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Nursery at St Ives 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A garden overlooking the South Downs and Forest School in eight acres of woodland give St Ives Nursery a distinctly outdoor character. Known as The Ivies, this mixed nursery in Haslemere takes children aged two to four and combines its own nursery space with access to the wider independent school.
Children aged two to three are Ducklings; those aged three to four are Ducks. These groups mark a changing day as children develop, with specialist subjects introduced alongside play. The connection to the main school has practical substance: nursery children use its dining hall and learn with its specialist teachers.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes learning around talking, movement and relationships, alongside early reading and writing, maths, creative expression and discovering how the world works. Activities respond to children's developmental stages, needs and interests, giving imaginative play and creative work a place alongside early literacy.
Music, PE and French bring specialist teachers into the nursery curriculum as children grow. Cooking, dance and yoga add different ways to practise movement and practical skills, while ballet is an optional activity. From age three, children can participate in swimming and tennis each week. That age condition matters when comparing the experience for younger and older children.
Outdoors, the dedicated garden and woodland provide distinct settings for exploration. In February 2026, ISI found that early-years learning used the woodland effectively and that children developed language through play and carefully timed adult interaction. Early work on sounds, reading, writing, numbers and shapes gave that play an educational purpose. These findings cover the school's early years, which include the nursery.
A key person gives each family a consistent contact within the nursery team. Before a child starts, that member of staff visits the family at home to begin getting acquainted. Settling therefore starts with a familiar adult rather than only with a new room and routine.
Daily conversations at the start and finish of the day sit alongside weekly Tapestry updates and a whole-school newsletter. Three parents' evenings across the year provide further opportunities to discuss progress; families can also arrange a longer conversation when concerns arise. Lunch takes place in the school dining hall, bringing nursery children into another part of school life.
The February 2026 early-years findings describe circle time helping children understand emotions, with adults modelling listening and turn-taking. Care procedures covered sleep checks, medication, intimate care and first aid, alongside risk assessments for activities including swimming and outdoor learning. One school-wide improvement remained: the new behaviour recording system needed further embedding so leaders could assess patterns more precisely.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Contact the school about Reception application arrangements; applications are considered throughout the year, subject to availability.
Preparation for the change is more concrete. At the start of the Ducks year, parents meet the nursery manager, headteacher and Pre-Prep team to discuss the main school. During the summer term, Reception Readiness Sessions give children a morning in the Reception classroom each week. Children registered to join from elsewhere participate too, helping the future class become familiar with one another. This is transition practice, rather than an admissions entitlement.
Term-time attendance comes in three patterns: AM Only runs from 8.30 to 11.30am; AML continues until 1pm and includes lunch; AD is the full day, ending at 3pm. The minimum booking on joining is three sessions a week for two-year-olds and six for three-year-olds.
Up to 15 funded hours per week are offered. Eligible two-year-olds and all three- and four-year-olds from the term after their third birthday can take fully funded weekday sessions from 8.30 to 11.30am, with no additional charges for those sessions. Longer sessions have charges; contact the school for current charges.
Early Birds runs from 7.45 to 8.25am for children aged three and above only. Charged after-school care runs from 3 to 5.45pm. Holiday clubs operate at varying points during the year. To arrange a nursery visit or enquire, call 01428 643734 or email registrar@stiveshaslemere.com.
Children aged two to four attend. Ducklings are aged two to three, while Ducks are aged three to four.
AM Only is 8.30 to 11.30am, AML is 8.30am to 1pm including lunch, and AD is 8.30am to 3pm. Minimum bookings on joining are three sessions weekly for two-year-olds and six for three-year-olds.
Up to 15 funded hours a week are offered. Fully funded weekday mornings from 8.30 to 11.30am carry no additional charges for eligible two-year-olds and all three- and four-year-olds from the term after their third birthday.
Each child has a key person who visits the family at home before the child starts and remains the family's main nursery contact. Parents receive weekly Tapestry updates and can speak with staff at the beginning and end of the day.
No. Contact the school about Reception application arrangements. Summer-term Reception Readiness Sessions introduce children to the classroom for one morning a week, alongside external children registered to join in September.
