The Fig Tree Nursery

Islamic early education and learning through play give The Fig Tree Nursery its character. Based at Fig Tree Primary on Bentinck Road in Nottingham, it combines a faith-based setting with an explicit welcome to children of any background or origin. For families choosing nursery partly for its values, that combination matters.

At its January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The current age range is 24 to 60 months. Morning and afternoon sessions run during term time, giving families two separate attendance patterns rather than requiring a full nursery day.

Rooms and Ages

The nursery's approach emphasises getting to know each child and shaping experiences around their interests, rather than treating an age band as a complete account of what a child needs.

In January 2023, children receiving care on the first floor managed the staircase independently, holding the handrail. This was a concrete example of independence being built into ordinary routines, alongside putting away coats and personal belongings.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework: children learn through play, exploration and active involvement, with language, physical development, relationships and early literacy and mathematics forming part of their day. Islamic values sit alongside that early-years learning. The nursery welcomes children regardless of background, so its faith character is a decision about the setting's ethos rather than an admission requirement based on origin.

In January 2023, younger children explored size by trying on jumpers while recalling a story involving three bears. Small, medium and big became ideas they could test with clothes, rather than simply words to repeat. Older children used ribbons and low blocks in imaginative games they started themselves, combining movement with play alongside friends.

Circle-time activities that month included guessing objects hidden in a box and listening to the first sounds of words. Conversations about winter clothing introduced new vocabulary. These examples show the different routes into early language: shared discussion, guessing games and talk about familiar objects.

Outdoor play was also part of the January 2023 nursery day. Children helped look for hazards outside, linking play with an early understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

Regular nursery information and newsletters keep families connected with what is happening. The emphasis is on communication between home and nursery, giving parents a way to understand the experiences their child talks about and to contribute their own knowledge of that child.

In January 2023, staff also exchanged updates with parents through conversations and an electronic application. Children sought out staff to share their achievements, helped clear away activities and practised courteous language. Care and learning met in these small routines: taking responsibility for belongings, speaking to others and joining shared tasks.

Ofsted's January 2023 inspection identified three connected improvements: planning more closely around individual children's next learning steps, allowing younger children longer to answer, and using spontaneous play more effectively to extend learning. The example involving outdoor ice was telling: an opportunity to discuss freezing passed without enough adult involvement. The issue was the quality of the interaction, rather than simply whether an activity was provided.

At snack time in January 2023, children had fruit and milk. That is a dated example of the nursery day, rather than a description of a current meal package.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Fig Tree Primary, 30 Bentinck Road, Nottingham, NG7 4AF. Nursery attendance is term-time only, so the calendar matters as much as the daily timetable for families arranging care around work.

The morning session runs from 8.30am to 11.30am; the afternoon session runs from noon to 3pm. These are separate nursery sessions. The Reception-class timetable belongs to the next educational stage and should not be treated as a nursery full-day booking option.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0115 9788152 or by email to office@figtreenursery.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded provision includes 15-hour places for children aged two to four and 30 hours for working families, delivered during term time. The working-family condition belongs with the longer entitlement; it is not a blanket offer to every family. Families should obtain a current written quotation for their proposed attendance.

The nursery shares its address with Fig Tree Primary. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place, so nursery attendance and school admission should be treated as separate decisions.

• Term-time sessions. Morning and afternoon attendance both finish within the school day, and the nursery operates during term time. Families needing holiday care or later collection should weigh that timetable against their working arrangements.
• Individual learning. The January 2023 improvement points concerned personalised planning and interactions with younger children. During a visit, ask how staff now choose a child's next learning steps and allow time for answers.
• Your attendance package. With separate morning and afternoon sessions and funded provision, ask how your proposed pattern would work, including lunch, meals and consumables in the written quotation.

The Fig Tree Nursery suits families seeking Islamic early education through either morning or afternoon term-time sessions. Its play-based framework and home–nursery communication give it a clear identity. The January 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, while the recommendations about individual planning and younger children's interactions deserve attention when choosing it.