North Road Academy is a school situated in the outskirts of Hanley, Stoke on Trent, sitting between Cobridge, and Burslem, just off the historic Waterloo Road. With Birmingham forty-five minutes to the south, and Manchester, the same north, it is the ideal location for children of commuting parents, who use the M6, and rail links.

Built in 1876, the school itself, is a traditional building, a reminder of the close-knit educational communities, of ages previous. Acquired by the present owners in 2010, and renovated to meet current educational requirements, North Road Nursery has many modern features, and classrooms intertwined with the types of secure architecture, Victorians were famous for.

Originally, the school was built by the Burslem Education Board, and the Parish, to school some of the children of the parents who worked in the 63 factories, brickworks, and pottery works, in Cobridge, and Burslem. It was segregated, with the girls queueing up alongside the brickworks of Hot Lane, and the boys, opposite the North Road clay pits. The walls of the ‘old’ girls school on Hot Lane remain, with the names of the original teachers engraved in stone for posterity. The Burslem School remained segregated until the Edwardian era when ‘mixed’ education was allowed.

Surviving 2 world wars, 27 different Prime Ministers, and 5 crowned monarchs, North Road Nursery is now an important part of the multi-cultural community of Stoke-on-Trent and serves as a reminder of traditional educational, and social values.           

At North road Nursery we aim to provide the highest quality care and education for all our children thereby giving them a strong foundation for their future learning. We create a safe and happy environment with motivating and enjoyable learning experiences that enable children to become confident and independent. We value the individual child and work alongside parents and others to meet their needs and help every child to reach their full potential.

As outlined in the EYFS ‘Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the early years and a child’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future life chances.’

We adhere to the Statutory Framework of the EYFS and the four guiding principles that shape practice within Early Years settings. 

• Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured

• Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships

• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers

• Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates