Freemantle Church of England Community Academy Nursery

Sharing discoveries with families gives Freemantle’s early years provision its clearest character. The nursery caters for three-year-olds within Freemantle Church of England Community Academy on Mansion Road in Southampton. It is part of the school, with family communication and additional-needs support connected to the wider academy.

Tapestry connects children’s learning experiences with home. Photographs, video clips and comments capture children’s experiences, giving parents concrete starting points for conversations about their learning.

Tapestry makes communication a two-way exchange. Parents can contribute experiences from home, helping practitioners understand the child beyond the classroom. Regular meetings in person sit alongside the digital journal, so family contact includes conversation as well as updates on a screen.

ParentMail handles academy letters and bulletins, with the Parent Information Bulletin sent each Friday. Families can advise the office if they need an alternative to receiving letters through the app. That distinction matters: Tapestry shares learning, while ParentMail carries practical messages.

For children with additional needs, the academy identifies concerns early and discusses them with parents so that next steps can be agreed together. Support follows the needs identified, with input from educational psychology, health professionals or speech and language therapy where needed. The SENCo can be contacted at senco@freemantleschool.co.uk.

Before starting, families have a welcome meeting with the headteacher. For children learning English as an additional language, discussion covers their fluency and ways to help them communicate basic needs. This gives families a practical opportunity to explain how their child communicates.

A separate application. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Reception process, using Southampton City Council’s online school-place application route and meeting the deadline for their child’s entry year. Treat the nursery decision and the Reception application as two distinct steps.

Nursery starts at 08:45, with other start times depending on the session. Parents must remain with their child until the classroom doors open; responsibility passes to the academy when the teacher opens them.

To request a nursery place, contact the academy in person or use its nursery enquiry form. Supply your contact details and address, including postcode, alongside your child’s date of birth and name. Nursery staff then contact families when a place becomes available, and allocation follows date of birth.