Herne Bay Infant School Nursery Review

Play, books and practical discovery shape Inkpen Class, the nursery at Herne Bay Infant School. Children can start in the seasonal term following their third birthday. There is one nursery class within this maintained infant school on Stanley Road, so the provision belongs to a school setting rather than operating as a separate nursery.

The nursery occupies the Foundation Stage area, with purpose-built accommodation and a large outdoor space close by. That connection between indoors and outdoors gives practical exploration a physical place in the day.

Two teaching sessions organise the day: 8.45am to 11.45am, then 12.15pm to 3.15pm. For children attending all day, lunch sits between them, from 11.45am to 12.15pm. This makes the meal a defined pause between morning and afternoon learning.

Inkpen follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). For parents, its language and literacy work means building communication alongside the beginnings of reading and writing. The school describes its curriculum as combining play with knowledge, with literature providing a way to explore ideas. It aims to make learning practical and help children develop independence.

At the June 2025 inspection, children across the early years engaged enthusiastically with learning and achieved well. Garden bug hunts involved identifying creatures with a key, connecting outdoor exploration with careful observation. Model-making included saws and hammers, with staff helping children understand risk and safe tool use. These examples show learning through real tasks: looking closely, making decisions and handling materials, rather than simply hearing about them.

A class teacher and nursery practitioners make up the Inkpen teaching team. In June 2025, early-years children settled successfully into school life and developed positive relationships with each other. Those findings matter for children getting used to learning alongside others.

For children staying all day, families can choose a packed lunch or a hot meal prepared on site by the school's kitchen team. The choice lets families use either home-prepared food or the cooked lunch within the same nursery timetable.

The wider school inclusion team includes speech and language support, a learning mentor and a pastoral child and family worker. All staff undertake safeguarding training annually, while safeguarding leads renew their role training every two years. This places nursery care within the school's support and safeguarding structure.

Separate application. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again through the normal Kent County Council primary admissions process by the applicable deadline. Choosing Inkpen should therefore be a decision about the nursery experience itself, with the Reception application treated as a separate step.

Applications go through Kent County Council's online route. The school office can help families with that application, providing practical assistance with the process rather than an assurance of admission.

Morning and afternoon sessions have distinct start and finish times, with a lunch session for children staying all day. The finishing times mark the end of teaching; allow a few extra minutes for children to get ready for collection.

For nursery enquiries, contact the school office on 01227 372245 or email office@herne-bay.kent.sch.uk. A nursery application form is part of the joining process. Refer to the school for current charges.