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Nursery at Lea Nursery School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Choosing indoors or outdoors for much of the session gives Lea’s nursery day its character. Play leads the learning, with children able to follow an interest across both spaces. This is a community nursery school on Wexham Road in Slough, catering for children aged two to four.
The youngest children join Kangaroos; older children progress through N1 and N2 groups, including Tigers, Butterflies, Leopards, Meerkats, Pandas and Lions. For three- and four-year-olds, there are 65 places per session, described as 130 part-time places. Up to 22 full-time-equivalent places are allocated to children eligible for 30-hour nursery education. These are different attendance patterns, rather than one standard nursery day.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, manage feelings and move confidently with early reading, mathematics, creativity and understanding the world. At Lea, that means counting objects, exploring shapes, using scissors, handling paintbrushes and making marks before formal writing. Pretend play has a place alongside books. Development Matters guides planning and assessment.
Children can switch between indoor and outdoor play through most of their session. In April 2023, outdoor den-building involved working out how to attach a canopy, turning a play idea into practical problem-solving. Daily storytelling gave children repeated encounters with familiar stories; an outdoor bear-hunt performance offered another way to retell one. Watching chicks hatch and following caterpillars’ development made life cycles tangible.
Learning sequence. The inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023 identified weaknesses in breaking curriculum goals into smaller learning steps. Activities did not consistently connect children’s existing knowledge with their next learning. Language teaching also needed clearer vocabulary and sentence-structure goals, with more chances to practise them in different situations. Inspectors also found that some staff lacked the expertise to help children experiencing difficulties with language development. Children starting with weaker speech were consequently making less progress than they could. Parents should weigh these specific concerns alongside the practical, play-based activities.
Settling starts with a Keyworker induction and an individual plan agreed with parents. Home visits can be arranged when considered beneficial for the child, rather than being a standard requirement. Staggered introductions give the adult time to get to know each child before regular attendance begins.
Learning Journals collect photographs, observations, work and children’s words. Parents can look through them, discuss progress at termly Keyworker meetings and exchange updates day to day. Once a term, the focus-child process brings closer observation and a staff discussion about the child’s interests and next targets.
SEND support includes consultation with families, termly provision reviews and involvement from outside specialists where needed. The single-storey building has wide corridors, wheelchair access and sensory spaces, giving families concrete accessibility features to consider. The staff structure includes an Early Years Lead and SENCo, practitioners and teaching assistants.
In April 2023, children received help with managing feelings, including those with SEND, and safeguarding arrangements were effective. Healthy eating choices and tooth care also formed part of learning, linking nursery education with everyday self-care.
Attending Lea does not guarantee a Reception place at a neighbouring primary school. Parents must make a separate application through Slough Borough Council’s website. Choosing nursery and choosing primary school remain separate decisions.
Preparation focuses on practical independence, communication and routines: managing clothes, using the toilet, listening and expressing needs. Children with identified additional needs receive an individual transition plan. Lea also passes information about progress and next learning to Reception teachers, helping the receiving school prepare support. That continuity does not secure admission.
Lea operates during term time. Morning sessions run from 8:35am to 11:35am, and afternoons from 12:20pm to 3:20pm. Breakfast Club runs from 8:00am to 8:35am. The application form offers 30-hour patterns ending at 2:00pm or 2:35pm, plus flexible provision from 8:00am to 3:20pm on two days each week. Final drop-off and collection arrangements for 30-hour places are agreed at induction; session preferences cannot always be accommodated. Two-year-olds are offered part-time places only.
Funding and charges. Eligibility applies to 30-hour places, which are limited; families are instructed to obtain the code the preceding term and renew it termly. Funded two-year-old places are also available subject to eligibility. Extended sessions may be considered and carry an hourly charge. Contact the nursery for current charges.
Applications can be submitted online, by email or on paper. For enquiries, use post@lea-nursery.slough.sch.uk or 01753 536492. Visits can be arranged through reception by booking ahead.
Children aged two to four attend. Two-year-olds join Kangaroos, before progressing to the main nursery provision.
Yes. Children can choose indoor or outdoor play for most of the session.
Families have an induction with their child’s Keyworker and agree a settling plan tailored to the child. A home visit may be arranged where it would benefit the child.
No. A separate primary school application is required through Slough Borough Council, and nursery attendance does not automatically secure a neighbouring school place.
Eligible children can take a 30-hour place, subject to availability. The application form also offers flexible provision on two days a week, and extended sessions may be considered for an hourly charge.
