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Nursery at Steephill 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 weekly half-day in Forest School gives Steephill’s pre-school a distinctly outdoor thread. This is the nursery provision within an independent school in Fawkham, with early learning shaped by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), CUSP and practical exploration. Woodland learning sits alongside a structured introduction to language, numbers and creative play.
The EYFS brings learning and care together: children practise communication, movement and managing feelings, alongside early reading, mathematics, understanding their surroundings and creative expression. CUSP supplies the curriculum structure. Topics change each half term, with ideas revisited so that children can connect new learning with what they already know.
Daily Anima Phonics lessons begin in pre-school. Songs, actions and poems accompany practical activities, giving children several ways to engage with sounds and language. Early literacy also includes talking about books, discovering vocabulary and making marks. Mathematics involves counting, comparing quantities and exploring shapes and patterns, linking early concepts to things children can investigate.
Choice has a place alongside adult guidance. Staff use questions, demonstrate ideas and extend children’s thinking; art, dance, music and role-play give children ways to express themselves. Circle time, assemblies and classroom monitor responsibilities introduce participation and responsibility through ordinary school routines.
Outside, early-years children spend half a day each week on the dedicated Forest School site, with sessions continuing across the seasons under a practitioner qualified at Level 3. The wooded area at the back of the school is secure. This gives outdoor learning a defined space and regular time, rather than leaving it to occasional activities. Each class also has a Reading Corner, while the garden’s Book Nook is a shared space for reading during breaks and lunchtimes.
EYFS leadership, teaching and keyworker roles form the early-years team. For families, these are distinct roles around the child’s learning and care, rather than a single undifferentiated staff group.
SEND support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning help, putting it into practice and reviewing its effect. The SENCo oversees provision, with senior leaders and governors monitoring it. Support may involve individual or small-group work, learning plans, adjustments in the classroom and specialist advice where appropriate. Parents and carers participate in decisions, giving families a role in shaping support.
The school’s safeguarding team meets every three weeks and includes early-years leadership. Concerns can be raised through head@steephill.co.uk. At Forest School, children have hot drinks and a biscuit, adding a food break to the outdoor session.
Separate admission. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply separately for Reception through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Make that application a distinct part of your planning, rather than treating continued attendance as automatic.
Pre-school children may qualify for KCC Early Years Funding from the term after their third birthday. Funding applies to qualifying complete weeks within Steephill’s academic year while the child attends pre-school. That ties the funding arrangement to the school calendar.
School lunch and Forest School suit hire are charged separately. Ask the school for current charges when considering the overall commitment.
To arrange a guided tour, call 01474 702107, email secretary@steephill.co.uk or use the enquiry form. After the visit, the school advises whether a place is available and supplies a registration form, making the tour the practical first step.
Early learning follows the EYFS through CUSP, with Anima Phonics lessons starting in pre-school.
Pre-school children spend half a day each week at the onsite Forest School, with sessions across the seasons.
The SENCo oversees a graduated cycle of assessment, planning, support and review. Provision may include individual or small-group interventions, learning plans and reasonable adjustments.
They may qualify for KCC Early Years Funding from the term after turning three, covering qualifying complete weeks in the school academic year while attending pre-school.
No. Reception admission is a separate process, requiring a separate application through the normal route by the applicable deadline.
