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Nursery at Cheddar First 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Bug hunting, den building and watching caterpillars become butterflies give Cheddar First Preschool its character: learning through things children can touch, try and question. The preschool occupies the school grounds, with three nursery rooms and access to shared facilities. Separate outdoor areas and gardens serve the Foundation Stage, giving younger children space beyond their rooms.
The wider preschool welcomes children aged six months to four years. Chicks serves six months to two, Fledglings takes two-year-olds, and Earlybirds serves ages three to four. This review focuses on the school-attached nursery provision. Ofsted graded early years Good at the inspection on 26 and 27 November 2024; the separately registered provision for six-month- to one-year-olds was excluded from that inspection.
Indoor and outdoor play runs across the rooms, combining children's choices with activities guided by adults. Staff develop learning from a child's interests, then introduce knowledge or skills through adult-led work. That gives the day both room for exploration and a teaching purpose.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers seven learning areas. In parent terms, these bring together movement, communication and relationships with early reading, mathematics, creativity and discovering the world. The preschool uses interaction, questions and sharing to put those areas into practice. Stories, songs and nursery rhymes also feature in the pre-school day. In November 2024, early English and mathematics teaching was effective.
Forest school provides concrete opportunities to test ideas and tackle physical challenges. Children climb, search for bugs, construct dens and use a mud kitchen. Cooking and observing caterpillars becoming butterflies add practical experiences indoors. These are activities with something to investigate, rather than simply watch. The campus also includes a pond and forest school area used across the age groups.
Settling was a strength in November 2024: staff helped pre-school children become comfortable promptly, understand daily routines and begin learning. An Early Years Lead, preschool manager and room leaders form part of the team, alongside practitioners, apprentices and an assistant.
A child's key worker is the contact for concerns about communication, movement or emotional development. Extra help can involve practising a skill more often, working in a small group or support with joining routines. Staff discuss concerns with parents and agree a plan together, making support a shared process. Tapestry carries learning updates, and parents can contribute to their child's online journal.
For children aged two and above, breakfast and hot tea are included in the respective additional sessions. Lunch meals carry a separate charge and are ordered through Bromcom. This distinction matters when choosing a session that includes the lunchtime period: the meal itself is an extra.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application through their home local authority using the Common Application Form, either online or on paper. For Somerset residents, that route is Somerset Council; for North Somerset residents, it is North Somerset Council. Keep the Reception application separate from nursery enrolment.
Familiarity is a different matter. Preschool staff work with Reception teachers and the Early Years Lead so children get to know school adults. Summer-term visits let children meet their new teacher and future classmates, while parent evening meetings explain classroom routines. Families also have the opportunity for a September home visit before school starts. These arrangements support the change of setting; they do not secure admission.
Term-time sessions run Monday to Friday. For children aged two and above, mornings are 08:45 to 11:45, afternoons 12:45 to 15:45, and the whole day 08:45 to 15:45. Morning plus lunch extends to 12:45. Breakfast runs 07:45 to 08:45; tea runs 15:45 to 17:45, Monday to Thursday. The EYFS team also covers preschool wraparound care, with children sometimes changing rooms to maintain appropriate adult support. Ad hoc sessions cannot be booked.
Funding is accepted across the available entitlements. Working families may qualify from nine months, while universal funding begins in the term after a child's third birthday. Funded hours can also cover wraparound sessions. Contact the preschool on 01934 742931 or preschool@cheddarfirstschool.co.uk for enrolment enquiries and current charges.
The wider preschool welcomes children from six months to four years, across Chicks, Fledglings and Earlybirds. The youngest separately registered provision was outside the November 2024 school inspection.
Children use the forest school space for climbing, bug hunting, den building and mud kitchen play. Indoor and outdoor play is part of provision across the rooms.
Learning updates are shared through Tapestry, and parents can contribute to the online journal. Development concerns can be discussed with the key worker; staff agree additional support plans with parents.
Yes. Funded hours can pay for preschool wraparound sessions. These are covered by the EYFS team, and ad hoc or one-off sessions cannot be booked.
No. A separate application is required through your home local authority using the Common Application Form. Familiarity with school staff through transition activities does not guarantee a place.
