Repton Manor Nursery

Pumpkins in a wheelbarrow, weighing scales and a pretend shop give Repton Manor Nursery a recognisable picture of learning through ordinary objects. In November 2022, children moved pumpkins outdoors, compared their weight and brought them into imaginative play. Physical activity and early mathematics shared the same materials.

At its 4 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. This Ashford setting has 26 places in total; children attending in November 2022 were aged two to four. That capacity is a whole-nursery figure, rather than a room size or a count of children attending together.

Morning, afternoon and all-day attendance provide different ways to arrange the week. The practical distinction is how each pattern fits around funded hours and additional paid time.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS shapes the curriculum: children develop language, movement and relationships alongside early reading, mathematics, creative work and understanding the world. These are the shared foundations of early-years provision. Here, planning responds to children's interests, giving their choices a role in the activities they encounter.

In November 2022, potion-making brought conversation into imaginative play. Adults introduced vocabulary for the actions children were carrying out and invited them to explain what their mixtures might do. Children also made pretend ingredient lists, connecting mark-making with something they wanted to create. The activity gave language and early writing a practical purpose.

Singing offered another route into participation that month. Children selected familiar songs and led others in group singing. Putting on coats and pouring drinks gave them opportunities to practise everyday independence, while playing together helped them begin forming friendships. These were small, usable skills rather than separate lessons detached from the nursery day.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2022, children used wheelbarrows outdoors and also practised riding two-wheeled bicycles. Picking up fruit with tongs added smaller, controlled movements at snack time. The contrast matters: children had opportunities to practise both whole-body movement and the hand control used in later writing.

At that time, the nursery was in Repton Park, within the grounds of Repton Manor Primary School. Children exchanged letters with a nursery in the Midlands, extending conversations about other people's lives beyond their immediate surroundings. This was a concrete way to introduce differences between communities through contact with other children.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who takes responsibility for their care and development and serves as the main contact for parents. Settling is planned individually, usually beginning with short periods alongside a parent or carer and building up gradually. This gives families a defined relationship to support the change into nursery routines.

Daily communication from the key person sits alongside an online platform for photographs, observations and progress reports. Meetings can also be arranged to discuss development in more detail. Parents therefore have both everyday updates and a way to step back and discuss how their child is getting on over time.

In November 2022, staff used familiar words from children's home languages to help those learning English feel more comfortable. Books from the lending library also supported learning at home. These examples connected nursery life with the language and experiences children brought from their families.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that planning for children with SEND drew on parents and other professionals, but identified two improvements: activities needed to match individual development more accurately, and staff needed to recognise children requiring closer support with social interaction and communication. Both points matter when considering how a child's interests become purposeful next steps.

The staff structure includes a SENCO, a designated safeguarding lead and a deputy safeguarding lead. These give families identifiable roles for discussing additional needs or raising a concern. Their existence is an arrangement, rather than a separate judgement about effectiveness.

Freshly prepared food is provided, with a separate snack charge for morning attendees who choose a snack. The allergy and medical arrangements include an individual care plan and staff preparation for responding to emergencies; families supply medication, and children using nappies need nappies, wipes and nappy cream from home.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Repton Avenue, Ashford, TN23 3RX. Attendance runs Monday to Friday, with mornings from 8.40am to 12.10pm, afternoons from 12.10pm to 3.10pm and all-day sessions from 8.40am to 3.10pm. The afternoon offers a shorter attendance pattern; the all-day option joins the morning and afternoon into one day.

In November 2022, the nursery operated during term time. Applications use a completed form returned by email, and submitting it does not commit a family to accepting a subsequent offer. Enquiries can be made on 01233 662547 or at reptonmanor746@gmail.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery participates in the 15- and 30-hour funded childcare schemes for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Entitlement depends on family circumstances. Where applicable, families supply a funding code and complete a form each term; additional attendance beyond the entitlement is charged at the nursery's hourly rate.

Morning sessions can use three and a half funded hours, while afternoons can use three. The all-day arrangement identifies 8.40am to 2.40pm as funded time, with the remaining half hour charged separately. A morning snack is separately charged when a child attends in the morning and chooses to have it, including on funded attendance; nappies, wipes and nappy cream come from parents.

A non-refundable registration charge applies when a place is accepted. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the funding and session terms set out the attendance structure.

The November 2022 location within Repton Manor Primary School's grounds does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Funding across a full day. The funding terms describe Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday as fully funded, but also describe a six-hour daily limit and a chargeable final half hour on all-day attendance. Ask for a written calculation for your chosen week before accepting a place.
• Visits follow an offer. Nursery visits are arranged once a place can be offered. Families who want to assess the setting before committing should build that sequence into their decision.
• Individual learning support. The November 2022 improvement points concerned matching activities to development and recognising children needing closer interaction. During a visit, ask how staff identify and act on those needs now.
• Allergy arrangements. Individual care plans cover allergies and medical conditions. Families affected should confirm current food handling and emergency arrangements for their child's particular needs.

Repton Manor Nursery suits families considering a morning or afternoon pattern as well as those wanting the all-day session. A key person, gradual settling and daily communication provide concrete ways to connect home and nursery life.

The November 2022 picture combines practical play and everyday independence with clear improvements needed in individual planning and interaction. The decision rests on how those needs are addressed now, alongside a written funding calculation that fits the family's chosen attendance.