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Nursery at Queenborough School and Nursery
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Speech, stories and early number learning give Queenborough’s nursery its character. There are two age groups: a room for two- to three-year-olds, typically offering up to 10 places per session, and the main nursery for three- to four-year-olds, with space for up to 45 children at once. The main nursery admits children from the term following their third birthday, subject to space and an application.
School staff manage the nursery. Queenborough Babies and Toddlers is a separate provision on the same site, so families should distinguish it from the nursery reviewed here. Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Outstanding following its inspection on 3 and 4 July 2023; that judgement covers early years within the school.
Language has a clear place in the learning. In July 2023, staff assessed children’s starting points promptly when they joined Nursery and identified support to address gaps. Speech and language work was highly effective. For a child still developing their communication, that means teaching starts with what they need help to learn.
Stories sit alongside songs and rhymes from the start of early years. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning described here includes communication, early reading and number skills: foundations children can build through these early experiences. In July 2023, classrooms had plentiful learning resources, while outdoor learning areas also helped children develop reading and number understanding. Learning extended beyond the classroom.
The younger room offers morning, afternoon or all-day attendance. In the main nursery, the shorter pattern is five mornings or five afternoons each week; longer places bring a different collection time. Families therefore need to choose both the age-appropriate provision and a session pattern that fits their day.
Key-person roles are part of the nursery team, with groups named Squirrels, Owls, Hedgehogs and Badgers. The team includes a nursery teacher, nursery nurses and apprentices, under an Early Years Lead who is also a deputy headteacher. Speech and language intervention has a designated staff role, giving the emphasis on communication a practical place in the staffing structure.
Magic Breakfast provides nursery children with toast or bagels, served in their classroom. It runs daily between 8.20am and 9am, is free and requires no registration. That is a useful food provision for children attending in the morning.
For additional-needs discussions, families can contact the school’s SENCo on 01795 662 574. A wellbeing and family support officer also holds the designated safeguarding lead role, providing a school contact for family support.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place and is not one of the Reception oversubscription criteria. Families must make a separate application to Kent County Council. Familiarity with the school does not remove that step.
For the September 2026 intake, online applications closed at midnight on 15 January 2026. That deadline belongs to the past admissions cycle. Reception offers are made through the local authority. Separately, new Reception parents are invited to a Term 6 meeting introducing staff, the curriculum and practical information, helping families prepare for the move.
Provision runs during term time, across 38 weeks. The two- to three-year-old room opens from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Main-nursery mornings run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoons run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The limited 30-hour places finish at 2.30pm, while limited 35-hour places add a paid final hour until 3.30pm. Ask the school for current charges.
Three- and four-year-olds have 15 funded hours each week from the term after their third birthday, with the nursery arranging that funding. Eligible working families can access up to 30 hours, including for two-year-olds; extended funding for three- and four-year-olds requires an 11-digit eligibility code. Free for Two provides up to 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds, with funding secured before joining.
Apply directly to the school office with the relevant nursery form and a birth certificate or passport copy. Session preferences are considered but cannot be guaranteed. Enquiries can go to office@queenborough.kent.sch.uk.
There is provision for two- to three-year-olds and a main nursery for three- to four-year-olds. Main-nursery entry is from the term after the third birthday, subject to an application and available places.
Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Limited 30-hour places run from 8.30am to 2.30pm, with a paid extension to 3.30pm for limited 35-hour places.
No. It gives no priority under the Reception oversubscription criteria. Parents must apply separately through Kent County Council.
Yes. Magic Breakfast serves free toast or bagels in the classroom daily from 8.20am to 9am, with no registration required.
Submit the appropriate application form directly to the school office with a copy of the child’s birth certificate or passport. Preferred sessions cannot be guaranteed.
