Sutton High School GDST Nursery Review

Swimming on Tuesday, Forest School on Wednesday: Sutton High’s nursery gives young girls a school day with distinct activities beyond the classroom. Based in Fernwood House, it has its own playground and individual cubbies for children’s belongings. Girls can join in the term or half-term following their third birthday.

At the ISI inspection of 5 to 7 November 2024, Nursery had 20 children, grouped into either one or two classes according to session numbers. That is a dated roll, rather than a capacity figure. The provision forms the nursery section of this independent girls’ school.

Registration begins with a carpet gathering and an introduction to the activities ahead. Classroom learning alternates with outdoor lessons, including the Breathe the Wild Air approach. The timetable includes three PE lessons incorporating dance, swimming and gym, alongside two music lessons and one French lesson. Physical activity and language learning therefore have identifiable places in the week.

Early Years Foundation Stage learning here includes practising conversation, developing movement and learning to cooperate, alongside early reading, writing and number work. Nursery rhymes feature in afternoon learning; visitors introduce children to their school and local surroundings. Children also explore how their brains learn. These give parents concrete examples of the learning behind the timetable.

In November 2024, early-years children learnt new vocabulary through adults demonstrating language and encouraging conversation between children. Tricycles helped develop coordination and balance. Joint model building and scientific investigations gave children practice in sharing materials and working together, while Nursery shopping role play introduced buying and selling. Adult-led learning sat alongside activities children pursued independently, supporting confident participation.

Settling starts before the first nursery day. The admissions policy provides for a staff home visit and an initial discussion with parents about development and individual needs. Nursery’s autumn start can be delayed by up to three days to accommodate those visits. This builds contact between home and staff before children begin attending.

For children staying all day, lunch takes place in the Dining Room, where Nursery eats first and has its own table and assigned seats. Supervisors encourage children to taste unfamiliar foods and know their dietary restrictions. Lunch is a separate charge, calculated according to attendance, so the meal arrangement matters when choosing sessions.

In November 2024, early-years staffing met the required ratios, and staff had paediatric first-aid training. Early-years leaders also participated in the safeguarding team. A working wall displayed children’s achievements, giving recognition a visible place in their learning space.

Additional needs should be discussed early with the Prep Additional Learning Needs Coordinator and Head of Prep; admission depends on whether the school can meet the child’s needs. The EAL policy includes EYFS and provides for classroom adjustments, small-group help or individual support within lessons. It involves parents in decisions about their daughter’s support.

The November 2024 inspection identified a lapse in access to required information for parents, corrected during the visit, and recommended keeping that information consistently accessible.

Nursery attendance is not an unconditional guarantee of a Reception place. Sutton High’s admission policy anticipates automatic transfer between stages, subject to the Head’s judgement about whether continuing suits the pupil and whether her work and behaviour meet the necessary standard. Families should understand those conditions alongside the expectation of continuity.

For external Reception applicants, the route is the school’s online application followed by a visit; younger applicants do not take entrance assessments. This is the independent school’s own process. The conditional transfer position should be distinguished from an external application for a new place.

Session commitment. Attendance must cover at least five sessions each week, with a session meaning a morning or afternoon. Families can increase their allocation with half a term’s notice, but cannot reduce it. Choose a pattern that remains workable over time.

The nursery bell rings at 8.25am. Explorers provides breakfast care from 7.30am, and daily wraparound care extends to 6pm. Qualifying nursery girls receive the universal funding for 15 education hours per week, deducted automatically from fees. Lunch is restricted to children attending all day. Ask the school for current charges when planning the overall arrangement.

Enquiries and personal tours go through the Nursery and Prep admissions team at prepadmissions@sut.gdst.net or 020 8225 3021. Tours can be arranged throughout the year, subject to availability, allowing families to discuss the nursery day with the Prep leadership team.