Nonsuch Park Forest School, Nursery Lodge

A nursery allotment, woodland learning in Nonsuch Park and a quiet room for younger children give Nursery Lodge a clear character: outdoor exploration with indoor space to pause. Waterproof clothing keeps garden play going through changing weather. This is a setting for families who want nature to be part of ordinary nursery life, rather than an occasional outing.

At its 8 November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding, with practical exploration, ambitious teaching and children's consideration for one another among its strengths.

Nursery Lodge has 63 places in total for children aged two to five. The main attendance choices are full days and a shorter, fully funded session on certain days.

Rooms and Ages

Rangers brings together preschool children aged three to rising five, while Little Seekers and Little Explorers are the learning groups for children aged two to rising three. These are learning groups rather than separate rooms for each age band. Children can mix across ages when circumstances allow, giving younger and older children opportunities to play alongside one another.

Two main rooms provide space for shared exploration, with a separate room for messy activities and a smaller cosy room used for stories, quieter play and younger children's sleep.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and practical experiences support language, movement, early mathematical understanding and relationships. Forest School adds hands-on learning through visits to woodland and exploration of the natural world. Here, that approach sits alongside indoor play and access to the nursery gardens.

In November 2023, seasonal learning linked clay hedgehogs with conversations about hibernation, then used leaves and a familiar bear-hunt story to revisit the idea.

Other November 2023 activities included using collected leaves for addition and subtraction and learning to handle wooden hammers.

Outdoor and Community Life

The enclosed natural garden contains wildlife, while a covered courtyard and an outdoor play area accommodate bikes, balls and other equipment. Another courtyard holds the nursery allotment, where children take part in planting and caring for growing things.

Waterproof clothing allows children to use the gardens in different weather and take part in parkland and woodland learning.

In November 2023, younger children practised balancing on beams, while older children climbed trees and considered the risks involved. Children also helped one another up forest hills. Those observations show physical challenge and cooperation sharing the same activity, rather than being taught as unrelated skills.

Relationships and Communication

Parents can participate in activities both inside the nursery and out in the woodland through an open-door arrangement. This gives family involvement a practical form: parents and carers can see children using the spaces and join some of their experiences. It is a useful complement to conversations about how a child is getting on.

In November 2023, staff used knowledge of individual children to shape activities around what they already understood and what they were ready to try next. For children learning English as an additional language, staff gathered useful words in the child's home language from parents. Family knowledge therefore had a direct role in communication and learning.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support exceptional, with staff identifying developmental needs, working with families and outside agencies, and using advice from visiting professionals.

The current team includes designated safeguarding lead roles and SENCO support, including experience in speech and language and emotional support. These are concrete points of contact for families whose children need additional help.

In November 2023, children took part in assessing risks and learnt practical safety rules for equipment, fire activities and walks in the park. Safety learning was connected to the experiences children were actually having. The cosy room supplies a separate space for younger children to sleep, while story time and quiet play give children a reason to use it beyond rest alone.

Hot breakfast and lunch are provided, together with snacks in the morning and afternoon; alternatives can be arranged through the administration team. Food forms part of the full-day fee, while funded full days have a separate meals-and-snacks charge.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Nursery Lodge, Nonsuch Park, Ewell Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 8AL. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm, across 51 weeks, with bank holidays and a week at Christmas closed. Full-day bookings run from 8am to 4.30pm and require a minimum commitment of two days each week.

A different pattern is the fully funded session, running from 11am to 4.30pm on certain days with no additional charges. It uses 5.5 funded hours per day, with a weekly maximum of 11 funded hours. This shorter pattern should be considered separately from full-day care: adding hours brings additional fees under the nursery's funding terms.

Children are accepted in registration order, with no selection procedure. General enquiries can be made by telephone on 0203 0930771 or by email to nurserylodge@nonsuchparkforestschool.com; an enquiry form provides another route. The forest attendance rule starts at age two.

Funding and Paid Extras

The Universal Entitlement of 15 hours starts in the first term after a child's third birthday. It and the Working Parent entitlement of 30 hours are stretched across 51 weeks; working-parent funding requires eligibility and an eligibility code. Full days can use up to six funded hours, subject to weekly limits of 11.17 hours for Universal Entitlement and 22.34 hours for eligible Working Parent funding. Additional hours are charged privately.

For funded full days, an Enhanced Provision Fee covers additional provision, including consumables such as wipes and sun cream, outdoor equipment and activities; meals and snacks are itemised separately. The no-additional-charge funded sessions follow their own terms. A high-visibility jacket can be purchased or borrowed daily, so buying one is not the only route.

Full-day invoices are spread into 12 equal monthly payments, payable in advance, rather than reflecting the precise attendance days in each month. Normal charges continue for sickness, holidays and bank holidays that fall within an open nursery week. These terms make budgeting predictable, but days missed do not necessarily reduce the bill.

A deposit is required, with a non-refundable administration element where applicable; the refundable balance is returned through the final invoice when the child leaves, provided no fees remain outstanding. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The registration and fees page explains the attendance and funding structure.

• An outdoor day needs an outdoor settling plan. Waterproofs, woodland activity and mixed-age play shape the experience. At a visit, discuss how a new two-year-old is introduced to those routines and how staff use the cosy room when a child needs a quieter spell.
• Two attendance patterns have different terms. Full days require a two-day weekly commitment, while the 11am to 4.30pm fully funded sessions operate on certain days. Compare the pattern that fits your family with the complete written quotation, including additional hours, food and provision charges.
• Support should fit the child and the setting. SENCO support and speech-and-language experience are part of the team structure. For a child needing extra help, discuss how support will work during woodland activities and movement between shared spaces.
• Closures and absences affect the budget. The nursery closes over Christmas and on bank holidays, and its terms retain charges for specified bank holidays, sickness and holidays. Build those conditions into the annual childcare calculation.

Nursery Lodge suits families seeking substantial outdoor learning within a nursery that also has shared indoor rooms, messy-play space and somewhere quieter for younger children. Its strongest evidence combines a practical Forest School offer with the Outstanding judgement from November 2023. The allotment and weather-ready garden access make the character tangible.

It serves both families booking 8am to 4.30pm full days and those considering Fully Funded Places sessions from 11am to 4.30pm. The choice turns on attendance needs, comfort with an active outdoor routine and the charge structure attached to the chosen arrangement.