Manorcroft Nursery

A termly job for every family gives Manorcroft Nursery a character that goes well beyond childcare. Gardening, cleaning, maintenance and fundraising are part of joining this Egham setting, making parents participants in its upkeep as well as partners in their child's learning. That involvement is a real attraction for families who want to contribute. It also takes time.

Manorcroft has capacity for 32 children and occupies its own building on the Manorcroft Primary School site. It is separate from the school. At its 5 May 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The physical offer includes a large front garden, a smaller planting garden and a quiet area with books and computers; the Sensory Cabin adds a resource intended to support children's needs.

Morning and afternoon sessions operate within a term-time timetable. Funding applies to those sessions, rather than wraparound care, so the distinction matters when planning attendance.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage connects planned learning with children's development and preparation for school. Here, parents can contribute observations from home through the Blossom Educational app, giving staff information about children's interests and emerging skills to use when planning experiences. Learning can therefore draw on what matters to a child beyond nursery.

In May 2023, children's interests shaped activities, while conversations with staff helped extend their thinking. Practical mathematics included adding another object to a collection. Stories prompted discussion, and children used descriptive vocabulary when talking about pictures. These examples show children practising mathematical ideas and descriptive language through practical activities and discussion.

The Lending Library extends books into family life. Parents and children select, borrow and return books together, with families handling the exchange themselves. It offers a straightforward opportunity to share reading at home and lets children take a part in choosing what they read.

Outdoor and Community Life

A large garden at the front is complemented by a smaller rear garden used for planting and work with smaller groups. Indoors, the quiet area provides access to the library and computers. These different spaces give activities different settings: gardening has a dedicated place, while quieter interests have somewhere indoors.

In May 2023, children practised balancing on tyres and rode bicycles outside. They also watered herbs and vegetables in the sensory garden and looked for insects. Physical activity and care for growing things sat alongside each other, giving children practical tasks as well as room to move.

Shared occasions bring families into nursery life. The annual Sports Day centres on activity, while the annual Graduation Fun Day brings year groups and families together to celebrate children moving on to school. These are communal occasions rather than an admissions advantage. The family contribution is broader still: cake stalls, sponsored events and seasonal fairs help raise money for equipment.

Relationships and Communication

Parents In Partnership has two practical strands: helping run the setting and contributing to children's learning. Each family takes on a job every term, with options including gardening, cleaning, maintenance or the fundraising team. Families are also expected to help with fundraising events. This is an ongoing responsibility, so the nursery suits parents willing to make room for it.

The Blossom Educational app provides another way to participate. Families can send photographs, observations and milestones from home, such as learning to put on a coat or ride a bicycle. Staff use that information when considering next steps and planning experiences that interest the child. It gives parents a specific contribution to make beyond routine updates.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Sensory Cabin was opened to support the needs of children attending the nursery, with financial help from Your Fund Surrey. It is a concrete addition to the environment, rather than a general promise about support. At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff identified additional developmental needs promptly, worked with families and professionals on individual learning plans, and helped children with SEND make good progress.

In May 2023, children practised everyday independence by serving their own drinks and washing their hands before eating. Mealtimes were sociable, but staff needed to make healthy-eating messages more consistent. That improvement point matters because lunch is also an opportunity to explain food choices, rather than simply supervise eating.

Parents supply packed lunches, and the lunch guidance excludes nuts and nut-containing foods as well as several other items, including popcorn and confectionery. It also gives instructions on preparing foods that present choking risks, including removing fruit pips and cutting cheese into strips or batons.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Manorcroft Primary School, Wesley Drive, Egham, Surrey TW20 9LX. Opening hours are 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.

The morning session runs from 9am to noon; the afternoon session runs from noon to 3pm. Wraparound sessions are also offered, but funding cannot be used for them. Opening hours and funded session hours therefore serve different purposes when arranging the day.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 01784 438 977 or by email at info@manorcroftnursery.co.uk. Uniform is optional, giving families a choice about buying nursery clothing.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts FEET Funding for two-year-olds and FEE Funding for three- and four-year-olds. Funding is delivered through Surrey County Council on a term-time-only basis and can be used against morning and afternoon sessions. Eligibility conditions apply to FEET Funding; participation in the scheme does not itself establish a family's entitlement.

Families should obtain current prices in the nursery's written quotation. Fundraising also supports equipment purchases and replacement, with parent involvement forming part of the nursery's operating arrangements. This contribution deserves consideration alongside the attendance timetable.

Moving on to School

Sharing a site with Manorcroft Primary School does not make the nursery part of that school, and nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place. The nursery provides transition guidance and has helped families with school applications, supporting the move while leaving the admissions decision with the school process.

• A job every term. All families are expected to contribute practical help and support fundraising. Consider how gardening, maintenance, cleaning or event duties would fit around work and other responsibilities.
• Funding follows the session timetable. Morning and afternoon sessions accept funding, while wraparound sessions do not. Ask at a visit how the session combination you want would work alongside your child's settling arrangements.
• Lunch needs preparation. Parents provide packed lunches under guidance that excludes nuts and specifies safer preparation of some foods. Families managing allergies should confirm current practice with the team.
• Healthy-eating conversations. In May 2023, staff needed to give more consistent messages about balanced eating. A useful visit question is how practitioners now discuss food choices with children.

Manorcroft suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions who also want an active role in nursery life. The Lending Library, gardens and Sensory Cabin give that partnership tangible places and resources to work with. The parental job and fundraising expectations are substantial parts of the choice, not incidental extras. For families comfortable with those responsibilities, the setting offers a clear combination of shared involvement, practical learning spaces and a Good inspection judgement from 2023.