Stourport Primary Academy Nursery Review

Sound, rhyme and children’s own interests shape the nursery learning at Stourport Primary Academy. Provision begins at age two, giving families an early starting point within the primary school on Park Avenue in Stourport-on-Severn. Mulberry and Elderberry are the named nursery groups.

This is school-attached provision, with its own nursery staffing and a nursery administrator. Its curriculum combines activities chosen around children’s interests with planned steps in development: personal curiosity has a place alongside learning new skills.

Listening comes before formal reading. Nursery children begin Foundation Phonics within Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, exploring sounds made by instruments and their surroundings, playing with rhyme and rhythm, and noticing words that start alike. They also explore voice sounds and practise joining spoken sounds together or separating them. These are concrete ways to attend to the sounds within speech.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is taught using Development Matters. In practical terms, planning responds to children’s interests, experiences and stage of development rather than relying on identical topics each year. Half-term progression expectations give that changing content a planned direction. Children can use both outside and inside learning areas through continuous provision, so exploration extends beyond activities led by an adult.

In February 2025, children across the early years participated eagerly, while adults guided practice with sounds and numbers. The important qualification concerns independent learning. Opportunities to revisit language and number knowledge through children’s own exploration were too restricted, slowing how securely they learned it. The early years environment needed to do more to strengthen familiarity with letters and numerals. For parents, the distinction matters: adult-led practice and opportunities to apply learning independently are both part of the picture.

Nursery staffing is organised around Mulberry and Elderberry, with a nursery administrator providing a separate administrative role. The school also has an EYFS and Key Stage 1 support base.

The school aims to make the move from home into school easier for children and their families. Its early years practitioners plan around knowing each child individually, linking learning opportunities to the child rather than simply the topic.

Attending this nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families need to apply separately for Reception through the Local Authority Admissions Team and follow the normal application timetable. Treat choosing a nursery place and applying for a school place as two distinct decisions.

A nursery application goes directly to the school. The Reception route goes through the local authority, so joining the nursery does not replace that later application.

For a nursery application, contact the school directly on 01299 822120. School visits can also be arranged through the office, giving families a way to look around before deciding.

The school is on Park Avenue, Stourport-on-Severn, DY13 8SH. General enquiries can be sent to office@spa.saet.co.uk; nursery applications should follow the direct school contact route.