Apple Tree Nursery

A Wild Garden and playgrounds outside each classroom give Apple Tree Nursery in Calne a clear outdoor identity. This purpose-built setting makes space for gardening, investigating nature and learning beyond the classroom. Its appeal starts with what children can do.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding at its inspection on 3 May 2023. That judgement is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision. Apple Tree has 53 places in total. Its age range is 3 to 60 months.

Families can choose Full Year or Term Time only sessions. Those contrasting attendance options matter for households arranging care around different working patterns and school holidays.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play and exploration helping children build skills. Development Matters 2021 guides curriculum planning alongside it. The practical emphasis includes early number work, literacy, solving problems and developing social and emotional skills; activities are adapted to children's interests and needs.

Outdoor learning gives that approach something tangible. Bug hunts, gardening and projects tied to the seasons connect children's questions with things they can investigate. Growing vegetables also links the garden to cooking activities, giving children an opportunity to understand food before it reaches their plate. These are practical experiences, rather than an abstract message about healthy eating.

In May 2023, babies investigated sensory resources, toddlers explored sand and preschool children moved between activities indoors and outside. One preschool activity began with children deciding to send water through drainpipes: they fetched it from an outdoor tap and carried it across the garden. The example matters because children were putting their own idea into action, using the resources around them.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Wild Garden sits alongside playgrounds arranged for the different age groups outside their classrooms. Children spend much of their day outdoors, with nature projects and hands-on exploration forming part of the curriculum. For a family whose child enjoys investigating outside, this is a substantial part of the nursery's character.

In May 2023, outings included visits to nature reserves, parks and the library; a six-seater pushchair helped babies take part. Children also participated in local litter picking, connecting care for the environment with a task they could carry out themselves. Police officers visited the setting, introducing children to people working in their community.

During that same period, parents contributed stories and resources from their cultures and discussed their occupations with children. These encounters brought family life into the nursery day. They gave children concrete examples of differences in how people live and work, rather than leaving those ideas to classroom discussion alone.

Relationships and Communication

Settling-in sessions are part of the start at Apple Tree. Before a child begins, an enrolment form gathers medical information, allergies and emergency contacts. That combination gives families a gradual introduction and provides staff with information relevant to daily care.

In May 2023, key people provided comfort and familiar relationships, while staff observed children's development and followed their milestones. Practitioners were learning sign language to support babies and children who found speech difficult. Simple words from other languages also helped children communicate with friends learning English. These examples show the different ways communication was supported at that time.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support exceptional, with a SENCo using assessments, sensory-room activities and liaison with parents and outside agencies to support children's development. The practical detail is valuable: support involved direct work with children as well as coordination between the adults involved in their care.

In May 2023, an interactive listening activity encouraged children to identify sounds and use words towards their individual targets. Visits from a nutritionist and dentists also connected health messages with activities children could understand, including food exploration and toothbrushing demonstrations.

Meals are prepared by an in-house chef, and a qualified nutritionist reviews the menus. Vegetable growing and cooking activities extend that food education into children's own experiences.

Sessions and Attendance

Apple Tree is at Priestley CP School, Prince Charles Drive, Calne, SN11 8TG. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Full Year and Term Time only sessions provide different ways to organise attendance; the opening window describes the nursery's operating hours.

Year-round care closes for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. Families using the Full Year pattern therefore need to account for those closures when arranging care around work.

An enquiry form begins the joining process, followed by an invitation to choose a showaround date. Applications specify preferred sessions and a starting date. The nursery operates a waiting list when it cannot offer a space; an offer remains open for two weeks. Acceptance involves signing the agreement and paying a registration fee.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, so the cost can be considered alongside their chosen attendance pattern.

The nursery operates in the grounds of Priestley School. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place; families still use the local authority's school admissions process.

• Outdoor daily life. The Wild Garden, classroom playgrounds and seasonal projects make outdoor exploration a substantial part of the offer. At a visit, ask how your child's age group uses these spaces through the year.
• The start and the decision window. Settling-in sessions support the child's start, while an offer stays open for two weeks. Use the showaround to discuss how settling will work for your child before accepting.
• The complete cost. Full Year and Term Time only attendance serve different needs. What would your chosen pattern cost, including the current funded-hours arrangement, meals, non-food consumables and registration charge?

Apple Tree suits families looking for either Full Year care or Term Time only attendance, with outdoor investigation and food education woven into the nursery day. The Wild Garden, age-group playgrounds and hands-on gardening give that offer substance.

The Outstanding judgement from May 2023 adds a strong inspection foundation. Its detailed examples of communication support, community experiences and individual SEND work are more useful than the grade alone. For parents, the decision is whether this combination of outdoor learning, practical activities and attendance options fits their child and household.