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Nursery at Beacon 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Three-hour sessions set the rhythm at Beacon Academy’s nursery, with a morning group and an afternoon group rather than one continuous day. The provision is for children aged 3 to 4 and has up to 65 places: 33 in the morning and 32 in the afternoon. It forms part of Beacon Academy on Davis Road in Walsall, alongside a separate pre-school for younger children.
Children attend for 15 hours each week. That sessional structure gives families a clear daily pattern, with the choice of an earlier or later part of the day.
Reading includes RWI, a phonics programme running from pre-school onwards. Children with SEND join groups matched to their ability, with additional individual or small-group work where needed. The emphasis is on matching the next reading step to the child.
Across the academy, visual and object timelines help children understand the activity that follows. A sensory room provides somewhere to spend time away from the main learning space, while changing facilities support children who need personal care. These are practical features of the wider school’s support provision.
For children joining nursery midyear, preparation includes a 30-minute home visit by the Nursery Teacher and Early Years Leader. Children then begin with a full three-hour session, unless their parent and teacher agree that a gradual start would help them settle. The arrangement leaves room to respond to the individual child rather than insist on the same start for everyone.
An open evening gives nursery starters the opportunity to see their classroom and meet their teacher. For a child with additional needs, transition planning draws on parents and professionals who already know them, helping staff prepare support before the move.
SEND support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing the effect. Parents contribute to decisions and review individual learning targets with staff each term. A specialist speech and language therapist works with children and advises staff across the academy. Families can contact the SEND team at SEND@beacon.lhmat.com, giving them a direct route for discussing developmental concerns.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and gives no priority in Beacon’s Reception oversubscription criteria. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority, using Walsall Council’s online primary application route if they live in Walsall. Apply by the deadline for the relevant intake. For September 2026 entry, that deadline was 15 January 2026.
Classroom familiarity is a separate matter. Transition includes meetings between staff to pass on information, opportunities to meet the next teacher and taster sessions in the new classroom. Children also take home transition booklets; those with SEND have extra visits. This helps children prepare for a different room and different adults, but does not affect the allocation of places.
Morning nursery runs from 8.40am to 11.40am; the afternoon option runs from 12.25pm to 3.25pm. Each lasts three hours. Families request morning or afternoon attendance when applying directly to the academy, using a paper form from the office or a printed copy completed at home.
There are nursery intakes in autumn, spring and summer once children turn 3. Registration can be made from birth, but neither early registration nor joining the waiting list secures a place. Contact the academy office on 01922 710874 for nursery enquiries. Chargeable extras apply; refer to the school for current charges.
The nursery is for children aged 3 to 4. Beacon also has a separate pre-school for younger children.
Morning sessions run from 8.40am to 11.40am and afternoon sessions from 12.25pm to 3.25pm. Nursery attendance totals 15 hours a week.
The Nursery Teacher and Early Years Leader make a 30-minute home visit. Children normally start with a full three-hour session, with a gradual start possible by agreement between parent and teacher.
No. Nursery attendance gives neither a guarantee nor Reception priority. A separate application through the family’s home local authority is required.
Apply directly to the academy using a paper application form. Collect it from the office or print and complete a copy at home. The office number is 01922 710874.
