Martham Academy and Nursery: Tree Tops Nursery

Outdoor play can occupy much of a child's day at Tree Tops, while separate classrooms give younger and older nursery children their own base. This is Martham Academy and Nursery's provision on Black Street in Martham. Children start from the term following their second birthday and stay until they move to Reception.

Caterpillar Class accommodates children aged 2 to 3; Butterfly Class is for ages 3 to 5. The distinction gives families a clear picture of the nursery's age-group structure. Learning combines children's own choices with topics introduced by adults, so individual interests have a place alongside planned activities.

Choice shapes the day. Children can move between indoor activities and outdoor play, with some spending substantial time outside. Movement supports coordination and gives children opportunities to judge risks. Indoors, a sizeable playdough space encourages hand movements, while the writing area takes children from making marks towards forming letters.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven areas of development. Here, that means learning about friendships and feelings alongside communication, movement, reading, maths, the wider world and creative expression. A maths space gives number exploration its own base, but mathematical learning also happens elsewhere in the nursery. Topics develop children's interests in the world around them rather than keeping that learning to one activity area.

Books are shared daily. Puppets and story sacks help bring stories into play, and phase 1 phonics is part of the daily routine, with resources children can explore independently. Creative choices are equally concrete: children have painted self-portraits using mirrors and built animal worlds from loose parts. These activities give them ways to represent what they see and imagine.

In April 2023, Ofsted found that early-years activities helped children practise skills for subsequent learning, and that the environment encouraged participation and enjoyment. Its early-years findings also recognised a secure starting point in phonics. Those findings concern early years within the school.

Settling begins with introductory sessions for new starters, giving children a gradual introduction to nursery life. The nursery aims to keep families informed about their child's experiences and to maintain lasting relationships with parents and carers.

Emotional learning has a physical base: a space where children can express and explore feelings. Games and sand timers make waiting for a turn visible and understandable. Kind Hands and Walking Feet are among the everyday rules, turning expectations about safety and consideration into language young children can use. A speech and language intervention programme supports children who find communication difficult.

Across the school, Aspens prepares meals on site each day. Its Special Diet Procedure involves discussing medically diagnosed allergies, intolerances or health conditions with the Head of Kitchen, helping catering staff gather the information needed for menu requests. Lunch orders and changes are handled through the Arbor Parent Portal.

Staff receive child-protection and safeguarding training annually, alongside further updates. This gives the nursery's care arrangements a shared training basis rather than leaving safeguarding to one role.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Treat the nursery choice and the later school application as two decisions: time spent at Tree Tops should not be taken as securing admission.

Term-time provision runs Monday to Friday, with nursery opening hours of 8am to 5pm. Families can choose a whole day, a morning or an afternoon. Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The session choice matters when matching childcare to a working day.

Funding routes include two-year-old and three-year-old funding, plus 30-hour funding, subject to eligibility. Private payment, Tax-Free Childcare and student-finance-funded places are also accepted. Charges follow Norfolk County Council funding rates; contact the nursery for current charges. Care can be shared with another provider, which may help families combine arrangements.

To book a nursery show-around, call 01493 740280. Funding eligibility can be checked through Childcare Choices.