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Nursery at High March 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Sand, water and an outdoor classroom give play a clear place in High March’s nursery day. Nursery Wrens and Nursery Robins are the two classes, based in Junior House in Beaconsfield. This is the nursery of an independent school, primarily for girls, with up to eight boys admitted for a single year.
Children start in September after turning three. Five mornings form the usual attendance pattern, with afternoons available from the outset or added later. That gives families a consistent morning routine while allowing the nursery day to lengthen as the year develops.
Play drives the learning. Nursery begins the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which brings together children’s communication, physical development, relationships and early learning. The early years programme covers seven learning areas and gives children opportunities to choose and initiate activities, so learning includes their own ideas as well as adult guidance.
Children can move freely between the indoor space and their outdoor classroom; the Junior House garden provides further room for play. Construction materials, a chalkboard, water and sand support different kinds of exploration, while craft and art activities give children ways to make and express things. In November 2023, ISI found that imaginative play, storytelling and creative materials supported language development across the early years.
Specialist Music and PE teaching adds another strand to the day. Ballet is optional, and small-group swimming is an extra-curricular option using the school’s indoor pool, which measures 20 metres. Summer-term Forest School takes learning beyond the classroom. A July 2024 account of Nursery Wrens at Mop End describes creature hunting, attempts to make sparks and popcorn cooked beside a campfire: a concrete example of the outdoor experiences involved.
Settling begins before the first nursery morning. Early Years staff visit children in their existing setting, giving them a chance to start knowing each child before the move. A summer-term Teddy Bears’ picnic brings parents and children together with their future teacher and classroom. Parents also attend a presentation about the coming nursery year. These steps make the people and space more familiar in advance.
Food is part of the morning session: children receive a snack midway through the morning and a cooked lunch before collection. Late Stay includes a light tea, so children remaining into the evening have another meal within that arrangement.
The November 2023 early years findings describe staff adapting provision around individual children and their needs. That matters for children who need a different pace or approach. Early years learning also includes guidance about looking after teeth and understanding physical and emotional wellbeing.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm Reception admission requirements, any application route and deadline directly with the school before making plans for the next school year.
Boys’ next step. High March’s nursery places for boys last for one year only. Families choosing this option therefore need to plan their child’s next setting alongside the nursery year.
The usual morning runs from 8:30am until 1pm, including lunch. Optional afternoons extend collection to 3:30pm; families can choose one or more afternoons immediately or add them as the year progresses.
Wraparound provision extends the available day. Early Birds operates before nursery, while After School Care follows the afternoon session; both use a nursery classroom. Care between 8am and 5:30pm is offered without an additional charge. Up with the Larks provides breakfast care from 7:30am, and Late Stay extends care to 6pm. Those two clubs carry charges. Ask the school for current charges when arranging attendance.
For enquiries, email admissions@highmarch.co.uk. A personal nursery tour can be requested through the Nursery Open Morning page’s interest form, giving parents a route to discuss attendance and see the nursery spaces.
Children join in September after their third birthday. The nursery is primarily for girls, with a maximum of eight boys admitted for one year.
Children generally attend five mornings, from 8:30am to 1pm, including lunch. Optional afternoons finish at 3:30pm.
Early Years staff visit children in their current setting. Before joining, children and parents attend a summer-term Teddy Bears’ picnic to meet the teacher and become familiar with the classroom.
Yes. The morning includes a mid-morning snack and cooked lunch. Late Stay includes a light tea.
No. Confirm Reception admission requirements, any application route and deadline directly with the school. Boys’ nursery places are for one year only.
