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Nursery at Brackenfield School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Wrens and Robins give Brackenfield’s youngest children their own starting point within the school: Wrens caters for ages two to three, Robins for three to four. The nursery sits within Brackenfield School in Harrogate, combining play-based learning with access to specialist teachers and shared school spaces.
Childcare extends across 50 weeks, with term-time places also an option. That gives families a choice between care through much of the school holidays and a pattern built around terms.
Play shapes the learning here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guides the programme, with children’s interests helping to shape activities. In everyday terms, children build things, explore outdoors, develop language and practise early reading and number skills. Dance and music bring movement and sound into the mix.
Wrens and Robins have classrooms alongside space for indoor play and music. Outside, the nursery playground provides resources for physical activity and playing together. These are distinct settings for different parts of the day, from construction indoors to moving about outside.
Specialist teaching adds a clear weekly rhythm. French and music take place weekly, while PE uses the main hall twice a week. Forest School also forms part of the specialist provision. During STEM Week in 2026, nursery children visited Knaresborough Reptile House, and Northern Gas Networks ran workshops involving children from nursery upwards. Exploration can take children beyond their usual rooms.
The June 2023 ISI inspection found rapid progress across the EYFS and confident nursery participation in both adult-guided and independently chosen activities. Its recommendation applied across the school: children needed more scope to decide the content or method of their learning. For parents, the distinction is useful: choosing between activities and helping shape the learning itself are different kinds of independence.
Settling begins in stages: a two-hour taster comes before a morning that includes lunch. Staff can arrange shorter or more flexible hours for children needing extra time to adjust. The gradual start gives a child time to become familiar with the people and routines before taking on a longer day.
A qualified nursery team works under a nursery manager. Parents can speak informally with staff, while the Blossom App provides weekly learning-journal updates. Autumn and summer parents’ evenings add opportunities to discuss development, followed by a written report at year end. Communication therefore has both regular updates and planned conversations.
Lunch is home cooked, served at 11:45am and included in morning sessions. Nursery children eat in the hall with Reception and the younger school classes each day, making the meal part of their connection with the wider school.
Preparation for Reception starts in the spring term. Later in the year, nursery children join Reception playtimes, while the Reception teacher visits the nursery and leads stories and activities towards year end. Familiar adults and shared routines help make the change less abrupt.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm Reception admission arrangements with the admissions team, separately from the transition activities children enjoy within school.
The Standard Day runs from 8:30am to 3:30pm; the Extended Day starts at 8:00am and ends at 5:00pm. Morning sessions finish at 12:30pm after an 8:30am start, while afternoons run from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Breakfast Club covers 7:30am to 8:30am, and Late Stay runs from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.
Full-day and half-day bookings operate five days a week, with hours agreed during registration. Early Years funding and childcare vouchers are accepted towards fees. Contact the school for current charges. Withdrawal requires a term’s written notice, given by the last day of the term preceding the child’s final term. Families should factor that deadline into their plans.
Visits can be arranged through the nursery enquiry form or by calling 01423 508558. Individual tours and Stay and Play events give parents ways to explore the nursery with their child.
Children attend from age two to four. Wrens is for two- to three-year-olds and Robins for three- to four-year-olds.
Yes. Term-time places are available alongside childcare across 50 weeks of the year.
Yes. Lunch is served at 11:45am and is included in morning sessions.
The Blossom App provides weekly learning-journal updates. Parents’ evenings take place in autumn and summer, with a written report at year end and opportunities to speak informally with staff.
No. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Confirm Reception admission arrangements with the admissions team.
