Maltman's Green School Nursery Review

Swimming, French and Woodland School give the preschool years at Maltman's Green a distinctive shape. There are two stages for girls: Little Malties day care for two-year-olds, followed by Nursery for those aged three by 1 September in their entry year. Both sit within the school's Pre-Prep, so specialist lessons are part of preschool life.

Little Malties has 34 places. Nursery is the year immediately before Reception, with attendance patterns designed to introduce longer days. These are different booking models: families choosing care for a younger child have year-round and term-time options, while Nursery builds around the school terms.

Little Malties combines a timetable with flexibility for individual children. Registration and group time start at 9am, followed by play and learning indoors and outside, mixing activities children choose with work guided by adults. Lunch comes at 11.30am; quiet play or a nap follows at 12.30pm. Later sessions include another spell of exploration, stories and a breathing or meditation activity. Rest has a place in the day.

Specialist teaching adds variety. Little Malties has Music, PE and French, plus swimming during one term. Nursery girls have Music twice a week, swimming in weekly blocks during the year, and lessons in PE, French and Woodland School. The school's indoor pool measures 25 metres and has six lanes, providing a concrete setting for those swimming lessons.

The Foundation Stage curriculum connects talking, physical development and relationships with early reading, number work, creativity and exploration of the world. Maltman's holds an exemption from the statutory EYFS framework but uses its prime and specific learning areas. Children investigate through play; phonics links letters with sounds, and objects and pictures help explain mathematics.

The ISI inspection of 25 to 27 March 2025 found that early-years teaching developed independence and confidence through letter sounds and early writing, with adult conversation, imaginative play and small-group discussion supporting language. Helping with snacks and putting resources away also builds responsibility through ordinary tasks.

Each girl in Little Malties and Nursery has an allocated key person who helps her settle and links care with her individual needs. For Little Malties, an All About Me form gathers information before starting, including care routines. A named comforter can accompany a child during her early days. Children who sleep are checked regularly, with observations entered on a sleep chart; those staying awake have quiet activities.

Tapestry shares photographs and learning observations with families, who can contribute their own entries. Communication diaries cover food, sleep and toileting in Little Malties; Nursery's diary records how lunch went. Meals are included: girls receive freshly prepared lunch and a morning snack, with an afternoon snack for early-years children. Little Malties offers fruit with milk or water in the morning and vegetable crudités later.

Learning support involves the class teacher, parents and Head of Learning Support in agreeing strategies, with SEND Support Plans reviewed at least twice yearly. In March 2025, early-years care included consistent adults, predictable routines, suitable staffing ratios and access to staff trained in paediatric first aid.

Allergies. Little Malties requires written dietary information, and the school follows a nut-free policy. The March 2025 inspection identified nuts in a container used to feed birds in an area children did not access; this was corrected during the visit, with more consistent application of risk-assessment policies recommended. Families managing allergies should take this into account.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Here, the school contract assumes progression when a pupil meets the criteria applying at that stage; parents are consulted before the Spring Term ends if continuation may be refused. This is conditional continuation within an independent school, rather than an unconditional entitlement. Parents choosing a different next stage must give written notice before the Summer Term starts, or face a charge in lieu.

Preparation is separate from that contractual position. Increasing time in Nursery helps children become accustomed to longer days, while taking responsibility for snack-time jobs and shared resources practises independence.

Little Malties requires at least five half-day sessions weekly. Choices run from mornings or afternoons to a school day or extended day, with year-round care covering 49 weeks. Nursery mornings run from 9am to 1pm, afternoons finish at 4pm, and wraparound extends from 7.30am to 6.30pm. Holiday care carries an additional charge.

Funding. The school accepts Tax Free Childcare and childcare vouchers but does not accept the government's 15- or 30-hour schemes. Bursaries exclude Nursery and Little Malties. Ask the school for current charges before committing to a pattern.

Little Malties children wear named uniform and leave with a parent or authorised collector. Nursery uses its black entrance door by 8.45am, with later arrivals taken to main reception. Enquiries and visit requests can go to registrar@maltmansgreen.com or 01753 883022.