Lantern Academy Nursery Review

Learning new words and putting them to work in play gives Lantern’s nursery its character. Nursery children join the school’s early years setting alongside children of Reception age, so their first school experience takes place within a mixed-age foundation stage provision.

Children can start in the term after their third birthday. In February 2025, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Outstanding. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Language has a clear place in the learning. In February 2025, children were being taught vocabulary alongside specific skills and knowledge, then using what they had learned during play. This gives play a teaching purpose: children have opportunities to put new learning into practice rather than encountering it only once.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) here combines teaching with practice through play. Learning follows a planned sequence, with the early years curriculum building foundations for later learning. For parents, the important detail is the connection between adult teaching and what children subsequently do for themselves.

Listening is another concrete focus. Nursery children learned to tell sounds apart successfully in February 2025, developing the listening skills that prepare them for later phonics. The emphasis starts with hearing differences between sounds.

Support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sits within the school’s approach. Lantern aims to recognise needs early and involve families when deciding on support. Learning Support Mentors provide help in class, tailored interventions and small-group work, with an individual offer for children facing more complex challenges.

Termly learning plans include the views of parents and children and are reviewed to decide whether targets need changing. This gives families a recurring opportunity to contribute to the support their child receives. Coffee mornings provide another point of contact for families of children with SEND.

Physical adjustments include quiet spaces designed for children who need help managing emotions or anxiety. Classroom changes also address sensory overload. Lunch is optional for nursery children and carries an additional charge, so families choosing it need to include that extra provision in their plans.

Attending Lantern’s nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Applications go through Telford and Wrekin Council’s school admissions portal, using a My Telford account.

Learning alongside Reception-age children gives nursery children experience of the shared early years setting. Keep that everyday arrangement separate from the admissions decision: familiarity with the setting does not secure a place in the next year group.

The nursery operates during term time. The universal offer is 15 hours each week, with children usually attending mornings from 8.50am to 11.50am. Families therefore have a regular morning pattern around which to organise collection.

Children with a 30-hour code can attend across the school day. Nursery applications follow an internal process, with an online nursery application form. Ask the school for current lunch charges when arranging attendance; lunch is paid provision even though funded nursery hours are accepted.