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Nursery at Bexhill 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Daily stories, a classroom reading corner and Forest School Fridays give Bexhill Academy’s nursery a clear character: language and outdoor exploration shape the experience. This is the school’s own early years provision in Town End Farm, Sunderland, with separate, purpose-built areas for its youngest age groups.
Pre-School takes children from the term after their second birthday until Nursery age; Nursery starts in the term after their third birthday and continues until Reception age. Ofsted judged early years provision Outstanding at the inspection on 8 and 9 June 2022. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision.
Short teaching activities alternate with longer stretches of play indoors and outside. Children have time to choose activities and interact with one another, rather than spending the whole session in adult-led teaching. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum maps the knowledge and skills children will develop; for parents, that means planned learning alongside opportunities to explore through play.
Books provide a daily thread. A teacher leads story time, while small groups use Talk Through Stories (RWI) to develop understanding and spoken language. The reading corner mixes familiar favourites and traditional tales with factual books and fiction. Children also borrow a book to enjoy at home, with reading records checked and stamped each week. This gives families a regular way to share the nursery’s emphasis on stories.
Forest School Fridays take Nursery children into the outdoor provision each half term. The approach uses practical exploration, play and supported risk taking, giving children another way to investigate and make choices. In June 2022, songs and stories drove early years learning, including the two-year-old provision, and adults developed children’s speech and vocabulary. Teachers also assessed readiness for phonics from the beginning of Nursery, helping them judge when children could start learning to read.
Qualified teachers lead Nursery, while a suitably qualified teaching assistant manages Pre-School. Teaching assistants and key workers support both, with an additional higher-level teaching assistant. Ratios are one adult to five children in Pre-School and one to thirteen in Nursery. The staffing structure distinguishes the younger children’s room from the teacher-led Nursery stage.
Welcome visits provide an opportunity to discuss toilet training. Parents are asked to try potty training before nursery wherever possible; children who are still learning can receive further advice from nursery staff. This makes the conversation part of preparing to start.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school’s support includes adapted teaching and involvement from specialists such as Speech and Language Therapy. Parents participate in planning and reviewing support. A home-school contact book can be used when agreed to be useful, creating a specific communication route for families who need it.
A paid lunch session can be added to Nursery attendance. The school operates its own kitchens, where most dishes are prepared from scratch with seasonal, fresh ingredients. This describes the school’s catering; adding lunch is a separate booking choice.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Sunderland’s local authority Admissions team and meet the normal Reception application deadline. Treat that application as a separate step from choosing nursery.
For children with SEND moving between classes, information reaches the next teacher in advance, including support profiles and passports. Summer-term transition sessions introduce new practitioners, and a social book can be made if it would help a child understand the change. These arrangements support preparation for a new class; they do not secure admission.
Nursery sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am or from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The school recommends five three-hour sessions each week. Nursery children are eligible for fifteen funded hours weekly, with thirty-hour places available subject to eligibility. Families can pay for additional sessions or add lunch. Pre-School children may qualify for fifteen funded hours; paid sessions are also possible.
The EYFS breakfast club starts as early as 7:45am with a charge, or at 8:15am free of charge. Contact the school for current charges. Nursery applications use the relevant application form, and the office can arrange visits on 0191 7070120.
Uniform applies from the two-year-old provision. Children wear black bottoms and shoes, a white polo shirt and purple knitwear, so families should include uniform in their preparations.
Pre-School starts in the term after a child’s second birthday. Nursery starts in the term after their third birthday and continues until Reception age.
Morning sessions are 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions are 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The school recommends five three-hour sessions per week.
Nursery children are eligible for fifteen funded hours weekly. Thirty-hour places depend on eligibility. Pre-School children may qualify for fifteen funded hours, and paid sessions are possible.
No. Families must apply separately through Sunderland’s local authority Admissions team and meet the normal Reception application deadline.
Contact the school office on 0191 7070120 to arrange a visit.
