Frensham Heights School Nursery Review

Pirate eye patches, junk models and a vote on the school hens' names give Frensham's early years a character of their own. Fireflies is the nursery and preschool provision at Frensham Heights School in Rowledge, Farnham, within its Junior School. Creative activity sits alongside learning to speak, write and get along with others.

Entry starts at three: children must reach that age either when they enter or during their first half term. In February 2025, the nursery had 12 children in a single class. That is a dated class count, rather than a measure of how many places families can book today.

Outdoor activity and creative work sit alongside classroom learning. In February 2025, early years children made good progress with experienced staff, through a curriculum combining indoor learning, outdoor play and physical education. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings these experiences together: language, physical development and social learning develop through practical activities as well as teaching.

The outdoor environment gives children room to run, climb and play. Making pirate eye patches prompted discussion and new vocabulary; questions about healthy vegetables gave children time to think before answering. Alphabet practice added focused writing work. These are concrete ways of building communication, rather than relying only on adult instruction.

Art has dedicated lessons from Nursery onwards, while music, drama and dance also form part of the curriculum. In February 2025, early years children sang together, moved around their classroom to music and worked persistently on models made from discarded materials. Role play involving buying and selling introduced money, and voting on names for the hens introduced collective decisions. Everyday play has a learning purpose.

Care includes regular conversations with parents. In February 2025, early years teachers checked children's development closely and consulted families about their wellbeing. Staffing supported appropriate supervision, and staff working with this age group received paediatric first aid training. Medicines and mobile phones were stored securely as part of early years safeguarding practice.

Lunchtime also carried a social purpose. Children sat with different adults and friends, with staff demonstrating friendly conversation. This gave them opportunities to practise talking and listening beyond a lesson.

Learning support. The small Support for Learning team restricts how many children it can support in each year group, and caters only for mild learning difficulties. Families with known or suspected needs must share relevant information so the school can assess whether it can meet them. Suitability needs individual consideration.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm Reception application requirements and timing with the admissions team. For Nursery and Reception entry, registration is followed by a short, informal visit to meet the early years teaching lead and explore the facilities.

Social contact with older early years children is useful in its own right: in February 2025, Reception children helped nursery children with their coats. Such familiarity supports everyday relationships; it should not be treated as an admissions advantage.

Children must be fully toilet trained when joining. There is no school uniform; suitable footwear includes everyday shoes and waterproof or walking boots, a practical consideration for outdoor activity.

Nursery enquiries are accepted throughout the year when space permits. Contact admissions@frensham.org or call 01252 792561 to enquire about a place. Private tours can be booked through the admissions team, giving families an opportunity to explore the setting. Refer to the school for current charges.