Abbey Ark Nursery at Bourne Abbey Church of England Primary Academy

A nursery day can stretch from breakfast to light tea at Abbey Ark, with shorter sessions alongside all-day care. This is Bourne Abbey Church of England Primary Academy’s nursery provision in Bourne, welcoming children aged 2 to 4 from their second birthday. Families can choose attendance during school terms or across the year, making the practical offer broader than a school-hours nursery.

In April 2026, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision to meet the Expected standard. That judgement covers the early years as a whole, including Nursery; it is not a separate nursery rating.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning and care together here. In April 2026, activities reflected children’s interests and developmental needs, while teaching built understanding in manageable steps. Early reading, writing and mathematics were taught effectively across the early years. For parents, the important combination is exploration with a planned sequence of learning.

Social learning is just as concrete. Children practise taking turns, sharing and explaining their feelings, alongside listening to someone else. They also help tidy up together. These everyday tasks give children ways to join a group and make their needs understood. Early years children learn about toothbrushing and taking considered risks, bringing health and independence into their learning.

Outdoor play forms part of the provision: families supply wellies or outdoor shoes, coats and seasonal protection. At school level, physical support facilities include a sensory room and a hygiene suite with space for changing and physiotherapy. These are school facilities, rather than nursery rooms.

Settling begins with a taster session before the agreed start. It introduces children to the staff and surroundings before their regular attendance begins. Subject to availability and funding rules, families may also delay the start or begin with fewer hours.

Lunch can be brought from home, or a charged cooked meal can be booked through Ideal School Meals during term time. Children attending the full afternoon session from 1pm to 6pm receive a snack and a light tea. Families supply nappies and wipes for children who are not potty trained, plus a named change of clothes.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), planning involves parents and relevant professionals so that support and adjustments can be agreed. In April 2026, early years staff understood different ages’ developmental needs, including SEND; welfare requirements were met and children were safe. Leaders welcomed parents’ feedback and acted when provision needed changing.

Speech and language support. In April 2026, support for children beginning to develop speech, language and communication was sometimes insufficiently precise. Further staff training was needed. Families whose child needs this help should discuss how support will match their child’s particular difficulties.

Attending Abbey Ark does not guarantee a Reception place or give priority when applications exceed places. Families must apply separately through the normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year. Lincolnshire residents can apply through Lincolnshire County Council online, by telephone or using a paper form; families elsewhere apply through their home local authority.

Transition support is a separate matter. For children with SEND, the SEND co-ordinator and Early Years Team work with other settings and external agencies on moves into nursery and from early years provision into school. That liaison supports continuity of care and learning; it does not confer an admissions advantage.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks each year, with bank holidays and a Christmas week closed. Morning, afternoon and day sessions allow families to request an attendance pattern. Session changes require four weeks’ notice and depend on space and staffing.

Universal funding provides 15 hours from the term after a child’s third birthday. Eligible children can access additional entitlement, including up to 30 hours; funded places depend on availability. Hours may be stretched across the year, reducing the weekly allocation while retaining the annual entitlement. Funded-only attendance requires no deposit or minimum attendance, and there are no funding top-up charges. Additional paid hours attract a refundable deposit. Ask Abbey Ark for current charges.

Enquiries go to Abbey.Ark@abbeyacademies.co.uk or 01778 391695. Registration requires a signed form and contract, and at least four weeks before the start for paperwork. Keep to the booked arrival and collection times: staffing ratios prevent early admission.