Sandon Primary Academy Nursery Review

Wednesday swimming and stories beyond the classroom give Sandon's nursery a distinctive place within the primary school. In Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, the provision uses school spaces including the pool and library bus. These are concrete additions to classroom learning.

The nursery admission number for September 2026 is 60. Nursery children share a Foundation office with Reception, further along Harrowby Road, giving families a specific point of contact for this part of the school.

Books travel here. In February 2025, nursery children heard Zog outside on the Key Stage 1 playground as part of National Story Telling Week. A February 2023 library bus visit combined browsing books with imaginative bus play and singing. Both examples show how stories can become shared activities in different school spaces.

Swimming has a regular place in the timetable: nursery lessons fall on Wednesdays. Children need a plain blue or black swimming costume and a towel, with their belongings named where possible. The school pool makes water activities part of the nursery's school experience, rather than an occasional trip elsewhere.

Early years mathematics mixes activities chosen by children with teaching led by adults and work in small groups. Counting, recognising patterns and exploring shapes sit alongside songs, rhymes and practical investigations. Staff consider children's interests when planning. This gives number work a place in play as well as in taught activities.

At the June 2024 inspection, staff were found to develop children's existing understanding across early years learning, with language development woven effectively into everyday experiences. For parents, the emphasis is on learning through daily interaction as well as planned teaching.

Trips extend the possibilities for role play. Nursery children have visited Apple Tree Town, trying out roles such as working in a bakery or running a post office. Nursery visits also include National Forest Adventure Farm and Lower Drayton Farm, the latter involving parents.

Class Dojo connects families with the class teacher through messages and updates about children's achievements. Parents can reply through the app, making it a practical route for everyday communication. Concerns go first to the class teacher; the office can arrange further contact with a senior leader.

For additional needs, the school's SENCOs support teachers with their practice, and parents can arrange an appointment through the office. The welfare team also helps families with difficulties involving housing, behaviour, daily routines, mental health and safeguarding. This gives parents routes for both learning concerns and pressures at home.

Meals are cooked on site by the school's catering team. A menu rotating over three weeks provides choices, and children can choose which days to have a school meal. Payments use Parent Pay.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the child's nursery experience, with the later school application treated separately.

Foundation Stage gates open at 8.35am, registration is at 8.45am and gates reopen at 3.15pm. Late nursery arrivals use the Foundation office. For enquiries, contact the school office on 01782 319097.

Care Club accepts all pupils, with breakfast provision beginning at 7.30am and after-school care ending at 5.00pm. Book through School Cloud by 8.30pm the previous day; advance bookings are also possible. Charges depend on usage and are added to Parent Pay the following day. Fees must be paid before your child next attends Care Club. Contact the school for current charges.

Nursery uniform includes a claret sweatshirt or cardigan bearing the Academy badge with blue trim, a blue polo shirt and grey or black trousers or a skirt. Nursery children may wear a plain white inner PE top.

Collection arrangements. Tell the school when someone else will collect your child. A first-time collector needs a code word, so the team can check their identity.