Featherstone Academy Nursery Review

Sounds come early at Featherstone Academy: Nursery children begin phonics before their move to Reception. This is nursery provision within the primary academy on The Avenue in Featherstone, with a Senior Nursery Officer and a nursery teaching assistant among the staff roles.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 28 and 29 March 2023. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

The nursery day runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm, with early years lunchtime from noon to 1:00pm. Those timings give families a clear start, midday break and collection point around which to organise the day.

Early reading has a named approach: Read Write Inc. Phonics begins in Nursery, and in March 2023 children were being introduced to sounds. For parents, the useful distinction is that this first step concerns sounds, rather than an expectation that every nursery child already reads. Staff can also help families understand phonics and support it at home.

Personal and social learning sits alongside literacy. Jigsaw extends into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with opportunities to practise empathy, social skills and recognising and managing feelings. It gives this part of learning a place alongside the first steps towards reading.

In March 2023, teaching knowledge was mostly secure, including in early years, and children had repeated opportunities to revisit learning. There were also school-wide weaknesses beyond English and mathematics: subject leaders needed to evaluate learning more effectively, and teachers needed to check understanding before introducing new material. These were wider curriculum concerns, rather than a separate nursery judgement.

Settling starts with opportunities to become familiar with school. The school's entry arrangements include summer visits for September starters and a meeting for parents to help prepare children for the routine. A child's key person may visit home or another setting the child attends. The possibility matters, but it is not a promise of a home visit for every family.

For children already known to have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), the SENCO meets new parents before entry to discuss concerns. Support can involve individual work, pairs or groups, with specialist input including speech and language therapy and the autism outreach team. Classrooms are on one level, and the school has wheelchair access and disabled parking spaces.

Parents can discuss progress at parents' evenings, raise a concern with the class teacher at day's end, or arrange a longer conversation through the office. Children with medical needs have a Health Care Plan developed with parents and the school nurse, connecting care arrangements with the child's individual needs.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority where they live and meet the deadline for their entry year.

In March 2023, transitions between the early years phases were effective. That supports continuity in children's learning, but it does not replace the admissions application or secure a place.

Drop-off and collection for Nursery use Gate 1 on The Avenue, at 9:00am and 3:00pm respectively. Prompt collection is required, so the nursery finish needs to fit the family's afternoon arrangements.

For enquiries, call 01902 734167 or email information@fea.greenheartlearning.org. Meetings and school visits can be arranged through the school office, giving prospective parents a direct way to meet the team.