Riverside Academy Nursery Review

A mud kitchen, a water wall and a driving school give Riverside Academy’s nursery a practical, playful character. This is a 30-place nursery within the primary school in Newbold-on-Avon, Rugby, with funding offered for children aged 3 and 4. Its own indoor and outdoor classrooms let children explore through play across the day.

Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding following inspection on 25 and 26 June and 10 October 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play carries the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework, with friendships, emotional development, movement and communication forming the foundations for work with numbers, literacy, creativity and understanding the world. Staff observe children and use what they notice to plan the next experiences, so activities can build on an individual child’s understanding.

Outside, the reading area has a large throne and seating described as toad stalls. Books, puppets and small-world play give children different ways to explore stories. An art studio sits alongside the mud kitchen and water wall; the driving school gives children opportunities to develop physical skills and ride bikes of different levels independently. Outdoor learning is part of the nursery day, rather than simply a break from the classroom.

Language also runs through imaginative play. Foundation Stage role-play spaces encourage children to try out vocabulary through drama and imaginary situations. Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised is the reading programme, and phonics begins in nursery. Pretend shopping lists give early writing a recognisable purpose. Children can also spend time in the school library, exploring fiction and non-fiction. Each child can choose a book to take home, giving families a way to continue reading together beyond the nursery day. Music brings another route into expression: children explore instruments both with adults and during their ongoing play, sing familiar rhymes and practise moving with the music.

In 2024, early years activities developed children’s spoken language deliberately, with especially effective support for those learning English as an additional language. Children sustained their attention and became absorbed in learning. These findings give substance to the nursery’s emphasis on conversation and play.

Teachers and teaching assistants make up the nursery team. In 2024, early years staff understood children’s individual needs, and children became familiar with expectations and routines quickly. For a young child learning how a school day works, those routines provide a useful foundation.

Support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) follows the school’s system of monitoring development and working with families. Parents of children on the SEND register receive progress reports and invitations to meetings. The SEND coordinator oversees individual targets, while external advice can come from Speech and Language, the Specialist Teaching Service or the Educational Psychology Service when reasonable adjustments alone cannot meet a child’s needs.

For the longer nursery day, children can bring a packed lunch or have a charged school meal. That gives families a choice over lunch arrangements.

Attending Riverside’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process by the applicable deadline. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

The 30-hour funded option runs from 9am to 3pm for eligible children. The 15-hour pattern offers either 8:45am to 11:45am or 12:15pm to 3:15pm. Families who do not qualify for 30-hour funding can pay for an afternoon extension, with attendance running from 9am to 3pm. Contact the school for current charges.

Nursery application forms come from the school office. To enquire or arrange a look around, call 01788 544096 or email office@riverside-academy.org. Breakfast club accepts children aged 5 and above, so it is not an option for nursery children aged 3 or 4.