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Nursery at Raysfield Primary 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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, an allotment and a sports hall give Little Rays a day that can reach beyond its own classroom. Children can use these school facilities, along with the playing fields, bringing outdoor exploration and space for movement into the nursery offer.
Little Rays has 30 places for children aged 2–4 within Raysfield Primary School in Chipping Sodbury. A qualified teacher works alongside qualified early years practitioners, and the nursery team collaborates with the school's other early years staff. This is a nursery class with access to the people and spaces of a primary school.
Play and teaching share the session. Children join an activity led by their teacher, choose their own play, gather for a shared snack and have individual time with a key adult. Opportunities to rest sit alongside exploration and social time. That gives the session recognisable routines while leaving room for children's interests.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) approach uses play to help children learn about themselves, other people and their surroundings. Adults observe what interests each child and use those observations to plan further learning. Little Rays says it adapts activities around children's needs and interests, with practical experiences and exploration shaping its approach.
Indoor and outdoor play both feature. Sand, water and messy play give children things to investigate; small-world resources let one object stand for another, while role-play involves taking on a character. Physical play includes both running and jumping and smaller movements such as handling a pencil. These are different ways to practise movement, communication and imaginative thinking, rather than a day built solely around adult instruction.
Individual attention is built into each session through time with a key adult. Before starting, a child and parent are invited to visit together, giving families a chance to understand the sessions and staff a chance to see the child's response. A start date follows, with settling visits included. A stay-and-play session is also arranged nearer the start.
Snack time brings children together in both sessions, with adults supporting social skills and independence. Families can supply snacks or buy them. Children attending in the morning can also bring lunch or have a school meal, booked through the Arbor Parent Portal. Families receive advance notice of changes to food for celebrations.
For toileting, Little Rays encourages children to be out of nappies during the day where possible; two-year-olds may use pull-ups temporarily while learning. Parents seeking SEND support start with the class teacher, who can refer them to the SENCO or Inclusion lead. That provides a clear first conversation about a child's needs.
Attending Little Rays neither guarantees a Reception place at Raysfield nor gives higher priority. Nursery and school places require separate applications, so families must apply again through their home local authority's normal process.
For September 2027 entry, the application deadline is midnight on 15 January 2027. Families in South Gloucestershire apply through the council's school admissions portal. Choosing the nursery should therefore be a decision about the nursery experience, with the Reception application handled separately.
Provision runs during term time for 39 weeks, following school dates and excluding bank holidays and INSET days. Morning sessions run from 09:30 to 12:30 and afternoons from 12:30 to 15:30. Early Starters offers 07:30–09:30 or 08:30–09:30 and is charged separately.
Fixed bookings. Morning and afternoon sessions are three hours and cannot be divided. Places are agreed for particular days and sessions; isolated half-day or single-day bookings are not offered. Families needing care around changing shift patterns should weigh that fixed arrangement carefully.
All three- and four-year-olds have a universal 15-hour entitlement from the term after their third birthday; eligible families can use 30 hours, and eligible two-year-olds can also use funded hours. Funding applies between 09:30 and 15:30, Monday to Friday, subject to session availability. Hours beyond the entitlement are charged. Snacks and school lunch are optional extras, with food from home as the alternative; ask the school for current charges.
Use the Little Rays enquiry form to register interest, or email nursery@raysfield.org.uk to request it or arrange a visit. Nursery uniform is optional, and families can choose clothes suitable for getting dirty.
Little Rays welcomes children aged 2–4 and has 30 nursery places within Raysfield Primary School.
Yes. The charged Early Starters options are 07:30–09:30 and 08:30–09:30.
No. Families can bring their own snacks and lunch. Morning-session children can have a school lunch booked through the Arbor Parent Portal.
No. It gives neither a guaranteed place nor higher priority. A separate application through the home local authority is required; the deadline for September 2027 entry is midnight on 15 January 2027.
Email nursery@raysfield.org.uk to request a visit. Once a place is accepted, the starting process includes a parent-and-child visit and settling visits.
