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Nursery at Waldorf Cambridge 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A whole Friday in the woods at Fulbourn Fen gives this Kindergarten its clearest signature. Nature, imaginative play and spoken language shape the early years at Waldorf Cambridge School in Fulbourn. Buttercups takes children from age two, while the mixed-age Kindergarten serves ages three to six. This is the school's own early years provision, with a Steiner-Waldorf approach that extends beyond the usual nursery years.
Ofsted graded early years Good at the inspection of 8 to 10 July 2025. That judgement applies to early years within the school, rather than to a separately inspected nursery.
The day runs from 8.30am to 3pm. Outdoor free play comes first, followed by a circle session with movement and songs. Morning play and activities sit either side of snack time; lunch leads into rest, then indoor and outdoor afternoon activities. Tidying and a story bring the session to a close. The repeated sequence gives children a predictable rhythm.
Creative play, puppet performances, poetry and singing are central to the school's approach. Seasonal festivals involve the Kindergartens and other classes, sometimes bringing families together too. In July 2025, teaching in early years matched children's needs well: circle sessions developed speaking and listening, while storytelling and harvesting apples encouraged imaginative exploration. Adults demonstrated movement and language carefully, helping children build confidence and independence.
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) concerns young children's learning and development. Here, exemptions cover specific requirements concerning formal literacy, numeracy and technology, allowing the school to follow its Waldorf developmental curriculum. Explicit literacy teaching starts at age six. Kindergarten learning is screen-free, so families should be comfortable with an emphasis on oral language, play and practical experience.
Outdoor time happens daily, whatever the weather. Older children have weekly woodland visits; on Fridays, the mixed-age Kindergarten spends its entire day at Fulbourn Fen with specialist outdoor teachers. This makes the woods part of the learning week, rather than an occasional outing.
An Early Years Manager, an early years SEN lead and a safeguarding lead for early years sit alongside Kindergarten teachers and assistants. In July 2025, established early years SEND processes helped children make progress. Calm adult voices, reminders and routines supported concentration and emotional regulation.
The important qualification was continuity: support needed greater consistency as children moved to their next stage. At the ungraded monitoring visit on 25 February 2026, the school met every independent school standard checked. This was a compliance outcome, rather than a new early years grade.
Organic vegetarian snacks and lunches carry an additional charge. Meals are booked by term, with no rebates for absence or changes after term begins; children bring their own snack and lunch for Garden/Woodland Day. A scheduled rest period follows lunch. These arrangements make food and downtime explicit parts of the day.
Satchel handles communication between families, teachers and school. Parent consultations take place twice a year alongside class parent evenings. The SENDCo participates in every application, assessing individual needs with families within the limits of a small school's resources.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions route and by the normal deadline for their chosen school. The Kindergarten's provision through age six is a curriculum arrangement, not a promise of admission elsewhere.
Kindergarten sessions run from 8.30am until 3pm, with a minimum attendance of four days each week. The school recommends the full session for its early years curriculum.
The 15-hour funded entitlement has two stand-alone patterns, subject to availability: Monday to Friday, 9am to noon, or Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 12.15pm. For three- and four-year-olds, entitlement begins in the term after the third birthday and continues through the term containing the fifth birthday. Calculations use the actual weeks and sessions each term.
Afternoon Care runs from 3pm to 5pm on weekdays, with eligibility starting in the year children turn four. Families book one to five afternoons before term starts, subject to availability. Ad-hoc bookings are excluded, and changes or withdrawal require half a term's notice.
Visits can be arranged through admissions@waldorfcambridge.uk or the visit form, with weekday tours offered. Contact the finance team for current charges. Kindergarten settling-in periods do not attract reduced fees, so include that condition when planning the start.
Buttercups accepts children from age two. Mixed-age Kindergarten provision covers ages three to six.
Outdoor time is part of each day in all weathers. Mixed-age Kindergarten children spend Fridays in the woods at Fulbourn Fen with specialist outdoor teachers.
Organic vegetarian lunches and snacks have an additional charge. Children bring a packed snack and lunch for Garden/Woodland Day.
Afternoon Care runs until 5pm, Monday to Friday, from the year children turn four. It requires advance term booking, is subject to availability and does not accept ad-hoc sessions.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee Reception admission. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal route by the relevant deadline.
