Prestwood Infant School Nursery Review

Songs, rhymes and learning through play give Prestwood Infant School's preschool its character. Attached to the infant school on Moat Lane, it caters for children aged two to four. Owl and Duckling Room are the named nursery rooms, with two nursery classes serving two- and three-year-olds. This is an early introduction to school life, with a separate preschool timetable.

Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 23 and 24 April 2025. That judgement covers the school's early years provision, rather than being a separate nursery rating. At that time, most preschool children attended part-time.

Play is the starting point for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. In parent terms, learning brings together movement, language, relationships and emotional development with early number and literacy skills. Creative expression and discovering the world are included too. The emphasis is on developing these skills through play.

Songs and rhymes help preschool children explore the sounds within words. Talk for Writing is used in early years classrooms: children retell stories, act them out and make their own versions. Speaking and listening give them ways to work with a story before expressing their own ideas.

In April 2025, independent learning activities gave children opportunities to use and rehearse their learning. Adult interactions helped extend their understanding and develop concentration and confidence. The early years curriculum built learning progressively from children's first days as two-year-olds.

Writing foundations. In April 2025, the school's early writing curriculum needed greater attention to punctuation and handwriting. Changes were underway, but their impact could not yet be assessed. Across the school, the same inspection found that gaps in understanding and misconceptions sometimes went unchecked, allowing errors to persist. Inspectors asked for teaching to tackle these gaps consistently. This makes the development of early writing skills a useful focus for conversations about a child's progress.

A preschool manager, deputy manager and preschool assistants form the nursery team. For children with additional needs, support connects with the school's SEND arrangements. Children on the SEND register have individual support plans covering intended outcomes, provision and timescales. Plans are shared with parents and carers three times a year, giving families regular opportunities to discuss support.

In April 2025, needs were identified accurately from the early years onwards, with additional support for children with SEND and involvement from external agencies where appropriate. This provides a route to help alongside everyday learning.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately through the normal admissions process, contacting Buckinghamshire Council Schools Admissions team. Treat the nursery choice and the Reception application as separate decisions.

School transition meetings take place in July after families have accepted a place. These are preparation for joining the school, rather than an admissions advantage.

The morning session runs from 8:45am to 11:45am; the afternoon session ends at 2:45pm. Children use the blue gates for entry and collection. Fifteen- and thirty-hour funding is catered for, while the two-year-old nursery offers only funded places and requires eligibility for two-year-old funding.

Nursery enquiries go directly to the infant school office on 01494 862263 or infantoffice@pvsglt.co.uk. Preschool uniform is optional, which leaves families a choice about everyday clothing.