Quarry Hill Academy Nursery Review

Learning to play alongside other children gives Quarry Hill Academy’s nursery its clearest character. In November 2022, Ofsted found that the nursery and early years combined enjoyable learning with attention to children’s emotional and social development. That makes learning to be part of a group an important part of the picture here.

Quarry Hill Academy has Pre-School provision for ages 2–3 and Nursery provision for ages 3–4. The school is on Bradleigh Avenue in Grays. Keep the school nursery distinct from the separately registered childcare on the school site: these are different provisions, a distinction identified in November 2022.

Play and learning together are central to the early-years experience described in November 2022. Children showed maturity in how they interacted, with adults giving attention to their social skills, feelings and personal development. For a parent choosing a first group setting, that emphasis matters alongside what a child learns: being able to participate with other children is part of the learning itself.

Teaching also built on things children already knew, giving them opportunities to strengthen earlier learning. Consolidating prior knowledge was a clear focus. This gives families a useful picture of the educational approach: enjoyable learning, time to consolidate knowledge and attention to how children play together. These findings concern the nursery and early years specifically.

Personal development connects care with learning here. The November 2022 findings linked children’s mature interactions with the attention given to their emotional and social development. Relationships therefore form part of the educational experience, rather than sitting apart from it.

For the September 2026 intake, the school held Meet and Greet parent sessions, including a Pre-School and Nursery induction meeting. This gave families a dedicated introduction to the provision before their children’s next step.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the local authority; choosing the nursery should therefore be treated as a decision about the early-years experience itself.

The application route is Thurrock Council. For Reception entry in 2026/2027, applications opened on 1 November 2025 and had to reach the local authority by 15 January 2026. That deadline has passed. It belongs to that intake, so families applying for a later year need to use the deadline for their own admissions cycle.

Nursery and Pre-School have separate application forms: Nursery for ages 3–4, and Pre-School for ages 2–3. Use the form matching the provision your child is joining. This nursery application is separate from the local-authority process for Reception.

Enquiries go through the school office. Contact Quarry Hill Academy on 01375 373729 or email admin.qha@catrust.org.uk. The address is Bradleigh Avenue, Grays, Essex, RM17 5UT. A contact form also provides a written enquiry route, giving families another way to make initial contact.