Sandcastles Nursery at St Faith's Prep School

Colour sorting, dinosaur excavation and seasonal Welly Walks give Sandcastles Nursery its character: learning starts with things children can handle, investigate and talk about. This is St Faith's Prep School's own nursery in Ash, Kent, welcoming children from age two and offering year-round care. Lower Nursery and Upper Nursery form part of the school's early-years provision.

The emphasis is on individual development. At the ISI inspection of 18 to 20 November 2025, early-years provision supported children's learning and social development through attention to their developmental needs. For parents, that means the starting point is the child rather than simply the next classroom.

Purposeful play shapes the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Its seven connected areas bring learning together with children's health, safety and emotional development. Here, that translates into investigating seasonal changes on Welly Walks, digging for dinosaurs and using pizza symmetry to explore maths. These give abstract ideas something tangible to attach to.

Stories and early drawing and writing activities develop language in Nursery. Adults introduce vocabulary, including words about the weather, and use questions to help children express ideas and feelings. Progress checks guide the next learning steps. In the early years, balance scales and containers filled with different materials also turn weight and quantity into practical experiments.

Lower Nursery children explored counting and sorting by colour in January 2026. A June 2026 activity made nursery children detectives investigating a missing Gingerbread Man, adding a story-led problem to solve. Indoors, the nursery has spacious rooms; outdoors, seasonal exploration provides another setting for discovery. Social learning runs alongside these activities: early-years children practise taking turns and using polite language, making everyday interactions part of their education.

Settling arrangements can adapt to the child. In November 2025, flexible introductions, cooperation with parents and everyday attention to wellbeing helped early-years children develop trusting relationships and settle securely. Independence and confidence were encouraged alongside emotional development, so getting comfortable was part of learning rather than a preliminary hurdle.

Most early-years staff had paediatric first-aid training in November 2025. Indoor and outdoor areas were assessed for risk each day. Breakfast Club begins at 8am, while a morning can include school lunch and the afternoon break, giving families a choice around the midday meal.

Recruitment records. During the November 2025 inspection, dates for supply-staff checks were missing from the school's central record, although the checks had been completed before staff started work. The omission was corrected during the visit; keeping those dates recorded remained a recommended action. This is a relevant school-wide safeguarding consideration for nursery families.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm Reception admission arrangements with the school's admissions team; choosing Sandcastles should be treated as a decision about nursery care and learning.

Transition activities have their own value. In May 2026, children preparing to join Reception spent a morning exploring the Nature Garden. Such an activity introduces a school space through play, but should not be read as an admissions advantage.

Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm; collection at 11.30am is also possible for children who do not stay for school lunch. A full day runs from 8am to 3.30pm, with collection possible earlier. After School Care requires a booking for children staying beyond 3.30pm, and nursery opening extends to 5.30pm.

Sandcastles offers year-round care. Plan around inset closures: the nursery, including year-round provision, will be closed on Monday 4 January 2027. The school participates in Kent County Council Free Early Education Funding for children aged two, three and four. Food and snacks carry separate charges during both term time and holidays; obtain current charges from the school when arranging sessions. Enquiries and personal tours can be arranged through the admissions team, or by calling 01304 813409 or emailing info@stfaithsprep.com.