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Nursery at Ashfold School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Forest School exploration and shared spaces such as the Saloon give Ashfold’s nursery a character that reaches beyond its classroom. Based at Dorton House in Buckinghamshire, this is the school’s provision for children aged three to four, within its Pre-Prep department. Children can begin in the term of their third birthday, so some join as rising three-year-olds.
In January 2026, the early years provision included one nursery class. The emphasis is on learning through conversation, movement and play, with opportunities to use facilities elsewhere in the school.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the curriculum. In parent terms, that means learning to communicate, manage feelings and move confidently alongside early experiences of letters, numbers and the wider world. Adults guide some activities; children choose and develop others. That balance gives them practice both in following instructions and deciding what to explore.
Stories, singing and conversations build vocabulary. Drawing, painting and imaginative play give children other ways to express ideas, while practical exploration introduces patterns, shapes and numbers. Nature walks, experiments and Forest School bring learning outdoors. Shared facilities include the Performance Studio, Sports Hall, Library and Saloon, extending the spaces available for activity beyond the nursery room.
The ISI inspection of 20 to 22 January 2026 found that early years teaching developed children’s language through questioning, stories and pretend play, alongside opportunities to make their own choices. Practical maths included talking about amounts and patterns. Outdoor experiences involved tricycles and climbing, while craft and modelling exercised smaller hand movements. These activities connect physical development with everyday independence: selecting materials, sharing equipment and putting things away.
Entry to the nursery involves an observation session, giving children time in the setting as part of the admissions process. In January 2026, early years children were comfortable with their routines and showed confidence; leaders monitored development and met with families and staff. The team includes a Nursery Form Teacher, with Pre-Prep teaching assistants among the wider departmental staff.
Lunch is included in the morning session. Mealtimes also provide practice in conversation and table manners. Early years staff supervise eating with choking risks in mind, and their first aid training includes paediatric provision. Safeguarding arrangements for young children include rules governing phones and digital devices on the early years premises.
Observation and assessment help identify communication needs so that children can receive targeted help. For families considering SEND support, the admissions policy requires discussion of individual needs and reasonable adjustments, with an offer dependent on the school being able to meet those needs. Sharing medical, allergy and learning information at registration is therefore a practical part of planning care.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm arrangements for progression to Reception with the school’s Registrar. Ashfold’s admission arrangements assess Reception applicants through classroom observation and informal play; an offer depends on the assessment and the school’s ability to cater for the child’s needs.
Transition support is a separate matter from admission. For children with SEND, teachers pass relevant information to the next class teacher, and the SENCO checks that needs and support strategies are understood. That provides continuity of support as children change classes.
The nursery admissions appendix sets out weekday attendance over 34 term-time weeks: mornings run from 8.15am to 12.45pm, afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and full days from 8.15am to 3.30pm. Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am to 8.15am. After-school Club offers finishes at 4.25pm or 5.15pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 4.25pm or 5pm on Wednesday. Rising three-year-olds cannot use either club.
Booking commitment. Except for one funded-only place per academic year, registration requires at least seven sessions each week. Families seeking a smaller attendance pattern should weigh that commitment carefully.
Funding starts in the term following the third birthday, with a maximum of 15 funded hours weekly, allocated to afternoon attendance. Meals, snacks and consumables during funded hours are optional charges, agreed beforehand and itemised; declining them does not affect basic funded care. Trips sit outside funded hours and require parental agreement. The ISI inspection of 20 to 22 January 2026 identified a school-wide concern: reviews of risk assessments after educational visits needed to be more systematic, using what happened on each trip to improve future planning. Contact the Registrar for current charges or arrange a personal tour through the Visit Us booking form.
The nursery is for ages three to four. Children may start in the term in which they turn three, as rising three-year-olds.
EYFS learning combines adult guidance with children’s own choices. Activities include storytelling, painting, practical maths, nature walks and Forest School experiences.
Funding is available from the term after the third birthday, up to 15 hours weekly in afternoon sessions over 34 term-time weeks. One funded-only place is available per academic year; other places require at least seven sessions weekly.
Breakfast Club and After-school Club are offered, but rising three-year-olds cannot attend them.
No. Published arrangements for Reception applicants include assessment, with offers dependent on whether Ashfold can meet the child’s needs. Confirm nursery-to-Reception progression arrangements with the Registrar.
