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Nursery at Whitemoor 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 home corner, wellie matching and gingerbread making give Whitemoor’s early learning a practical flavour. This is Whitemoor Academy’s own nursery on Crown Road in Whitemoor, welcoming children from three years old. Families can choose mornings, afternoons or a full day, giving them several ways to fit nursery into their week.
Children’s choices sit alongside teaching led by adults. Continuous Provision gives children opportunities to return to resources and develop their ideas, while taught sessions introduce knowledge and skills. The home corner and creative area provide concrete spaces for this learning: children explore pretend play, make things and try activities such as pairing wellies or making gingerbread.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together early learning and children’s development. Here, communication, movement and emotional development connect with maths, literacy, creative work and understanding the world. Development Matters informs weekly planning. For parents, that means play belongs within a planned curriculum, with learning shaped around children’s needs and interests.
Each half-term topic starts with a question. Adults gather children’s existing ideas before taking the learning further, and children’s interests influence planning. Staff use the ShREC Approach during play led by children to support conversation and social development. Art also gives children scope to choose materials and express their own ideas, with adults asking questions about the process rather than directing every outcome.
In January 2025, early-years children demonstrated collaborative problem-solving through a skittles activity and an ice challenge involving penguins. Nursery children also explored sounds as an introduction to reading. These examples give substance to the emphasis on talking, questioning and experimenting.
Curriculum delivery. The January 2025 ungraded school inspection found that inaccurate assessment left some pupils’ misunderstandings unresolved across the school. Some staff lacked the expertise needed for teaching particular content; curriculum content was sometimes unclear, and activities did not sufficiently help pupils learn. As a result, some pupils retained too little knowledge and lacked the secure understanding of earlier learning needed to build on it. These were school-wide findings, rather than a separate nursery judgement. Families should weigh that context alongside the specific early-years examples.
The nursery team includes Class 1 teachers and a teaching assistant with the Nursery Key Person role. That gives families a specific team role associated with their child’s care, alongside the teaching structure.
In January 2025, children needing extra help in early years were identified promptly, with learning adjusted to address their difficulties. Across Whitemoor, observations, assessments and conversations with parents contribute to identifying additional needs. The SEND co-ordinator works with teachers and teaching assistants on support programmes. Speech and Language Therapy and the Hearing Support Service are among the external agencies the school works with, providing routes to specialist help where needed.
Attending Whitemoor’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for school as two distinct decisions: a nursery place should never be taken as confirmation of a later school place.
Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am; afternoons run from noon to 2.45pm. The full-day option runs from 8.45am to 2.45pm. Each pattern is offered five days a week. A full day can be extended by 30 minutes for an additional charge; contact the school for current charges.
The 15-hour funded entitlement begins in the term after a child’s third birthday. Families can choose their attendance hours, and the school recommends at least three mornings for curriculum coverage. Funding can cover five mornings or, alternatively, 2.5 days. The 30-hour option depends on eligibility.
Children can join during the school year. Nursery enquiries go to nursery@whitemoor.org.uk, and an application form starts the process, with a team member then contacting the family. Visits can be arranged by contacting the school.
Whitemoor welcomes children from three years old, with entry possible during the school year.
Mornings are 8.45am to 11.45am, afternoons noon to 2.45pm, and full days 8.45am to 2.45pm. Each option is offered five days a week.
Yes. The 15-hour entitlement starts in the term after the third birthday, with flexible attendance hours. The school suggests five mornings or 2.5 days; 30 hours depends on eligibility.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process and by the normal deadline.
Email nursery@whitemoor.org.uk for nursery enquiries. Complete the nursery application form to begin an application; a member of the team will then contact you.
