The Nursery School

A private field and woodland give The Nursery School in Addlestone a clear outdoor identity. Weekly Forest Fun Learning sessions use this two-acre space, putting nature into the regular nursery week rather than reserving it for an occasional outing. Language support is another recognisable strand, with Talk Boost groups and staff trained to support communication.

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress. The practical examples matter: children prepared their own snack, experimented with construction materials and chose between indoor and outdoor play. Independence had a place in ordinary activities.

The nursery has capacity for 28 children aged 24 to 60 months. Its term-time timetable includes morning and afternoon sessions, with mornings only on Wednesdays.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS framework shapes the curriculum: children build communication, physical and social skills alongside early reading, mathematics, creative work and understanding their surroundings. Activities are adapted to children's starting points and interests, with practitioners using explanation, demonstration and conversation to help them take the next step. The outdoor area is part of this learning, rather than a separate break from it.

Talk Boost groups provide additional help with language and communication. Staff also have Elklan and Talk Boost training, making communication support a concrete part of the offer. Practitioners extend vocabulary through conversation, repeating children's contributions and introducing further language. For a child who needs help expressing an idea, this gives everyday play an additional purpose.

In November 2023, children worked with puzzles and magnetic construction pieces, including building garages for toy cars. These activities brought concentration and coordination into play with a clear purpose. Scissors, painting tools and tweezers gave children different ways to practise controlled movements; one example involved collecting pom-poms with tweezers. The detail is useful for parents: preparation for writing involved handling and manipulating objects, as well as making marks.

Questioning was the weaker element. In November 2023, staff supplied language during play but did not consistently encourage children to consider different possible answers. The improvement required was to make those conversations extend children's thinking further. That is a specific teaching point, rather than a criticism of the breadth of activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest Fun Learning takes place weekly in the nursery's private field and woodland. Its outdoor setting gives the programme a tangible setting and makes it relevant to families seeking regular contact with nature.

In November 2023, children could choose outdoor play whatever the weather. An enclosed field supported nature walks, vegetable growing and muddy-puddle play, while the outdoor area also allowed climbing, balancing and running. These were different kinds of movement, with exploration and physical practice sharing the same space.

The calendar also brings families into nursery life. A Christmas Show is scheduled for 16 December 2026, followed by a Christmas Party on 18 December 2026. These are specific occasions in the coming term, rather than a general promise of family events.

Relationships and Communication

Children's interests and family knowledge contribute to curriculum planning. Weekly plans are displayed on a board, giving parents a practical way to see what learning is being organised. Parents Meetings are scheduled to begin in January and June 2027, creating further opportunities for discussion during the nursery year.

In November 2023, snack time involved children cutting fruit and pouring milk themselves. Clear, straightforward guidance helped them manage behaviour and feelings, while encouragement supported their willingness to try things independently. Care and learning met in these small routines: children practised doing something for themselves in a social setting.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

ELSA groups give children opportunities to talk about worries and feelings. This adds a specific route for emotional communication alongside the nursery's language work. It is a mechanism parents can discuss, rather than a broad assurance that every difficulty will be solved.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found strong SEND support, with the special educational needs coordinator working with families, colleagues and other agencies to identify needs promptly and organise targeted help. Planning drew on observations of individual children, so support related to what each child needed to learn next.

The current team structure includes a SENCO role and a designated safeguarding lead role, and members of the team hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. These are concrete arrangements; the dated safeguarding judgement above provides the assessment of their effectiveness.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday has a morning session only. The nursery operates during term time, so the attendance pattern needs to fit a family's arrangements for school holidays as well as the working week.

The published morning and afternoon times leave a break between sessions. This is an important detail for anyone considering both parts of the day, and belongs in a conversation about the booking arrangement before choosing a pattern.

Getting There

The address is The Addlestone Scout Hall, 36 Spinney Hill, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 1AD. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email through the nursery's Contact Us route. The hall address is the useful detail for planning a visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts Government funded 15 hours and 30 hours, as well as FEET funded places. Its attendance timetable is term-time. Funding participation and a child's eligibility are separate matters, so these entitlements should not be read as a promise of a particular funded booking.

• The gap between sessions. Mornings end at noon and afternoons begin at 12.30pm, with no Wednesday afternoon session. At a visit, discuss how a booking spanning both sessions works and whether the weekly pattern fits your family.
• Thinking beyond the first answer. The November 2023 improvement point concerned extending children's thinking through questions with several possible answers. Ask for a recent example of how practitioners now build this into play.
• The complete cost of attendance. The nursery accepts 15-hour, 30-hour and FEET funding. Request a written breakdown covering your intended sessions, meals and non-food consumables before comparing costs.

The Nursery School suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions, with outdoor learning and communication support prominent in the offer. Forest Fun Learning has a real field-and-woodland setting, while Talk Boost and ELSA give the curriculum identifiable routes for language and emotional support.

The Good judgement from November 2023 provides a positive inspection position, balanced by a clear teaching improvement concerning open-ended questioning. The practical decision rests on the session pattern: daily mornings and afternoons on four weekdays create different options, but require careful alignment with family schedules. For parents who value nature, independent activity and targeted communication work, this is a nursery with a clear character.