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Nursery at Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Play, conversation and support tailored to the child give Fairmeadows’ nursery its character. This governor-led preschool is attached to Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School in Newhall, Swadlincote, with children starting from age three. The school’s current homepage gives a preschool roll of 16; its 2024-25 prospectus describes capacity for 48 nursery children. Those figures describe attendance and capacity respectively.
Language is a clear thread through the early years. At the December 2024 Ofsted inspection, children learned through exploratory play and manageable risks, while adults introduced vocabulary and encouraged complete sentences. That makes conversation part of learning itself: children practise expressing ideas as they explore.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for this learning. Staff use Derbyshire Celebratory Checkpoints to track the prime areas of development, alongside Development Matters guidance for literacy and maths. Observations help them decide what each child should work on next, rather than simply record completed activities.
Extra language work can sit alongside everyday conversation. The December 2024 SEND information report includes NELI, the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, for preschool children. It provides a named option for children needing additional language support. For sensory needs, the school has a small sensory room, used with an accompanying adult at scheduled times, giving children a separate space for sensory breaks.
Settling can be adjusted for children with SEND. The December 2024 information report describes meetings with the class teacher or SENCO before joining, usually followed by extra visits or, where appropriate, a gradual start. Staff from a child’s previous setting can contribute too. This gives families a way to share needs before the first session.
Parents can raise concerns with the class teacher and then contact the SENCO through the office. The 2025 SEND policy describes adaptations including visual timetables, movement breaks and extra thinking time. Support follows an assess, plan, do and review cycle, with parents contributing their knowledge of the child. The SENCO holds the NASENCO postgraduate certificate and a Nurture Group qualification.
Daily care includes food as well as learning. The 2024-25 prospectus describes daily fruit for early years children and milk for Foundation Stage children below five. Families must inform the office about allergies and dietary requirements. The December 2024 SEND information report also records that the school lacked nappy-changing facilities at that time, a practical consideration for children needing intimate care.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application to Derbyshire Local Authority through its normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year. Nursery attendance is not an oversubscription priority in the school’s admission arrangements.
Transition support is separate from allocation. For children with EHCPs or specific transition needs, parents are involved as teachers pass on support information. Some children have additional sessions with their next teacher in the new classroom, helping them prepare for the change.
The nursery application form lets parents indicate AM or PM preferences and select 15 or 30 hours. Preschool applications are handled internally using the form. Contact the school office on 01283 211019 for enquiries; visits can be arranged through the office. Refer to the school for current charges.
The school’s nursery provision starts from age three.
No. The admission arrangements do not include nursery attendance as a priority, and families must apply separately through Derbyshire Local Authority.
The form lists AM, PM, 15 hours and 30 hours.
The December 2024 SEND information report describes discussions before joining, usually with additional visits and sometimes a gradual start where appropriate.
Contact the school office on 01283 211019 to make arrangements.
