Fairfield Infant and Nursery School Nursery Review

Dough Disco, Squiggle Wiggle and outdoor learning in The Spinney give Fairfield’s nursery a character of its own. Children aged 2–4 have a spacious nursery and a large outdoor area within Fairfield Infant and Nursery School on Bench Road in Buxton. This is school-based early education, with nursery teachers and qualified staff, rather than simply care fitted around the infant day.

Ofsted’s early years judgement is Good; the school has no single overall Ofsted grade. Keep those two positions separate when considering the nursery.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes learning, with Development Matters used as guidance. In parent language, that means attention to talking, movement and relationships alongside early reading, number, creativity and discovering how the world works. These areas connect through play and activities rather than forming a timetable of separate school subjects.

Listening comes before recognising letters in the nursery’s phonics work. Children also learn rhymes through the year. Dough Disco and Squiggle Wiggle are named activities for developing fine motor skills, giving early learning a physical element alongside language. Families can borrow books through the EYFS Lending Libraries, extending shared reading into home life.

Outdoor learning has a named setting: The Spinney. Every class has at least one session there each week with its teacher. Activities can involve climbing, digging, making things and solving problems; some sessions draw on Forest School techniques, including simple tools or identifying plants and animals. Sessions continue whatever the weather, so suitable footwear and clothing matter. Together with the nursery’s own large outdoor area, this makes outdoor space a concrete part of the offer.

Key workers are organised around the Duck, Mole and Butterfly groups, with teachers taking the key-worker role for Duck. The group structure gives parents a clear starting point for discussing their child’s care. Extra support is provided for children who need it, and children receive help to clean their teeth every day. Care includes these small, practical routines as well as learning activities.

For concerns about development, parents can speak with the class teacher or SENCo. The school’s SEND arrangements involve families in reviewing progress and planning next steps. Support can include changes to activities or the classroom layout, with advice sought from specialists such as the Speech and Language Team where needed. A SEND update goes to families each half-term, providing another regular point of communication.

School lunch is an option for nursery children and carries an additional charge. Families should obtain current charges from the school when arranging sessions.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal school admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. School-place applications are coordinated by the local authority, with an online application route through Derbyshire. Treat choosing nursery sessions and applying for Reception as two separate decisions.

Transition support is a different matter from admission. Children moving between classrooms have opportunities to work with their new teachers in the new rooms. Extra transition visits can be arranged where children would benefit, helping familiarity develop before the change.

Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. The nursery offers government-funded 15-hour provision and working-parent 30-hour provision for ages 2–4. Eligibility and the booking pattern therefore matter as much as the clock times.

With 15-hour funding, 2-year-olds can choose mornings or afternoons. For 3- and 4-year-olds, the choices also include two full days plus a half-day: Monday and Tuesday with Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon with Thursday and Friday. Children receiving 30-hour funding can attend all day Monday to Thursday and until 1:00pm on Friday; extending Friday to 3:15pm carries a charge. Additional three-hour sessions can also be booked for a charge.

Nursery registration and session preferences are handled through the school office. Contact the team on 01298 22441 or visit the school to register and discuss the pattern that suits your family.