Widnes Academy Nursery Review

A reading garden, a creation station and time devoted to play give Widnes Academy’s nursery its character. This is provision within the school’s early years foundation stage, with Nightingale class providing the early years learning environment. Children can begin in the term following their third birthday. The emphasis is on exploring, talking and becoming familiar with school life.

Play has a named place here: VIP time means Very Important Play. The school aims to use it to develop children’s thinking, with learning shaped around their interests and starting points. For parents, the useful distinction is the combination of purposeful play and themed activities rather than a day described only through lessons.

The early years foundation stage, or EYFS, brings together learning through language, play, practical activity and relationships. In Nightingale class, Drawing Club adds a specific focus on vocabulary. Themes give children things to talk about and investigate: autumn changes, light and darkness, and space all feature in the autumn learning programme.

Different rooms give those activities a physical home. Within the Calm Room, children have a reading garden and a home corner, alongside a music area and a message centre. The Creative Room brings construction and small-world play together with water, sand, playdough and loose parts. These offer different ways to explore an idea, from making a model to acting out a story.

Space activities include investigating constellations and designing rockets. Seasonal learning considers animals in autumn, while Christmas work explores family traditions and compares older toys with those used today. Children therefore have concrete subjects for making, discussing and noticing differences. Nursery children also contributed to an undersea art display for Runcorn shopping city, giving their creative work a place beyond the classroom.

Physical activity has its own space too. EYFS children have opportunities outdoors each day and use a climbing room, supporting practice in larger movements alongside the smaller movements involved in drawing and making. Phonics Bug Teaching Programme groups include nursery children and are organised around individual needs; early activities focus on listening, speaking and exploring sounds.

Settling takes priority in autumn. Children get to know one another, become familiar with expectations and learn about the school’s values. Before a nursery start, staff contact families to arrange visit days and confirm when attendance will begin. That gives children a chance to encounter the setting before their regular sessions.

Family discussions help staff understand children’s interests and starting points. In March 2023, Ofsted found that early years teaching emphasised vocabulary and spoken communication, with children developing independence and social skills and achieving well. Those are useful foundations for expressing needs and joining in with other children.

For children with SEND, the SENCO and senior leadership coordinate support with families, staff and relevant specialists, including local authority services. Parents can arrange a SENCO appointment through the school office, providing a direct route to discuss their child’s needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the local authority and meet the normal application deadline. Treat the nursery decision and the Reception application as separate steps, even if you hope your child will remain at Widnes Academy.

The morning nursery session runs from 8:45am to 11:45am. Drop-off and collection use the main entrance, with staff bringing children out to parents at the end of the session. This gives families a defined morning pattern for planning their day.

Children qualify for free nursery provision from age three, starting in the term after their third birthday, with morning or afternoon sessions offered. Nursery application forms can be obtained through the school office or downloaded. To arrange a school visit, contact the office on 0151 424 2799 or email school@widnesacademy.co.uk; a visit request can include preferred dates.