Kings Ash Academy Nursery Review

Own outdoor spaces and a separate entrance give Kings Ash Academy’s nursery a distinct place within the main school. The provision includes nursery and preschool for children aged two to four, alongside Little Thinkers for children from nine months to two years. For families, the important distinction is between these age groups: their rooms, daily arrangements and session options differ.

Jellyfish is the two-year-old nursery. Preschool children use Sealions & Turtle, with teachers leading their learning alongside learning support assistants. Indoor rooms and outdoor play spaces allow learning to move between the two, rather than keeping the session entirely classroom based.

Play is the starting point for learning. The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), combining exploration with concentration, persistence and developing ideas. The school aims to give children early foundations in English, mathematics and personal development. Early-years experiences also explore life in the past and today, alongside people, culture and communities, helping children begin to understand the world around them. In parent language, children can investigate something unfamiliar, try an approach, keep working when it proves difficult and discover another way to do it. Staff shape activities around how individual children learn.

Both indoor and outdoor experiences contribute to this approach. Jellyfish children have space to explore through play, while the preschool rooms support creative activity and learning with other children. The distinction matters: nursery assistants guide the younger group, while qualified teachers and learning support assistants work with preschoolers.

Little Thinkers has a more explicitly described session rhythm. Planned room activities lead into a group welcome, with snacks alongside continuing play. Garden time combines activities guided by adults with opportunities for children to choose their own play. Stories bring children back indoors before lunch or tea, depending on their session. This gives younger children a sequence of shared activity, exploration and quieter listening.

At Little Thinkers, a key person meets parents each term to discuss development and next steps. Families also receive weekly observations through Famly, and collection includes a handover about the session. These different points of contact connect everyday experiences with longer-term development.

Food has a regular rhythm there too. Snacks are prepared on site and offered every two hours. Meals include chicken pesto pasta and fish pie, with breakfast at 8:15am, lunch at noon and dinner at 4pm. These arrangements apply to Little Thinkers.

The Early Years team has received the Dingley’s Promise Mark of Achievement and undertaken training in inclusion, SEND and early intervention. Across the school, the SENDCo works with professionals including a Speech and Language Therapist and an Occupational Therapist. That provides a school-level route for discussing additional needs alongside the nursery team.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route by the normal deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for school as two separate decisions.

For nursery and preschool, morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am; afternoons run from 12:15pm to 3:15pm. A full school day runs from 8:45am to 3:15pm. Jellyfish alone also has an explicitly offered wraparound option covering 8am to 5pm. After-school care is chargeable unless included within the child’s funded hours.

Little Thinkers operates Monday to Friday during term time, opening from 8am to 5pm. Eligible children aged nine months to two years can receive 15 funded hours. Families can register nursery interest through an enquiry form or contact the school office on 01803 555657 or admin@kingsash.tsat.uk. Refer to the school for current charges.