The Duke of Bedford Primary School Nursery Review

A mud kitchen, garden and trikes give The Duke of Bedford Pre-School a practical, outdoor character. This is the school's own nursery for children aged two to four, within its grounds in Thorney. Children can become familiar with school staff and pupils while keeping a nursery day built around play and their own interests.

The team includes a manager, deputy manager and pre-school assistants, with an EYFS leader and SENCo roles also listed. Each child has a key person, giving families a consistent contact for care and communication.

Play combines activities guided by adults with uninterrupted time for children to follow their interests. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, manage feelings and move confidently with early reading, maths, creative work and discovering the world. Here, stories, songs and conversations give children opportunities to practise new words throughout their play.

Little Wandle Foundations supplies activities for listening to sounds and practising oral blending. Books and nursery rhymes sit alongside this early reading work. White Rose Maths provides a sequence involving matching, shapes and position, making mathematical ideas part of practical exploration rather than just number recitation.

Outside, the mud kitchen and garden support sensory exploration, while trikes and large play equipment give children room for physical play. Outdoor time continues in different weather conditions. Indoors, the curriculum includes making marks, using tools and building with construction materials. Children also practise everyday independence, including putting on coats and managing personal needs.

At the inspection on 14 and 15 January 2025, Ofsted found that nursery children were extending their vocabulary through regularly shared stories and rhymes; early-years children also cooperated, shared resources and waited for turns. Those are useful foundations for both conversation and group play.

Settling can begin with a parent accompanying their child on a visit, followed by shorter sessions before the full session pattern starts. The January 2025 SEND policy also provides for meetings before entry where needed. Staff collect information from parents about additional needs, so care planning can start before attendance.

Key people plan activities around children's interests and needs. Seesaw connects parents with learning, and termly knowledge organisers explain the curriculum and ways to support it at home.

Morning snack falls around 10:30am: families may send fruit or vegetables, or use the snack provided. Full-day and afternoon sessions include lunch. A charged hot meal can be ordered through School Grid; alternatively, children bring a packed lunch. Staff need prompt information about allergies and medical conditions, with completed medical forms and named, in-date medication.

For children receiving SEND support, the school's policy uses a one-page profile and Special Needs Action Plan (SNAP), with targets shared and reviewed with parents each term. SEND planning. The January 2025 inspection identified a school-wide weakness: guidance sometimes lacked the detail staff needed to adapt learning for some pupils. Families with additional needs should discuss how their child's support will work in daily activities.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place or confer priority under the school's 2027/2028 admission arrangements. Families must make a separate application through Peterborough's local authority, meeting the 15 January deadline. Familiarity with the school does not replace that application.

Transition support is a separate benefit. Pre-school children visit the school and attend productions and assemblies. For children with additional needs who move into the school's Reception class, nursery information is shared with Reception staff, helping them prepare the adjustments required.

Sessions run Monday to Friday during term time: a full day is 9am to 3pm, mornings run from 9am to noon, and afternoons from noon to 3pm. An arranged extension allows collection at 3:15pm for an additional charge. Paid placements are charged hourly and billed a month ahead; absence through illness or family holidays remains chargeable. Contact the school for current charges.

The school describes 15 funded hours for three- and four-year-olds, 30 hours for eligible families, and possible 15-hour funding for two-year-olds receiving specified additional support. Families using the 30-hour entitlement must reconfirm their eligibility code every three months.

Use 01733 270095 to enquire or book a visit; the school office supplies application packs. Drop-off uses the green garden gate between 8:50am and 9am, with late arrivals going through the main office. Bring named wellies, hard-soled slippers and a water bottle. Staff require prior permission before releasing a child to another adult.