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Nursery at Listerdale 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
At the July 2024 inspection, nursery children rolled a large dice and jumped along an outdoor number line, turning number play into physical activity. This is Foundation Stage 1 (FS1), the part-time nursery within Listerdale Primary Academy’s Foundation Stage Unit. Children join at the start of the school year in which they turn four. There are 46 places, divided between morning and afternoon sessions, with 23 in each.
Nursery children learn alongside the older Foundation Stage 2 children in the same unit. That shared setting is a distinctive part of the arrangement: nursery sits within the school’s early years provision rather than operating as a separate setting.
Early learning combines practical activity with preparation for reading and writing. The ACET Phonics and Early Reading Programme starts with Phase 1 in Nursery. Here, the emphasis is on listening, making sounds using mouths and bodies, and developing the small hand movements needed to hold a pencil. These are the foundations for later reading, rather than an immediate focus on reading words.
Creative exploration also has a daily place. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the Expressive Art and Design strand gives children opportunities to investigate materials and tools, try techniques and experiment with texture and colour. In parent terms, this means learning through making and exploring, with resources accessible through the ongoing classroom provision.
In July 2024, Ofsted found that nursery children began their education positively and showed consideration and cooperation in shared play. The outdoor dice and number-line activity made mathematics physical and playful. Across the early years, children also performed Goldilocks and the Three Bears, giving them an opportunity to express themselves through a familiar story.
Teaching purpose. In July 2024, some early years lessons centred too much on an activity, with insufficient clarity about the knowledge children should gain. Teachers needed stronger subject knowledge and more carefully ordered learning. For families, the useful distinction is between children being occupied and activities helping them build specific understanding.
Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follows the academy’s approach of identifying needs early and adjusting provision in stages. Teachers retain responsibility for children’s development, including when teaching assistants or specialists contribute. Parents are involved in decisions, making family knowledge part of planning support.
The academy also works with education, social care and health services. Families with concerns can contact the SEND coordinator or inclusion manager to discuss support. This provides a direct route into the school’s support structure.
Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority’s coordinated admissions process, using its Common Application Form. Nursery entry, by contrast, is handled directly by the school. Treat the two applications as separate decisions.
Learning together in the Foundation Stage Unit gives children familiarity with the shared early years setting. That everyday connection is separate from the allocation of Reception places.
Parents choose a morning or afternoon nursery place. Additional sessions may be possible for children who need them; Foundation Stage staff handle enquiries about these. The conditional availability matters when planning a childcare pattern around work.
Visits to the Foundation Stage Unit with your child are arranged as part of joining. For nursery enquiries, contact the academy on 01709 543719 or email info@listerdaleacademy.org. The school is on Beech Avenue, Rotherham, S65 3HN.
Children enter Foundation Stage 1 at the beginning of the school year in which they turn four.
Yes. There are 23 places in each session, making 46 nursery places in total. Additional sessions may be available for children who require them.
Phase 1 of the ACET Phonics and Early Reading Programme develops listening, sound-making and fine motor skills in preparation for later reading and pencil use.
No. Families must apply separately through the local authority’s coordinated process using its Common Application Form.
Contact the academy’s SEND coordinator or inclusion manager to discuss your child’s needs and the support available.
