions run Monday to Friday: mornings are 8.15–11.15am, afternoons 11.45am–2.45pm, and full-time attendance runs 8.15am–2.45pm. These are distinct patterns to weigh against work and collection arrangements.
Nursery applications are returned to the school office. Visits can be arranged by appointment, with a tour and opportunities to discuss your child with staff. Contact the office on 01706 647 533 or office@kentmereacademy.co.uk. School inset days are closures for pupils, so they also matter when planning childcare.
Morning, afternoon and full-time patterns run Monday to Friday, from 8.15–11.15am, 11.45am–2.45pm and 8.15am–2.45pm respectively.
Children consider the weather, gather at the fire circle, play a listening game, try a demonstrated activity and explore. A snack, drink and shared clearing up close the session.
Further familiarisation visits can be arranged. Teachers also liaise with a previous setting about the child’s needs, interests and abilities.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal route by the applicable deadline.
Visits are by appointment. Contact the school office on 01706 647 533 or office@kentmereacademy.co.uk.
