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Nursery at Park Hall Infant 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Playdough squeezed to music and scarves swept through the air give Park Hall Infant Academy’s nursery its most distinctive detail: movement is part of preparation for writing. This is the school’s own Nursery Class in Walsall, admitting children in the academic year in which they are three. Capacity is a maximum of 39 pupils per session, rather than a separate nursery-wide total.
The inspection on 1 and 2 November 2022 judged early years provision Requires improvement. That judgement covers the school’s early years, rather than a separately inspected nursery. Families should weigh the concrete play activities alongside the concerns about language and engagement.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum centres on learning through play. Communication, early reading and mathematics are priorities; children explore and practise skills through planned activities. The nursery aims to develop independence and confidence, with curriculum goals tailored to the children’s starting points. For parents, the intended emphasis is on building the skills needed for later learning through practical experience.
Dough Disco makes that approach tangible. Children roll, poke, flatten and squeeze playdough to music, practising finger and hand movements used in early writing. Scarf dancing works on bigger movements: stretching, twisting and sweeping help children practise coordination and balance. Adult-directed activities sit alongside purposeful play, with physical development treated as preparation for formal letter formation.
Language and challenge. In November 2022, adults read stories expressively and children responded to instructions, but activities and routines did too little to sustain conversation. Children completed tasks yet showed limited curiosity, and vocabulary development was insufficient across the curriculum. The improvement required was more engaging, challenging teaching across all seven curriculum areas. Inspectors also required clearer steps in learning from Nursery onwards in some subjects, with teaching organised in a consistent sequence to help children remember important content. Ask how adults extend a child’s talk during play: this is a central issue for this provision.
Starting nursery is treated as a step for the family as well as the child. The nursery says it works with parents to ease that transition, shares information and encourages families to take part in their child’s learning. In November 2022, early years adults showed warmth in their care, and children treated one another kindly. Those findings give some reassurance about relationships while leaving the curriculum concerns intact.
Medical needs have a practical route. Parents complete a Care Plan covering their child’s condition and emergency response, while prescribed medication requires a completed form and must be handed to the School Office. This gives families a clear way to communicate care instructions. Cool Milk is available to all children: parents register online, and registered children receive milk each school day, with payment handled directly through the scheme.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and confers no priority under the Reception oversubscription criteria. Families must make a separate application using their home local authority’s Common Application Form, usually online. The arrangements headed September 2026/2027 give an application deadline of 15 January 2027. Because those dates do not align, confirm the deadline for your child’s intake with your home local authority.
Treat nursery choice and Reception allocation as separate decisions. Familiarity with the school does not replace the application, and a nursery place should not be taken as an assurance about the next stage.
Morning and afternoon places each provide 15 hours a week; eligible children can take a 30-hour place. Funded learning runs for 38 weeks, beginning from the September following the child’s third birthday, with the longer entitlement dependent on eligibility. This is a school-year pattern for families planning childcare.
Nursery enquiries go to the School Office for the application procedure and timetable. Contact the admin team on 01922 721443 or email postbox@parkhall-inf.walsall.sch.uk. For current charges, contact the school directly.
Children are admitted in the academic year in which they are three. Funded learning begins from the September following their third birthday.
The maximum capacity is 39 pupils at each session.
Dough Disco uses playdough and music to practise hand and finger movements. Scarf dancing develops larger movements, balance and coordination.
No. Attendance gives no Reception priority and does not guarantee a place. Parents must apply separately through their home local authority’s Common Application Form.
Contact the School Office for the procedure and timetable, by calling 01922 721443 or emailing postbox@parkhall-inf.walsall.sch.uk.
