Smarden Primary School Nursery Review

Wellies for woodland adventures, Write Dance for movement and a cosy teepee for quieter moments: Smarden Preschool gives children several different ways to spend their day. This is Smarden Primary School’s nursery provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds, with Caterpillars activities and a Butterfly Room used by the two-year-olds during the morning.

Play and group activities alternate across the day. Tabletop tasks practising small hand movements start at 9am; at 10am, circle time includes songs and weather discussion, followed by guided phonics, maths or Write Dance. Busy Caterpillar Time combines activities directed by adults with free-flow play. Singing returns before lunch, while the afternoon brings quiet activities, yoga, Brain Gym and another period of play before the closing story.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers children’s learning and development: talking and listening, physical skills and relationships sit alongside early reading, maths, creativity and discovering how the world works. Smarden aims to let children learn at their own pace and try solving problems independently. Write Dance supports the movement skills needed for writing; Makaton signs accompany communication throughout preschool, giving children another way to understand and express themselves.

Indoor and outdoor areas both form part of the play environment. Weekly Forest School sessions take children into the woods in waterproofs and wellies, making outdoor exploration a regular part of nursery life. In May 2023, early-years behaviour was strong, with familiar routines helping children change activities calmly; reading and enjoyment of books also began from their first nursery days.

Each child has a key person who helps them settle and exchanges information with parents through conversation or a Communication Book. New starters receive a bright blue Colin book bag for that book. A free settling period of three hours can be taken together or divided across two or three days, allowing the introduction to fit the child.

Tapestry records observations and learning, and parents have a login to comment and add photographs from home. Dojo carries messages and updates. The team includes qualified teachers, while the SENCO and key person work with families on individual SEND Support Plans. EY Talk Boost provides targeted language sessions individually or in small groups when needed. These arrangements give parents practical ways to contribute to support and follow their child’s development.

Snack time is at 10.15am and lunch at noon. Before children start, staff discuss naps and nappy changing with families; prescribed medicines can be administered once the required forms are completed. The book corner and cosy teepee offer somewhere quiet, while a separate calm corner has a beanbag and resources for a sensory break. A flat garden, wheelchair-accessible toilet and ramps at the fire exits support physical access.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process and meet its deadline; Kent’s primary school places route is the route to use.

Transition support is a separate matter. When a child moves to another setting or school, nursery staff can invite the receiving teacher and SENCO to sessions and share SEND targets and documentation. However, in May 2023, learning between Nursery and Reception was not consistently connected, leaving some children less ready for their next stage. Assessment also needed strengthening in parts of the curriculum. Families should ask how staff now connect learning across that move.

The nursery runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, for 38 weeks during term time, closing on Bank Holidays. Full days run from 9am to 3pm. Morning options end at noon or 12.30pm; afternoon options begin at noon or 12.30pm and finish at 3pm. Requested sessions and starting dates are subject to availability.

The funding model includes up to 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds from the term following their second birthday, and up to 15 hours for all children from the term following their third birthday. Some three- and four-year-olds qualify for up to 15 additional hours, subject to eligibility. Extra attendance is charged, and outings, celebrations or entertainment beyond usual activities are excluded from ordinary fees. Contact the school for current charges.

Arrange a show round by calling 01233 770316 during term time or emailing office@smarden-tkat.org. Uniform is optional; send labelled spare clothes for outdoor and messy play. Collection must be prompt, and families should notify staff about another collector, with a password required for someone new.