Magic Tree Nursery at Belmont Grosvenor School

Water play, performing arts and grounds overlooking the Nidd Valley give Magic Tree Nursery a character of its own. Belmont Grosvenor School’s nursery welcomes children from three months to four years at Swarcliffe Hall in Birstwith, outside Harrogate. The school’s 20-acres of grounds give outdoor learning room to breathe.

The ISI inspection of 10 to 12 June 2025 judged the registered early years provision good overall, with good education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. That judgement applies specifically to the registered provision. It gives families a useful assessment of the nursery’s teaching and care, rather than borrowing a whole-school verdict.

Play does the teaching here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together early number and literacy skills, communication, physical development, relationships, creativity and understanding the world. Children combine activities guided by adults with play they choose themselves. Staff assess their development and use their interests to plan the next steps, so the curriculum responds to the child rather than simply moving through a timetable.

Indoors and outdoors, the activities are tangible: pouring water through sieves, sending cars down ramps and practising balance or climbing. Babies have opportunities to crawl and climb; older children practise handling tools and making marks. Songs, stories and conversations build vocabulary alongside this physical exploration. These are small actions with clear purposes: stronger movement, longer attention and more ways to express an idea.

Tree Tops has weekly French during term time, introduced through games and singing. Swimming lessons start at three years, with a qualified instructor introducing water confidence and safety. Magical Musicalrama mixes instruments, movement and pretend play, while Treasure Baskets invite sensory discovery. In the pre-Reception phase, outdoor learning, French and performing arts add variety and support confidence for the next stage.

Taster sessions before starting let children meet staff and become familiar with their surroundings. Settling support includes comforting children, reading stories and gently encouraging participation. The team includes a nursery manager, deputy manager and leads for Saplings, Tree Tops and Pre-Reception, giving families identifiable roles across the provision.

Key-person communication. In June 2025, some parents did not know which adult was their child’s key person, weakening information sharing for those families. Clear identification of that contact matters when discussing development or wellbeing. Children with SEND received individual support, including simpler language, learning alongside peers and activities that help them understand emotions; staff worked with families and outside professionals.

Meals were calm social occasions, with dietary needs addressed together with families and children encouraged to feed themselves. Sleep, handwashing and toileting routines received careful attention, and adults sought children’s permission before helping with personal care. June 2025 brought school-wide concerns about staff references and overseas recruitment checks, distinct from the registered nursery’s effective safeguarding judgement; the ISI monitoring inspection on 27 February 2026 confirmed effective safeguarding, including early years, and that the relevant standards examined were met.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families need to apply separately for Reception through the school’s admissions process: an informal meeting and tour with parents, followed by a child’s taster session, after which a place may be offered.

Familiarity has a practical value of its own. Nursery and school share one site, and some staff teach across the school, helping children recognise their surroundings and adults as they move through it. That continuity is separate from the decision to offer a place.

Four nursery session patterns allow families to choose a full day from 8am to 6pm, a school day from 8:30am to 3:30pm, a morning from 8am to midday or an afternoon from 1pm to 5pm. Entry can be requested throughout the year, with sessions subject to availability. Pre-Reception requires at least four sessions, combining full days, mornings or both.

Funding covers up to 38 weeks across three terms. Working Parents Funding offers up to 30 hours weekly, between 8:30am and 2:30pm, for the named younger nursery groups from the term after nine months. Universal Funding offers up to 15 hours weekly, between 8:30am and 11:30am, for Tree Tops and Pre-Reception from the term after three years. Hours must fit the available sessions; unfunded hours, supplementary and enrichment charges apply. Contact the school for current charges.

Full uniform begins at Pre-Reception. Younger children use waterproof overalls outdoors and keep wellies at school. Enquiries go to admin@belmontgrosvenor.co.uk or 01423 771 029, and personal tours can be arranged throughout the year.