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Nursery at Kingshott 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Wooden castles outdoors, early phonics and specialist music give Kingshott’s nursery its character: play and the first steps in learning sit together. For children aged 3–4, this is the nursery within an independent school in St Ippolyts, near Hitchin. The early years section has its own buildings on the shared school site. In April and May 2025, there were two nursery classes.
Children can join from the term following their third birthday, subject to assessment and a place being available. That makes the nursery a school-based option for families ready for a classroom group, with morning, afternoon and full-day attendance patterns.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning to communicate, move and manage feelings with early reading, number work, creativity and exploring the world. Adults plan activities around what children show an interest in and what they need to learn next. Children also choose activities themselves. The practical implication is that learning follows their development, rather than relying solely on a fixed topic sequence.
Letters and Sounds and Jolly Phonics introduce the relationship between letters and their sounds. Number rhymes and practical tasks build counting and mathematical understanding. Independence gets attention too: children practise handling scissors, using cutlery and changing clothes. Specialist staff teach PE, while French, drama and music each have weekly sessions, bringing different adults and forms of expression into the nursery week.
Outdoor equipment gives movement a purpose. During the ISI inspection of 29 April to 1 May 2025, early years children developed physical skills through climbing and balancing, and practised cooperation while building wooden castles and playing imaginative games. Stories and questions also helped them understand other people’s feelings. These are everyday skills for joining a group: sharing materials, helping a friend and recognising an emotion.
Class teachers and teaching assistants are the younger children’s first contacts for help. An on-site qualified nurse deals with illness and injury, with parents contacted when collection is needed. Once a place has been accepted, families are invited to joining events tailored to them, giving the move into school a planned starting point.
For nursery children learning English as an additional language, pictures, familiar stories and role play supported understanding and confidence in April and May 2025. Families applying with additional learning needs must disclose these early and provide recent specialist reports so the school can consider whether it can meet the child’s needs.
Lunch and snacks are included in nursery fees. This keeps those parts of the day within the main attendance charge.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Treat Reception as a separate admissions decision and contact the school’s admissions team about applying. Reception applicants and their parents join the Getting to Know You session. September places are usually offered in December, though this timing can change. December is an offer period, rather than an application deadline.
After accepting a place, families are invited to tailored joining events. That preparation supports the change of stage; it should be kept distinct from the decision to offer a place.
Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns cover one to five days, with ad hoc days and sessions also offered. Breakfast Club runs from 7:30 to 7:55 am, and after-school care has collection options up to 5:00 or 6:00 pm. These extend the care options around nursery attendance.
Funding. Kingshott does not offer the government-funded 15 or 30 childcare hours. Families need to plan for privately paid attendance. Tax-free childcare accounts and childcare vouchers can be used towards fees through the term in which a child turns 5.
Additional charges. Wraparound care, trips and optional tuition sit outside the main fee. Contact the school for current charges. Leaving requires a full term’s notice or payment of a term’s fees in lieu, which matters when planning a change of setting.
Enquiries and individual tours can be arranged through admissions@kingshottschool.com or 01462 432009. Tours are tailored to the child’s age and intended entry stage.
Nursery entry is from the term after the child turns three, subject to assessment and an available place.
Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns are offered for one to five days, alongside ad hoc sessions and full days.
No. The school does not offer the government-funded 15 or 30 hours. Tax-free childcare accounts and childcare vouchers can be used towards fees through the term in which a child turns 5.
Yes. Nursery fees include lunch and all snacks; wraparound care and other extras are charged separately.
No. Contact the school’s admissions team about Reception application arrangements. Reception applicants join their parents for the Getting to Know You session. Offers for a September start usually arrive in December, although the timing may change.
