Our Lady's Preparatory School Nursery Review

Forest School from two and care across 51 weeks give this school nursery a character beyond the term-time classroom. Our Lady’s Nursery and Pre-School shares the preparatory school’s site in Crowthorne, with provision spanning babies to children approaching school age. At the March 2026 registered-setting inspection, the age range was three months to four years, with 106 places and 112 children on roll. Places and enrolment are different measures.

Owlets caters for the youngest children, followed by Owls for two- to three-year-olds. Pre-school groups include Woodpeckers, Badger and Hedgehogs. Room leaders, nursery assistants and pre-school teachers sit within a nursery management structure, giving families distinct stages within the same setting.

Books, movement and outdoor exploration shape the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together early communication, physical development, relationships and the foundations of literacy and mathematics. Here, familiar stories help babies practise words, while older children develop longer explanations through conversation. Trips to the school library extend that interest beyond their own rooms.

A large marble run gives children a practical problem to solve together; blocks and sand offer younger children opportunities to experiment. Daily outdoor access provides room to exercise and practise balance. Forest School, available from two, adds nature searches, building dens and making things with natural materials. These are concrete opportunities to practise cooperation and try ideas out.

PE starts with babies and includes soft play, balancing and obstacle activities. Music involves the Director of Music, while an external teacher leads dance. Off-site swimming is offered during the academic year before starting school. Activities depend on the sessions attended and are included in monthly fees.

The registered nursery’s March 2026 assessment placed teaching and curriculum at the expected standard, but identified uneven adult interactions, insufficiently developed mathematics teaching and frequent interruptions to older children’s play. These matter: children need sustained time and purposeful conversation to extend an idea. Reducing noise in the pre-school room was also an improvement priority, to help listening and communication.

A key person system gives children a familiar adult, with arrangements for settling and changing rooms. Before a child starts, staff work with parents to understand care needs and home routines. Regular communication continues afterwards, alongside suggestions for learning at home. That continuity helps make unfamiliar routines manageable.

Meals and everyday consumables are included: children receive breakfast, lunch with a pudding, snacks, tea and drinks, plus nappies and wipes. In March 2026, safe sleeping arrangements were followed, and staff supervised eating, understood allergies and took account of each child’s weaning stage.

Support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) includes individual plans, reviews and cooperation with parents and other professionals. However, agreed teaching approaches were sometimes applied inconsistently. Families should consider how consistently their child’s support plan translates into daily activities.

The March 2026 registered-setting assessment recorded safeguarding as met, while also identifying a missed notification to Ofsted that had not affected children’s safety or learning. Separately, the concurrent whole-school assessment identified attendance-recording failures that left school safeguarding standards unmet. These are distinct findings with different scopes.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Nursery and Reception admission are separate. Contact the school to confirm how and when to apply for Reception; a nursery registration should not be treated as securing school entry. The school distinguishes registration for nursery from reserving a Reception place.

Transition activities are a separate benefit. For children joining Our Lady’s school, joint playtimes with Reception, Early Years assemblies, a shared nativity and extra transition sessions build familiarity. Preparation also supports children moving to other schools, with independence, communication and social routines developed through play and structured activities.

Care runs from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks. Closures cover Christmas week, bank holidays and two annual INSET days. Booking patterns cover two, three, four or five days. An earlier 7.30am start can be booked ad hoc, subject to availability, for an additional charge.

Funded hours are spread across the year. Eligible children can access the 30-hour entitlement from the term after reaching nine months; the 15-hour entitlement begins the term after turning three for children who do not qualify for that offer. Check current charges with the school. Tours can be booked, and enquiries go to office@olps.co.uk or 01344 773394.