Boston Nursery School: Play, Stories and Outdoor Learning

Jubilee Owl Garden gives outdoor learning a named home at Boston Nursery School. This forest-school-inspired space supports practical exploration, alongside separate learning bases for younger and older children. The provision is a maintained nursery school in its own right, with qualified teachers and early years professionals, rather than a nursery classroom within a primary school.

Children can start from their second birthday, and provision covers two-, three- and four-year-olds. Boston belongs to the Lincolnshire Maintained Nursery School Federation. Its curriculum puts play and books to work together: stories provide starting points for teaching, while learning develops through children's interests and practical experiences.

Two-year-olds have a homebase room and outdoor space of their own. Older children use a large preschool room and an outdoor classroom, choosing between indoor and outdoor play at different points in their sessions. That gives the age groups distinct bases, with outdoor learning built into the session rather than reserved for an occasional outing.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guides learning goals. Here, the curriculum organises development into four stages, with teaching planned around each child's starting point. In parent terms, activities build on what a child can already manage, and staff assess learning before deciding what to introduce next. The school aims to develop the knowledge and skills children will need at primary school.

Books are central to the approach. Carefully selected children's literature shapes teaching, and communication receives deliberate attention through key vocabulary and Makaton signs. This focus responds to children with additional communication needs and those learning English as an additional language. Play remains the method: children learn through doing, exploring and interacting.

Outdoor clothing matters. Children need wellies and a waterproof, warm coat because learning outside can continue in wet weather. A backpack with spare clothes also makes sense for the messy play that forms part of nursery life.

Settling begins with contact from the child's key person, usually by phone, after a place is offered. Families can share interests and individual needs before the first session. A parent or carer then accompanies the child for an hour of stay and play shortly before starting, giving both a chance to meet the key person and explore activities together.

Parents may stay to help their child settle. The nursery asks adults to say goodbye clearly and explain that they will return, supporting the child's developing relationships with staff and other children. Key persons remain a contact for concerns, and termly newsletters help families keep up with nursery life.

Water, milk and healthy snacks are provided; children staying all day bring a healthy packed lunch. Hot lunches are not provided. Toilet training is not an entry requirement: families supply nappies and wipes, and staff work with parents when the child is ready.

Support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) follows the individual child. Adjustments can involve the environment, teaching methods or adult help. Speech-sound work, language groups and groups supporting social skills offer specific forms of support, alongside small-group activities for children learning English.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet its deadline.

Preparation for primary school is a curriculum aim, separate from admission. Families can use guidance on communication, early maths, fine motor skills and independence, alongside school-readiness resources for families learning English as an additional language.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; full days run from 8:45am to 2:45pm. Breakfast and after-school clubs extend childcare coverage from 7:45am to 5:15pm around core sessions. The nursery operates during term time and closes for school holidays, so families needing year-round care must plan around those breaks.

Funded patterns are flexible, subject to spaces. Three- and four-year-olds receive 15 funded hours each week for 38 weeks of the year, while eligible working families may receive up to 30 hours each week; eligibility also determines funding for two-year-olds. Funding begins in the term following eligibility. Funded hours carry no compulsory charges, and additional sessions and wraparound are optional paid extras. Contributions for snacks and enhancements are voluntary.

Register interest using the online form, or contact the office on 01205 358647 or admin@boston-nur.lincs.sch.uk. A tour can be arranged. Uniform is optional; practical clothes suited to active play are recommended. A small parent car park is available, with considerate parking requested.