Royal Grammar School Guildford Nursery Review

Child-led play, an outdoor classroom and friendships with older children give RGS Nursery a distinct place within the larger school. Children join in the September after their third birthday. The nursery belongs to RGS Prep, with its youngest children based in the dedicated Pre-Prep department on Aldersey Road, rather than the senior school’s High Street site.

Boys currently attend; girls will join the nursery from September 2027. At the January 2025 inspection, the nursery comprised one class. That is a class count, not a measure of available places. Each early-years class has a teacher and teaching assistant, with an adult-to-child ratio typically of 1:8.

Children’s interests shape much of the timetable. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, move, make friends, read, write and explore numbers, alongside creative activities and discovering how the world works. Stories and songs develop vocabulary; practical maths introduces patterns, shapes and measurement. Music and games have specialist input from Nursery.

Inside, open-ended classroom resources give children material for imaginative play. Outside, the dedicated outdoor classroom and Outdoor Learning area extend that exploration. Building houses for minibeasts and roasting marshmallows at the firepit are concrete examples of learning through making and doing. A rolling topic programme spans two years, with the Arctic among its themes, linking classroom ideas with outdoor experiences.

The day also has recognisable anchors: a morning break, lunch, then time for stories or the library. Afternoon play follows. This gives child-led activity a framework of familiar routines rather than leaving the day entirely unstructured.

In January 2025, ISI found that early-years children progressed rapidly across their learning, with creative play contributing to their engagement. Staff stretched spoken vocabulary, including words such as palaeontologist and recipe. Physical activities developed both larger movements and finer hand skills.

Settling combines familiar routines, a key adult who learns about each child and a buddy in Years 1 or 2. Daily emotional check-ins use the Colour Monster story to help children communicate feelings, including through non-verbal responses. The January 2025 early-years findings described close staff relationships and children learning to cooperate, follow rules and take turns.

Additional emotional support includes drawing and talking therapy and an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). Parents receive updates about work and progress through an online app and meetings with teachers. Nursery Stay and Play sessions let children share their learning directly with their families.

Lunch is prepared on site, with dietary requirements accommodated. Children eat under supervision in the Pre-Prep hall and use its playground afterwards. Breakfast Club serves cereal, toast, fruit and porridge in the Prep Dining Hall; children staying for the later care receive a snack. These arrangements put meals and play within the care routine.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal application route and by the normal deadline; nursery enrolment should not be treated as securing admission.

Familiarity is a separate benefit. Nursery children already know the Pre-Prep surroundings, staff and routines before moving into Reception, known as Shell. That continuity can make the change feel less unfamiliar, but it should not be confused with an admissions entitlement.

This is a school-calendar nursery, with no part-time places. Drop-off begins at 8.00am and normal collection is at 3.10pm; families can choose an earlier collection from 2.00pm. For parents needing a longer day, weekday wraparound runs from 7.30am to 6.30pm.

Care through 4.30pm is included within school fees. After that, ActivSport takes over at the Prep school. Breakfast Club and the later After School Care are booked directly with ActivSport and carry additional charges. Ask the school for current charges.

Surrey early-years funding is accepted. Universal Funding provides 15 hours weekly for children aged three and four, credited against the school bill; eligible families may receive another 15 hours through Working Parent Entitlement. Enquiries can go to Prep-Admissions@rgsg.co.uk or through the admissions enquiry form. Toddler Time offers a chance for parent and child to explore the nursery together.