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Nursery at Dunsford Community Academy
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Forest School throughout the year gives Dunsford’s nursery an outdoor thread from the start. For children aged two to four, this is nursery provision within Dunsford Community Academy, with a team that works alongside Robins Class on the move into school. The emphasis is on early learning through play, with family contact built into the routine.
The wider school grounds include a wild garden and a Forest area. Those are concrete features of the setting; the nursery’s year-round Forest School gives outdoor learning a place beyond the summer months.
Play carries much of the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) approach develops children’s conversation, listening, concentration and social confidence alongside the beginnings of literacy and maths. Children have opportunities to choose activities themselves as well as take part in planned teaching, both outside and indoors. That gives them room to pursue an interest while practising how to learn with others.
Art, music and pretend play are part of this approach. Play lets children communicate ideas before they can put them on paper, and gives them opportunities to form friendships in groups or individually. These are learning activities, rather than simply breaks between teaching.
In May 2022, Ofsted found that an interest in books was encouraged from Nursery and that children developed knowledge of letter sounds quickly. Early number work also began in Nursery, with thoughtfully planned activities preparing children for the next stage. These findings give a dated picture of the nursery’s foundations in reading and maths.
Stay and Play sessions are usually offered to children starting nursery. They provide an opportunity to experience the setting before settling into regular attendance. The nursery aims to work with families around each child’s needs, rather than treating settling as the same experience for everyone.
An emailed newsletter arrives weekly, while Tapestry shares photographs and observations of individual children’s learning. The two serve different purposes: one keeps families abreast of nursery activities and reminders; the other offers a closer view of their own child’s progress.
Breakfast is available to children who want it at Breakfast Club in Kingfishers Class, alongside play activities. School lunches are cooked on site by the catering team, using fresh ingredients and local produce where possible. Choices include vegetarian and meat dishes, with alternatives such as pasta or baked potatoes. Lunch orders go through My Child At School at least 24 hours ahead.
For additional needs, families can contact the school’s SENDCo by email or telephone. The school emphasises working with parents to plan support and include children in their education.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through the normal local authority process. Devon applications can be made online or using an application form; families living outside Devon apply through their own council. The normal primary application window runs from 15 November to 15 January.
Transition work is a separate matter. The nursery team collaborates with Robins Class, and transition activities take place across the week. Sessions are confirmed each term, so families can increase attendance over time if they choose. Familiarity with the school should not be confused with an admissions entitlement.
Morning drop-off is into Robin Class from 8:40am. Afternoon sessions run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm, with collection at 3:15pm from the playground. For lunchtime or end-of-day classroom collections, parents ring the gate.
Breakfast Club opens at 7:30am in Kingfishers Class, with children taken directly to the classroom after parents ring the gate. This gives families an earlier starting option alongside the nursery sessions.
To request an application pack or arrange a personal nursery tour, email dunsford@lapsw.org or call 01626 572971. Session choices are confirmed termly as part of the funding arrangements. Contact the school for current charges.
Children aged two to four are welcome.
No. Families need to apply separately through the normal local authority admissions process, with the normal primary deadline of 15 January.
Afternoon sessions run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm.
Tapestry provides photographs and observations of individual children’s progress. Families also receive an emailed weekly newsletter.
Yes. Personal tours can be arranged by email or telephone, and Stay and Play sessions are usually offered for children starting nursery.
