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Nursery at Notre Dame Preparatory 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Shopping for ice cream, fruit and vegetables in pretend shops gives Notre Dame’s early years a concrete introduction to everyday life. Children choose goods and pretend to pay, turning familiar shopping routines into learning. This is nursery provision within an independent Catholic school in Cobham, with boys and girls attending from the age of two.
At the April to May 2024 inspection, children were organised into three nursery classes. The nursery shares the school’s site and governance. Its mixed intake has an important boundary for families planning ahead: boys attend until Reception begins.
The Early Years Foundation Stage covers seven areas of learning. Here, that breadth includes physical and creative development alongside learning through everyday experiences. Shopping play makes an abstract idea tangible: children encounter the value of money through choosing fruit, vegetables or ice cream, with pretend cash and card payments at a till.
Wise Owls is a named nursery class. In April 2026, its children made flags while learning about St George’s Day, an example of a shared topic becoming a practical activity. Forest School activity also involves the pre-school nursery, bringing outdoor learning into the picture.
Care routines form part of the day too. Milk and fruit are provided in the morning, followed by a healthy snack and drink in the afternoon. Beds and space for afternoon sleep allow children who still nap to continue that routine.
Toilet training is not a condition of starting. The team helps children and parents with the process, so a child’s readiness for nursery need not depend on having reached that milestone. Leadership includes a Head of Early Years and a Nursery Manager, who handle questions about session changes after joining.
Learning support caters for mild specific learning difficulties and can include teaching assistant support in Nursery. That gives families a concrete support arrangement to discuss in relation to their child’s needs.
In April to May 2024, ISI found that early-years children’s personal, emotional and physical wellbeing benefited from sensitive staff interactions and the example adults set. Early-years safeguarding included attention to dietary and medical needs, sleeping children, indoor and outdoor risks, and collection by the correct adult.
Risk assessment reviews. The same inspection recommended that leaders update and review risk assessments to match practice. Families should consider that improvement point alongside the specific early-years care checks.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Contact the admissions team to confirm the Reception process for an existing nursery child. Keep that decision distinct from choosing nursery sessions.
For Reception entry, children attend a visit with a parent in Wise Owls rather than a formal assessment. This offers a way to meet the setting together; it should not be read as an admissions advantage from nursery attendance. Boys’ nursery attendance ends at the start of Reception, making the next-setting decision especially important for their families.
Two- and three-year-olds must attend at least three mornings each week. Pre-Reception requires at least four mornings, with an expectation of five by the summer term. This is a regular attendance commitment rather than an entirely occasional booking model.
Sessions may be altered each term, or sooner when space permits. Withdrawal or a reduction requires a term’s notice and remains subject to the minimum attendance requirement. The Nursery team offers holiday and ad-hoc bookings before each term starts.
The nursery remains open during the optional October 2026 half-term break, from 19 to 30 October. Holiday provision therefore extends beyond the school term, although closure dates still matter when planning childcare.
Contact admissions@notredame.co.uk or 01932 869993 to enquire; private tours can be booked. The admissions team can provide a personalised fee estimate. Ask for current charges when weighing the attendance pattern against your family’s needs.
Yes. The nursery takes boys and girls, with boys attending until the start of Reception.
Children aged two and three attend at least three mornings. Pre-Reception requires four mornings, expected to increase to five by the summer term.
No. The team can help your child with toilet training.
Yes. Beds and space are provided for children who still need an afternoon nap.
No. Contact the admissions team to confirm the Reception process for an existing nursery child.
