Little Acorns Nursery at Forest Row Church of England Primary School

Three-hour sessions give Little Acorns a clear rhythm: a morning or afternoon booking, with short extensions at either end of the day. This is Forest Row Church of England Primary School and Nursery’s own provision on School Lane, catering for children aged two, three and four. Families book a regular pattern rather than choosing sessions afresh each week.

The school’s early years provision received a Good judgement at the Ofsted inspection of 19 and 20 March 2024. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.

Play and adult-led learning sit alongside each other in the early years curriculum. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, early reading and number work, and creative expression. For parents, that means looking beyond formal tasks to the learning happening through conversation, exploration and making things.

Talking has a clear purpose. Children practise listening and speaking through discussions that encourage questions and reasoning. Maths takes a practical route: matching, sorting, measuring and exploring shapes help children understand quantities and patterns. The named mastery approach focuses on understanding number deeply, with mathematical language helping children explain their thinking.

Music, drama, movement and art provide ways to express feelings and ideas. The early years literacy curriculum also includes shared books and class libraries, giving books a physical place in the learning environment. In March 2024, children’s own interests shaped their learning, adults introduced richer language, and the learning spaces supported development across the curriculum. These details matter: exploration has adult guidance as well as room for children’s ideas.

Lunch can be a packed meal from home or a hot meal supplied for an additional charge. Snacks, drinks and wipes sit within a voluntary consumables contribution. Families who decline that contribution provide those items themselves; nappies also need to come from home. This makes the distinction between optional contributions and parental supplies practical rather than incidental.

The nursery application asks about medical conditions, continuing medication and emergency contacts, so families can pass on care information before their child starts. For special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school’s support arrangements include targeted interventions, updates to parents through the year, and work with health professionals and the local authority. An Inclusion Lead and SENCO provide the team roles for discussing additional needs.

Attending Little Acorns does not guarantee a Reception place. Nursery booking and Reception admission are separate processes: families must make a fresh Reception application through the normal route and meet the applicable deadline. East Sussex County Council manages admission to Forest Row primary school, so nursery confirmation should never be treated as confirmation of a school place.

Morning sessions run from 09:00 to 12:00, with afternoons from 12:00 to 15:00. Early start runs from 08:30 to 09:00; late collection extends the day from 15:00 to 15:30. The booking form provides weekday choices, and attendance must cover at least two days each week. Requests become confirmed bookings only after the school agrees them, and the pattern stays fixed for the term.

The booking form accommodates 15- and 30-hour funded entitlements, with families signing a declaration so the school can claim funding. Morning and afternoon sessions are eligible for funding; additional daily hours are charged separately. Ask the school for current charges before committing to a pattern.

Booked sessions remain payable if a child misses them, except where the nursery breaches its Terms and Conditions. The terms exclude replacement sessions for sickness, holidays or Bank Holidays. A deposit becomes due after the place is confirmed and is credited against the first invoice. For nursery enquiries, email forestrownursery@bluebellfederation.co.uk; completed applications go to the school office.