Rooks Nest Academy Nursery

I-spy, rhymes and songs for tidying up give Rooks Nest Academy’s nursery its most concrete character: early learning through sounds, music and everyday routines. This is nursery provision within the academy in Outwood, Wakefield, rather than a separate setting. For families choosing a school nursery, those small details say more about a child’s experience than the wider school’s results.

Ofsted graded the early years provision Good at the inspection on 13 and 14 March 2023. That judgement covers the school’s early years provision; it is not a separate nursery inspection outcome.

Sound games provide an introduction to phonics. In March 2023, nursery children practised recognising sounds within words through rhyming activities and I-spy. The emphasis was on hearing language, giving children a playful starting point for later reading.

Across the early years foundation stage, learning covered all areas of development, with activities inside and outside. In parent terms, the day extended beyond early reading to children’s broader learning and development. The indoor and outdoor activities supported that development, although the March 2023 curriculum had an important weakness: some learning content, including essential vocabulary, needed clearer definition. Families should weigh that concern alongside the Good judgement.

Music also reaches into ordinary routines. Nursery children sing and play instruments, and songs accompany lining up and putting things away. This connects music with practical moments in the day. Books bring families into learning too: parents and grandparents are invited to share reading with their children once a week in the early years. Book corners and the school library draw on resources from the Schools Library Service, adding another connection between nursery learning and the wider academy.

In September 2020, parents seeking additional help were directed to telephone for a class-teacher appointment. Further discussion could involve the SENCO, associate SENCO or learning mentor. Ask the academy to confirm the current support contact route.

In September 2020, the academy’s approach included individual targets through Supporting Me to Learn Plans, with support reviewed regularly. Decisions involved families and relevant professionals, allowing help to be considered around the individual child. These are dated arrangements, rather than a description of every child’s current support.

Physical access also matters. In September 2020, both approach footpaths had ramps, and the academy occupied a single level with shared open areas. Wheelchair access depended on a suitable care plan developed with Occupational Health.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the nursery experience itself, with the later school application treated as a separate step.

The academy is on Rook’s Nest Road, Outwood, Wakefield, WF1 3DX. For nursery enquiries, contact the academy office on 01924 870700 or email contact@rooksnestacademy.co.uk. This provides a direct route to the school team when considering the provision.