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Nursery at Ashley 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 fully refurbished nursery and a newly developed outdoor area give Ashley Academy’s youngest learners a distinct setting within the school. Nursery children typically join at age 3, at the academy on Temple Park Road in South Shields. This is the school’s own nursery provision, with applications handled by the academy rather than the council.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 24 and 25 June 2025. That judgement covers early years within Ashley Academy; it is not a separate nursery inspection grade. The strongest evidence concerns the way adults develop children’s thinking and independence.
Staff questioning was a strength of early years teaching in June 2025. For parents, that matters because adults helped children develop an idea further. Purposeful activities supported language and independence, with scope for imaginative exploration and curiosity.
The early years curriculum was carefully organised and successfully taught. Activities supported language development and independence, giving children opportunities to develop their thinking and do more for themselves. Clear expectations for behaviour begin in early years, where adults demonstrate the rules and teach routines. That gives young children a framework for understanding what is expected of them.
The refurbished nursery provides the indoor setting, alongside the newly developed outdoor area for younger learners. Both spaces belong to the youngest children’s experience of the academy.
Family support extends to everyday difficulties at home. Ashley Academy’s team can help with bedtime and morning routines, emotional wellbeing, bereavement and managing the behaviour of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Families access this support through the office, which arranges contact with the appropriate member of staff.
A special educational needs coordinator forms part of the school’s support structure. For a family balancing nursery life with difficulties at home, the office provides a clear starting point for requesting help and connecting with staff.
Attending Ashley’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must submit another application through South Tyneside Council, using the Common Application Form by the council’s determined closing date. Late applications are considered after those submitted on time, so nursery attendance does not remove the need to apply within the normal admissions round.
The nursery priority criterion, agreed in Autumn Term 2024, covers children who attended Ashley’s Nursery Class in the academic year before their application. It ranks fourth, below looked-after children, siblings and exceptional medical or psychological reasons, and above neighbourhood places. This is a conditional admissions priority, not a reserved place.
Visits can be arranged through the school office on 0191 456 4977. Nursery application forms also come from the office. Applications may be submitted after a child’s second birthday, and parents must provide evidence of the child’s birth certificate when applying. Additional identity evidence may be required to establish eligibility. Applying at that age is distinct from the typical nursery starting age of 3.
Children typically join Ashley Academy’s nursery at age 3. Nursery applications can be submitted after the child’s second birthday.
The school’s early years provision was judged Outstanding on 24 and 25 June 2025. This was an early years judgement within the school inspection, not a separate nursery grade.
No. A separate Reception application is required. The nursery attendance criterion agreed in Autumn Term 2024 gives fourth-ranked priority to children who attended Ashley’s Nursery Class in the academic year before their application.
Apply through South Tyneside Council using the Common Application Form by its determined closing date. Applications submitted late are considered after those received on time.
Yes. Contact the school office on 0191 456 4977 to arrange one.
