South Hills Nursery St Peter's

A forest area within the school grounds gives South Hills Nursery St Peter's a clear outdoor identity. Its purpose-built accommodation on the Salisbury site of St Peter's CE Primary Academy combines indoor and outdoor space with access to woodland activities, making it a useful option for families who want nature to be part of nursery life.

The nursery cares for children aged two to five. At its July 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for behaviour and attitudes and personal development, and found safeguarding effective. Those judgements belong to that visit. The current outdoor offer is the stronger practical starting point for choosing it today.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, communication and growing independence are part of the nursery day. Here, access to the forest area adds opportunities for planned exploration and supported risk-taking beyond the indoor space.

In July 2021, children's interests helped shape activities. An enthusiasm for ice cream prompted staff to create an ice cream parlour, giving children an imaginative setting for conversation and pretend play. Story sessions also involved trying different character voices and extending vocabulary. These examples show how everyday interests became material for learning, rather than remaining separate from it.

A mud kitchen supplied another example in July 2021. Children mixed lemons, lavender and limes into imaginary perfumes and potions. The ingredients gave imaginative play a sensory dimension, with smells and textures to investigate as well as ideas to exchange.

Outdoor and Community Life

The forest area is within the school grounds, so outdoor exploration has a physical setting close to the nursery. Planned activities give children opportunities to judge risks with adult guidance. For families who value outdoor learning, this is a concrete reason to consider the branch.

In March 2026, children watched established plants begin growing again and planted seeds and flowers themselves. Frog spawn also became the starting point for exploring a frog's life cycle. This was a seasonal activity, rather than a promise of a recurring programme: children had something living to observe while learning about care for their surroundings.

Relationships and emotional language were closely connected in July 2021. Staff helped children find words for disagreements and encouraged them when they expressed a boundary to another child. The golden rules gave behaviour a shared reference point. For a parent, the useful detail is the emphasis on helping children communicate what they need.

In July 2021, staff used happy hospital pretend play to respond to children's anxiety about the pandemic. Pretending to help one another get better gave them a way to explore an unsettling subject through play. It was a response to that period, rather than a current programme.

At the July 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised children who needed additional help and supported their progress through partnerships with the local children's centre, health visitors and specialist organisations. This gives families a dated example of how support involved people beyond the nursery team.

In July 2021, staff gathered information from parents before children started and exchanged updates through an online platform and telephone conversations. Seven staff worked with the children at that time. These are historical arrangements, so they should be read alongside the current offer rather than treated as today's staffing or communication model.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Peter's CE Primary Academy, Xanten Way, Salisbury, SP2 9FL. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, and the nursery operates for 51 weeks of the year. That span gives families a substantial opening window across the year; the attendance arrangement still needs to fit the hours they actually require.

Branch enquiries can be made by telephone on 01722 440710 or by email to stpetersmanager@southhillsschool.com.

Funding and Moving On

In July 2021, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation fact, rather than an assurance of a funded arrangement for an individual child today.

Sharing a site with St Peter's CE Primary Academy does not guarantee a Reception place. The convenience of the school setting and the decision about school admission are separate considerations.

• Resources for extending play. In July 2021, the improvement point was to broaden the selection of toys and equipment. During a visit, look at how the current resources extend children's interests, including the imaginative and sensory play described above.
• Your attendance and funding plan. With 51-week opening and a two-to-five age range, ask how your intended attendance would be booked and funded, including the treatment of meals and non-food consumables in a written quotation.
• The school site. Woodland access is a practical attraction, but nursery attendance does not secure a Reception place. Consider school admission separately from the nursery decision.

South Hills Nursery St Peter's suits families seeking care for a two-to-five-year-old in a purpose-built setting with outdoor space and access to a forest area. The March 2026 planting and frog-life-cycle activities give that outdoor identity substance.

Its July 2021 judgement is positive but dated, and the resources improvement point deserves attention. The strongest reasons to consider it are concrete: the school-site setting, woodland access and an opening year that extends well beyond term time.