The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Nursery at Bedales 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
An orchard, outdoor exploration and learning through play give Bedales Nursery its character. Part of Bedales Pre-prep in Steep, near Petersfield, it is day provision: children can start in the term of their third birthday, with a minimum booking of two sessions. That allows families to begin with a smaller attendance pattern.
The nursery sits within the school's pre-prep section, alongside the younger school years. Bedales Pre-prep emphasises outdoor learning, using its tree-lined orchard and the wider estate as settings for activities. The physical surroundings give that approach a concrete starting point.
Play and exploration sit alongside early skills in language, number and movement. In October 2025, ISI found that children across the early years made good progress in numeracy, phonics and fine motor development, with curiosity and creativity encouraged through independent exploration indoors and outside. These are early-years findings, covering the nursery and Reception together.
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) provides the learning framework. In parent terms, the activities connect early reading and number skills with communication and physical development. Adults explain unfamiliar words through conversation, helping children build the vocabulary to express their ideas. Early-years children communicated confidently using language appropriate to their age in October 2025.
Practical equipment gives movement a purpose. Early-years activities include tricycles and obstacle courses, while construction kits and hammering develop control of smaller movements. Children also vote for stories, giving them a manageable experience of making a shared decision. Role play introduces ideas about money. Together, these examples show learning extending beyond early literacy and counting into choices, conversation and doing things for themselves.
In October 2025, early-years supervision was effective, with sufficient staff supporting children throughout their activities. Staff working with this age group had paediatric first-aid training. Children could speak with trusted adults or use worry boxes to express concerns, giving them more than one way to ask for help.
Safeguarding staff understood risks affecting young children and how to respond to concerns. Policy upkeep. At the start of the October 2025 inspection, the school's safeguarding policy needed updating to match statutory requirements, and its attendance policy omitted information about the senior attendance champion. Both policies were revised during the visit. Inspectors recommended keeping both current and aligned with statutory guidance, a concern relevant to families across the school.
For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), admission depends on the school being able to make reasonable adjustments. The school has limited resources for mild learning difficulties and limited facilities for physical disabilities. Before registration, discuss whether it can provide the adjustments and support your child needs. Families must share details of their child's needs by registration so that support can be considered together. Additional support can attract a charge. That makes an early discussion about the child's individual requirements a practical part of choosing this nursery.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. At Bedales, progression between years is assumed, subject to satisfactory behaviour and academic progress. This conditional continuation is the relevant arrangement for existing pupils; families should not treat nursery attendance as an unconditional promise.
For children joining Reception, suitability is assessed through a day at the school. Priority for nursery places and session bookings goes first to children intending to continue through Pre-prep, including beyond Reception. That concerns allocation within the nursery, rather than a separate entitlement to a Reception place.
Funded early education is available from the term after a child turns three. Up to 15 funded hours can be used in afternoon sessions during term time, with three hours per day. Those hours require no purchase of extra attendance, meals or consumables. Full-day bookings also form part of the nursery's session model.
Contact the Prep and Pre-prep Admissions team at admissions@bedales.org.uk or on 01730 711558 for enquiries, current charges or an individual visit. School fees are divided into equal termly instalments, regardless of each term's length. Withdrawal notice. Leaving requires a term's notice or payment in lieu, so families need to factor the notice period into any change of plans.
Children can join in the term they turn three. The minimum booking is two nursery sessions.
Yes. From the term after a child turns three, up to 15 funded hours can be used in term-time afternoon sessions, with three hours per day. No purchase of additional hours, meals or consumables is required.
No. Progression between years is assumed subject to satisfactory behaviour and academic progress. Priority for nursery bookings should not be confused with a guaranteed Reception place.
Bedales Pre-prep uses its orchard and wider estate for outdoor learning. Early-years activities include exploration outside, obstacle courses and tricycles.
Contact the Prep and Pre-prep Admissions team at admissions@bedales.org.uk or on 01730 711558 to arrange an individual visit.
