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Nursery at Sandbach 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Woodland, a planting garden and an outdoor classroom give Sandbach Primary Academy’s nursery a day that reaches beyond indoor play. Children can use the school’s field too, with outdoor learning treated as an extension of what happens inside. Wellington boots belong in the nursery kit.
This is the school’s own nursery for children aged two, three and four, led by a qualified teacher. Two-year-olds can start from the term after their second birthday. Their sessions are mornings; older nursery children can attend mornings or full days. That distinction matters when fitting childcare around work.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 1 and 2 October 2024. This is an early years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating.
Play and children’s interests shape the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines speaking and listening, movement and social development with early literacy, maths, creative work and exploration of the world. Staff use Development Matters guidance, with EY2P consultants and Master the Curriculum supporting maths planning.
The autumn themes are All about me and Autumn and the Woodland. Children practise listening through games, join familiar rhymes, discuss feelings and learn to take turns. Sorting objects and exploring numbers one and two introduce mathematical language; colour mixing, printing, dance and pretend play give children ways to express ideas. Climbing and riding bikes bring physical development into the outdoor day.
Early reading has a named approach: Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised, using Foundations for Phonics in nursery. The focus is listening, spoken blending, stories and rhymes. Children also choose a classroom library book to share with an adult at home, on Monday or their first attendance day that week. Reading becomes something families can join in with.
Learning Powers make expectations concrete. Cooperative Caterpillar encourages sharing and turn-taking; Independent Inchworm encourages children to attempt unfamiliar activities independently. In October 2024, early years staff supported children to practise cooperation and persistence. However, some early years curriculum content needed clearer priorities, because uncertainty about essential knowledge sometimes made it harder to build learning securely.
A nursery teacher works with support staff, and the nursery sometimes works alongside the Reception team. Activities are adjusted for children’s interests and needs. Families can read a Thursday update about the week’s classroom activities, giving them something specific to discuss with their child.
Fruit and toast are supplied to nursery children each day at no charge. Full-day children can have a school lunch or bring their own. The school requires food brought from home to be nut-free, so checking ingredients is part of preparing the lunchbox.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school uses support plans and adapts classroom tasks where needed. Parents can raise concerns with the SENCO. Comfortable clothing that children can manage themselves, spare clothes and an accessible water bottle support the nursery’s emphasis on developing self-care.
Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Cheshire East Borough Council’s admissions department; Cheshire East residents can apply online. The annual application window starts in September before school entry and ends the following January.
Occasional work with the Reception team provides contact with adults from the next stage. Keep that familiarity separate from the application process: it does not secure admission.
Morning sessions run from 8.40am to 11.45am. For three- and four-year-olds, full days finish at 3.15pm. Nursery lunch occupies 11.45am to 12.45pm, providing a clear break between morning and afternoon learning.
Three- and four-year-olds have a funded 15-hour place from the term after their third birthday; an additional 15 hours may apply where both parents work and meet government criteria. Extra regular sessions can be booked each term, subject to space. Ask the school for current charges.
For nursery enquiries, an application form or a visit, telephone 01270 918922. Nursery clothing should be practical and easy for children to handle; send spare socks and pants, and leave named boots for outdoor activities.
Children aged two, three and four attend. Two-year-old provision starts from the term following the child’s second birthday.
Morning sessions are 8.40am to 11.45am. Three- and four-year-olds can also attend a full day, from 8.40am to 3.15pm.
They have access to woodland, a planting garden, an outdoor classroom and the school field.
No. A separate application is required through Cheshire East Borough Council’s admissions department. The application window runs from September before entry to the following January.
Nursery children receive fruit and toast each day at no charge. Full-day children can bring a packed lunch or have a school lunch. Food brought from home must be nut-free.
