Young Explorers, Cobham

A nursery space within St Andrew's CofE Primary School gives Young Explorers, Cobham a recognisable setting: early childhood care on a school site, with its own space for play and learning. It accepts children from nine months to four years and has capacity for 32 children. The school surroundings are a practical part of its character, rather than an admissions advantage.

At its May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and reported good progress, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The detail behind that judgement matters: shared stories encouraged conversation, outdoor spaces supported physical activity, and staff used children's interests to shape learning.

Attendance is term-time only, with morning, afternoon and full-day options. That combination gives families several ways to use the nursery, but school-holiday cover needs separate planning.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and everyday routines into their education. Young Explorers emphasises learning through play and children's engagement in an activity. The useful question is how that translates into individual experiences, rather than whether a child completes a fixed sequence of tasks.

In May 2024, staff planned around children's interests and their next steps. One example was caring for caterpillars and talking about their transformation into butterflies. This gave children something real to observe and describe: change became a subject for conversation, rather than simply a picture in a book.

Stories also became shared exchanges. During that May 2024 visit, adults encouraged children to raise questions and discuss what they were reading; children then used similar exchanges when looking at books together. The emphasis was on taking part in the story, with language developed through conversation as well as listening.

Outdoor and Community Life

The dedicated nursery space sits within the grounds of St Andrew's CofE Primary School. It provides a separate base for nursery children while making the school environment familiar before Reception age.

In May 2024, staff used several outdoor spaces to develop physical skills. Children also practised taking turns and playing together. For parents, that combination is useful: movement and social learning happened alongside one another, rather than being treated as entirely separate parts of the day.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2024, staff exchanged information with parents through conversations and written communication, then used what they learnt to adapt teaching. That made communication part of planning for the child, rather than just an account of completed activities. Staff also helped families with referrals and worked with other professionals on targeted support plans.

At the same visit, children formed positive relationships with adults and other children. Staff modelled calm behaviour and supported cooperative play. These observations give the dated Good judgement practical substance, especially for families weighing how a child will experience the social side of nursery.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The current team includes a Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Co-ordinator and designated safeguarding lead roles. These provide identifiable responsibilities for discussing additional support and raising concerns; their existence is separate from the dated inspection judgement about effectiveness.

Care routines were an improvement area in May 2024. Although children practised putting on shoes and coats, adults sometimes completed personal-care tasks without involving them. Younger children also received fewer conversational opportunities at meals because adults concentrated on older children. Both points matter for babies and toddlers: support should include participation in ordinary routines, as well as planned learning activities.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Lockhart Road, Cobham, KT11 2AX. Enquiries can be made through its contact form or by telephone on 07950 166338.

Full-day childcare runs from 7.45am to 6pm. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm, and additional sessions from 3pm to 6pm. Breakfast Club, which includes breakfast, runs from 7.45am to 9am; after school club runs from 3pm to 6pm. For children aged nine months to two years, the nursery recommends beginning with a weekly morning session until they are ready, or need, to attend more often. This is a recommendation, rather than a stated minimum booking requirement.

Attendance follows school terms. Half-term breaks and the Easter holidays are closures, and charges apply to bank holidays falling within term and occasional INSET days when school restrictions prevent opening. The calendar therefore matters as much as the daily session choice.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded and private childcare are both offered. The 30-hour options for children from nine months to four years are 9am to 3pm on weekdays, or 8am to 6pm across three days a week; the 15-hour options for ages two to four are weekday mornings from 9am to noon or afternoons from noon to 3pm. Delivery is term-time, rather than stretched across school holidays.

Meals and snacks are included in the private full-day package, while food is charged separately for funded attendance. Breakfast Club includes breakfast, and funded options carry a termly sustainability contribution. Optional additional sessions have separate charges, as do early starts; families should obtain a current written quotation for their chosen combination.

Being on the school site does not guarantee a Reception place at St Andrew's CofE Primary School. Familiarity with the surroundings and a school admission decision are separate matters.

• School-calendar dependence. Term-time attendance includes half-term closures, with charges applying to term-time bank holidays and occasional school-related INSET closures. Match the calendar against working commitments before choosing a pattern.
• Younger children's routines. The May 2024 improvement points concerned mealtime interaction and involvement in personal care. During a tour, ask how babies and toddlers now participate in both.
• The complete funded package. Funded hours sit alongside food charges, a sustainability contribution and optional extra sessions. A written quotation should distinguish those elements for the attendance pattern you choose.

Young Explorers suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those needing a full day during the school week. Its dedicated space within a primary school gives it a clear practical identity, and the May 2024 findings provide concrete examples of conversational learning and individual planning.

The decision turns on fit: school-holiday closures and the structure of funded extras deserve close attention. For parents of younger children, participation in meals and personal care is the most useful topic to explore on a tour.