Alver Valley Infant and Nursery School: Nursery Review

Stories carried into play and Forest School in an on-site woodland give Alver Valley’s nursery its distinctive character. Hooks into Books brings texts to life, while outdoor sessions give children room to explore their own interests. These are concrete ways of learning through doing.

The nursery sits within Alver Valley Infant and Nursery School in Gosport. Children can start in the term following their third birthday. The 2025/26 nursery arrangements allowed a maximum of 52 children at any one time, a simultaneous capacity rather than a total roll.

Hooks into Books gives stories a life beyond listening time. Nursery children retell them, return to them and act them out, carrying characters and ideas into their play. A weekly school library visit adds another connection with books: children take books home to share with parents, and the librarian helps with choices. Reading therefore has a place both in nursery activities and at home.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning includes the small steps towards writing. Staff support each child’s next mark-making skill, changing the focus once it is established or another need becomes more pressing. Development Matters and EYFS 2021 inform this progression. Maths uses the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract approach from nursery onwards, connecting practical materials with pictures and then abstract ideas.

Forest School adds a different learning space: the school’s own woodland. Nursery children take part in regular sessions. Children choose much of their activity, with an optional planned task each week. Level 3 Forest School leaders work alongside teachers and teaching assistants; the site is checked for risks before sessions, and leaders hold Outdoor First Aid Training certification. Exploration comes with explicit boundaries and rules about caring for the woodland.

For concerns about development or well-being, the class teacher is the first contact, with the SENDCo team coordinating additional support. Learning Support Assistants may work with children individually or in small groups according to need. The school employs a part-time speech and language therapist, giving the teaching team access to specialist advice and support with speech plans.

Parents can book SEN meetings through the office on Friday mornings. Children on the SEN Register have individual targets shared with families in November, March and June, making discussions about progress specific. Support is reviewed with parents rather than treated as a fixed arrangement.

Medical conditions have individual care plans. For dietary needs, parents complete a detailed form and Hampshire Caterers (HC3) receive the information. This gives families a defined process for communicating care requirements.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Hampshire County Council’s normal admissions process and meet the deadline for their child’s entry year.

There was a limited nursery priority for the 2025/26 admissions cycle: out-of-catchment children attending the school-run nursery ranked under criterion 7, ahead of other children in the final category and behind criteria 1 to 6. It was not a promise of admission. That cycle’s application deadline was midnight on 15 January 2025.

Transition support is separate from allocation. Planned visits help children starting Reception become familiar with school, while children with additional needs may receive extra visits or social stories. Parents are consulted about transition planning.

The 2025/26 nursery attendance model included mornings from 8:35am to 11:35am, afternoons from 12:15pm to 3:15pm and full days from 8:35am to 3:15pm. Subject to spaces, families could combine full days with shorter sessions or choose five mornings or five afternoons. Five full days were offered to children with a valid 30-hour code.

The same arrangements described universal funding of 15 hours weekly over 38 weeks from the term after a child’s third birthday, with additional hours subject to eligibility. The office helps families apply for the additional entitlement. Nursery enquiries go through the infant school office on 023 9258 1777; prospective parents can also arrange a school tour with a senior leader.