Tarvin Pre School Nursery

A wooded play area, a mud kitchen and shared primary-school grounds give Tarvin Pre School Nursery an outdoor character that goes beyond a playground. This community charity combines child-chosen play with phonics, number work and practical independence. Its setting within Tarvin Primary School’s grounds brings opportunities to become familiar with school life, while the nursery remains independently run.

At its February 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged inclusion, welfare and wellbeing, and behaviour and routines to be Strong standard; achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance reached Expected standard, with safeguarding standards met. That is a differentiated assessment, rather than an overall grade. The principal improvement concerns how staff use questions to help children sustain conversations.

There are 45 places in total, with a current age range of 24 to 60 months. Attendance choices include a School Day and Full Day, alongside breakfast and tea provision.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care: here, play, exploration and growing independence shape the day. Continuous provision lets children choose activities while practitioners observe their interests and extend learning.

Younger children’s activities are planned for learning inside and outside, using furnishings and resources suited to their stage. The Pre-School group combines time with the wider nursery and time among children of a similar age, with an emphasis on early literacy. Read, Write Inc. provides the phonics system, while Numicon supports understanding of number concepts. These activities complement the EYFS learning, development and care framework.

French and Spanish sessions sit alongside yoga and Makaton signing, which is also used in daily routines. Forest Fun involves activities in the wooded area and mud kitchen. Professional coaches lead weekly Sports, an optional activity with a subsidised extra charge.

Children choose indoor or outdoor activities during work time, with help to solve problems, and decide when to visit the Snack Café. Songs, stories and relaxation with soothing music change the pace.

Outdoor and Community Life

A purpose-built building sits within grounds that include access to the school field and playground, as well as the forest area. Outdoor clothing is part of everyday preparation: children play outside daily unless weather conditions are extreme. Spare clothes and suitable footwear are practical necessities for this kind of day.

In February 2026, children poured petal mixtures into bottles and wrote ingredient lists. Wooden beams and uneven woodland ground supported balance; magnifying glasses extended insect investigations. Outdoor play brought writing and physical skills together.

The on-site allotment also featured in February 2026: children planted vegetables, tended seedlings and harvested tomatoes. Growing and tasting produce connected food with the work involved in producing it. Village walks include visits to church and the local library, with written parental permission required for outings. Trips depend on the nursery’s themes and suitable opportunities, so this is an adaptable programme rather than a fixed weekly itinerary.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who builds family relationships. Introductory visits and shorter settling sessions reflect the child’s confidence and previous experience.

Famly App carries messages, observations and updates, while digital learning journeys and daily diaries let parents follow children’s experiences. Parents can contribute information about interests and achievements at home, giving staff something concrete to build into planning. Parent evenings take place twice a year, alongside opportunities to discuss progress at other times.

Parents become company members without financial responsibility and can vote and attend board meetings. Families are asked to support fundraising each term, perhaps by buying a raffle ticket or making a cake, to help replace equipment and resources.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that staff identified additional needs promptly, adapted learning effectively and drew on occupational therapy, speech and language specialists and local-authority support to help children progress from their individual starting points. Current support arrangements include a SENDCO and individual support plans developed with external professionals where needed. Those mechanisms give families specific routes for discussing a child’s needs.

Staff training covers speech and language, autism awareness and emotional wellbeing; everyone has Makaton training. The team includes graduates and apprentices, with continuing training in safeguarding, food hygiene and paediatric first aid.

Children can sleep after lunch, and staff coordinate toilet training with parents. Each child has a named toothbrush for daily brushing. In February 2026, younger children received help while older children increasingly brushed independently.

Breakfasts, snacks and teas are prepared at the nursery; the primary-school cook prepares lunches, and families can instead send a packed lunch. The packed-lunch policy excludes sweets and nut products, so families managing allergies should discuss current arrangements before attendance.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Heath Drive, Tarvin, Chester, CH3 8LS. Telephone enquiries can be made on 01829 741011, and there is a contact form. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 7.30am to 4.30pm on Friday.

The School Day runs from 8.45am to 3.15pm. Full Day care starts at 7.30am and finishes at 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, with a 4.30pm finish on Friday. Breakfast runs from 7.30am to 8.45am; Tea Club options run from 3.15pm to 4.30pm or 5.30pm, within the day’s opening hours. The Friday finish matters for families whose working week does not shorten with it.

Care runs across the year, with a closure week at the end of August and a Christmas closure. School inset days do not trigger closure. Additional sessions can be booked on an ad hoc basis, subject to availability, and the nursery recommends attendance on at least two days rather than presenting that as an absolute booking requirement.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted from the term following a child’s second birthday, with 15 hours and extended 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds. Families can use funding during term time or stretch it across the year. Private additional hours are also offered, and payments through Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers are accepted.

Private School Day fees include snacks; Full Day fees also include breakfast and cooked tea. Hot lunch costs extra, or parents provide a packed lunch. Funded snacks, breakfast and tea, and additional services carry separate charges, with an exemption for two-year-olds receiving additional government support; funded additional services cover nappies, sun cream and enhanced activities. The fee terms describe enhanced activities as voluntary services and invite discussion where families do not wish to pay for particular consumables.

Current prices should come in the nursery’s written quotation, with the fees and funding page providing the starting point. A new-member registration charge covers administration and a bag. Withdrawal requires a month’s written notice, with fees payable in lieu if that notice is not given.

Moving on to School

The nursery describes close links with Tarvin Primary School, including experiences shared with the school and transition arrangements involving Reception teachers. Older children also become familiar with eating in the school hall. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place; families still use the local authority admissions process. Transition support extends to children moving to other primary schools through contact, visits and meetings.

• Conversation and questioning. In February 2026, closed questions sometimes restricted children’s replies and opportunities to develop ideas through discussion. During a visit, ask how staff now encourage longer exchanges and support conversational language.
• Friday collection. Full Day care ends at 4.30pm on Fridays, earlier than the other weekdays. Match that finish to your collection arrangements when discussing the weekly pattern.
• Funded extras. Charges for funded snacks, breakfast and tea, and additional services exclude two-year-olds receiving additional government support. Enhanced services are voluntary; hot lunch is charged separately. Request a written breakdown for your child’s sessions and activity choices.
• School familiarity. Shared grounds and transition experiences can make primary-school routines familiar, but they confer no guaranteed Reception place. Consider the nursery’s transition arrangements alongside the separate school application.

Tarvin suits families who want outdoor exploration alongside clear routines and deliberate preparation for school. The School Day and Full Day patterns serve different schedules, with breakfast and tea options adding further choice. Read, Write Inc., Numicon and Forest Fun give the programme recognisable content, while the key-person system and individual support plans provide practical ways to organise care around a child.

The February 2026 assessment puts inclusion and everyday wellbeing ahead of teaching and achievement. Its conversation-related improvement is material, especially for parents prioritising language development. For families comfortable with the Friday finish and funded-hours charge structure, the combination of woodland play, community participation and school familiarity has clear appeal.