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Nursery at Ashover 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Short sessions, flexible days and access to breakfast and after-school care give Ashover’s nursery a practical character. Children can start from age three, and attendance can sit alongside a place at another nursery. That makes it an option for families combining childcare arrangements as well as those choosing one school base.
The provision belongs to Ashover Primary School on Narrowleys Lane, in Ashover. A nursery teacher leads it, with breakfast and aftercare managed separately. The school site includes extensive grounds. At the Ofsted inspection on 1 and 2 March 2022, early years provision received a Good judgement; this covers the school’s early years rather than a separately inspected nursery.
Morning and afternoon sessions each provide a distinct block of nursery time, with lunch between them for children who stay. The nursery follows the school’s pupil opening days, so its rhythm is tied to the school calendar rather than year-round childcare.
Learning has a planned sequence. In March 2022, the early years curriculum built children’s knowledge in steps and prepared them for their next stage. Nursery reading began through books shared together, storytelling and work with sounds. These give young children concrete starting points for learning to read. Recent events and local history also introduced early historical understanding, connecting learning with the world nearby.
The curriculum planning uses the 2025 Early Years Framework alongside progressions in vocabulary, knowledge and skills. For parents, the practical point is that learning themes sit within a longer plan: activities contribute to knowledge that children can build on. Local Heritage is one of the school’s named curriculum drivers, consistent with the early history work described in March 2022.
Children in early years were happy and safe in March 2022. Lunch offers a straightforward choice for those staying: a hot school meal or a packed lunch that excludes nuts. Meals are prepared on the school site by Derbyshire County Council’s catering service. Breakfast club provides hot or cold food, but breakfast service ends at 8:25am; arriving later means missing that meal. Wraparound sessions also include a drink and snack.
Support for additional needs sits within the school’s SEND arrangements. Staff work with families and outside agencies, and adjust the type and amount of support to the child. Where specific extra support is needed, an Individual Education Plan sets short-term goals and how staff will work towards them. Speech and Language Services and the Educational Psychology Service are among the outside services involved, giving families routes to specialist input.
Arbor carries school communications, with text alerts drawing attention to urgent messages. Parents should check their email inboxes regularly to keep up with information affecting their child.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Derbyshire County Council allocates school places under its Admissions Policy, so choosing nursery and securing Reception are separate decisions.
Preparation for the next stage is an educational benefit rather than an admissions advantage. The sequenced early years learning described in March 2022 helps children build foundations for what comes next.
Nursery opens from 8:45am to 3:30pm on school pupil days. Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoon sessions run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Flexible hours or days are offered, alongside arrangements for 15 or 30 funded hours. Extra nursery sessions, lunch supervision and hot meals carry charges; contact the school for current charges.
Breakfast and after-school clubs extend care from 7:35am until 6pm, with a 5pm finish on Fridays. Wraparound bookings use Arbor and require advance payment and account credit, except for families using Childcare Vouchers or Tax Free Childcare, who must clear balances monthly. Cancellation notice. Wraparound changes or cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice remain chargeable, except when a child is sick. Families should cancel bookings promptly when plans change.
For nursery enquiries or the waiting list, call 01246 590207 between 8:30am and 12:30pm, Monday to Thursday. School visits can also be arranged by telephone.
Children can attend from age three. They may also attend another nursery alongside Ashover.
Morning sessions are 8:45am to 11:45am and afternoons are 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Nursery opens on the days school is open to pupils.
Yes. Care can extend from 7:35am to 6pm, finishing at 5pm on Fridays. Wraparound sessions are booked through Arbor.
Children staying for lunch can have a charged hot school meal or bring a packed lunch containing no nuts. Lunch supervision is also charged.
No. A separate Reception application is required through the normal admissions process. Derbyshire County Council allocates school places under its Admissions Policy.
