Pine Ridge Nursery Review

Separate rooms for younger and older children give Pine Ridge Nursery its shape. Part of Pine Ridge Infant School & Nursery on Esher Road in Camberley, it accepts children from age two and usually has one room for two- to three-year-olds and two for three- to four-year-olds. That arrangement can change: older two-year-olds may join an older group when applications from younger children outnumber those from older children.

The nursery day runs from 8:45am until 2:45pm, with morning and afternoon sessions meeting at 11:45am. Families can choose five full days or divide their attendance across the first or second half of the week. Those split-week patterns combine two full days with a Wednesday half-day, giving children a different rhythm from attending each morning or afternoon.

Play also informs individual care. A child's key person watches how they learn while playing and uses that understanding to help meet their needs. The relationship matters beyond a single activity: this member of staff helps the child settle and becomes the family's first contact for questions.

Settling begins at home. Staff visit before a child starts, and families complete an All About Me form, giving the team a starting point for understanding interests and needs. Parents learn who their child's key person is after a few weeks, once staff have considered the relationships developing across the team.

Tapestry connects nursery life with home through photographs and observations of children's actions and speech. Parents can also speak directly with staff through an open-door approach. For lunch, children can have a meal prepared by the school kitchen or bring a healthy packed lunch. School meals carry a separate charge; ask the school for current charges.

Within the school's SEND support, families are encouraged to contact the SENCO before admission to discuss their child's strengths and support needs. Parents contribute to reviews of individual support plans each term, making them part of decisions about support rather than simply receiving updates.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, and there is no automatic transfer. Families must make a separate application through their home local authority's normal process. For Pine Ridge, applications use Surrey County Council's admissions scheme.

For September 2026 entry, nursery attendance conferred no Reception priority. The criteria covered looked-after and previously looked-after children, qualifying siblings, children of staff and other applicants. The deadline for that intake was 15 January 2026. Families choosing nursery should therefore treat the later school application as a separate decision and follow the deadline for their child's intake.

Term-time attendance follows the school holidays. Fifteen-hour patterns include five mornings, five afternoons, or either split-week arrangement; a 30-hour pattern covers Monday to Friday. Shorter six- and nine-hour patterns are also offered. Eligible families can use funding within the nursery's opening hours, and the nursery says its fully funded places have no hidden charges.

For unfunded places, payment is due before each half-term. Allocated sessions remain payable during a child's absence, while nursery closures for staff training are not charged. Families experiencing hardship who need additional hours are invited to contact the school.

Children wear a school-coloured sweatshirt and T-shirt with black shorts, leggings or jogging bottoms. Nursery applications are made online. Open mornings allow families to meet the team, and the office can arrange another visit date; contact Pine Ridge on 01276 23207.