Fibbersley Park Academy Nursery Review

Stories, practical learning and playing together give Fibbersley Park Academy’s nursery its character. This is the academy’s own provision on Noose Lane in Willenhall, with learning that encourages children to try things for themselves and develop independence from their earliest stages.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 25 and 26 April 2023. That judgement covers early years within the academy; it is not a separate nursery rating. The nursery-specific finding on stories gives parents a concrete picture of that provision: children had opportunities to hear adults read aloud.

Practical experiences shape the Foundation Stage curriculum. Children learn through activities and experience, with some work recorded in books. Independence is an explicit aim, so the emphasis reaches beyond completing an activity to helping children become willing to attempt things themselves.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together language, physical development and social and emotional learning, alongside literacy, mathematics, expressive arts and understanding the world. For parents, that means learning includes communication and relationships as well as early reading and number work. Information technology is used during the day and connected with other learning areas.

In April 2023, early years children were absorbed in their learning and worked together during play. Adults introduced vocabulary and demonstrated how children could use it in their activities. Words were put to work. Alongside the nursery’s story experiences, this gives language a practical role in both learning and interaction.

Consideration for other children was a feature of early years in April 2023. Cooperative play gave children opportunities to learn alongside one another, bringing social development into the learning day.

For additional educational needs, the academy’s approach is to keep children in their usual class wherever possible, with extra teaching assistant support. Parents, the class teacher and the special educational needs coordinator work together, while Educational Psychologists, the Health Service and Learning Support Service contribute during assessment. This gives families a route for discussing support with both classroom staff and specialist services.

Nursery attendance gives conditional Reception priority, but does not guarantee a place. It is the fourth oversubscription criterion, after children in public care, qualifying siblings and supported essential medical or social need. The nursery criterion applies only when the family follows the correct application procedure within the required timescales.

A separate Reception application must therefore be made through Walsall Council School Admissions by the deadline for the relevant intake. Treat that application as a distinct step: attending nursery does not replace it.

Morning nursery runs from 8:45am to 11:45am; the afternoon runs from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Each session lasts three hours. These are useful anchors for planning collection and other childcare around the nursery day.

Eligible nursery children can receive 30 hours of funded childcare. To claim this, families collect and return a Free Childcare Entitlements Parental Declaration Form through the school office, or download a copy. Refer to the academy for current charges.

For enquiries, contact the academy on 01902 366220 or email postbox@fibbersleyparkacademy.org.uk. Disabled visitor parking is available, a practical consideration for families who need accessible parking.