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Nursery at Mrs Bland's Infant 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 sheltered outdoor area for younger children, a welcome circle for older ones and books chosen for bedtime give Mrs Bland's nursery its character. There are two classes on the Mrs Bland's site in Burghfield Common: Little Acorns for children aged two and three, and Acorns for four-year-olds. Their routines differ to reflect those stages.
Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at its inspection on 28 and 29 January 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school. In Nursery, the youngest children learned successfully through activities planned around their needs, with relationships helping them feel secure.
Little Acorns concentrates on communication, physical development and learning to manage feelings and relationships. These are the prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): the foundations for talking, moving and learning alongside other children. Stories and rhymes connect activities to themes, including Can I have a dog yet? and Why is water wet?
Its own outdoor space is used across the day, with shelter allowing play to continue in rain. Indoors, children who need sleep or a quieter break can use a cosy resting area. This gives the full-day routine room for both activity and rest.
Acorns begins each session with a circle where children hear about the activities and decide what they want to play. Time together as a class and in smaller groups sits alongside independent exploration indoors and outside. Themes include Are eggs alive? and Why are leaves crispy?, giving stories and enquiry a shared starting point.
Thursday brings outdoor learning; outdoor PE takes place on Wednesday morning, with indoor PE on Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning. The Bedtime Story Scheme extends book sharing beyond nursery: children select a book to take home on Wednesdays and return it for another choice. Phase 1 of A Flying Start with Letters & Sounds also begins in Nursery, introducing the nursery stage of the school's phonics programme.
Checking understanding. In January 2025, teaching in early years sometimes moved ahead before gaps in children's understanding had been resolved. Some children consequently learned less successfully than they could. The required improvement was to use assessment more effectively when adjusting teaching and support.
At Little Acorns, each child has an allocated keyworker who follows their progress and needs. Staff are available for conversations at the beginning and end of sessions, giving parents regular opportunities to exchange information. The stated adult-to-child ratio is 1:4, and the full-day booking model is intended to support settling and continuity.
Snacks are provided for nursery children. Acorns has fruit or vegetables in both parts of the day, plus milk; Little Acorns provides a snack and drink during sessions. Families bring a named water bottle. The schools operate a nut-free policy.
Support for additional needs includes work with parents to plan provision, individual or small-group interventions, and contact with specialists where needed. The SENCo can be reached through the office. Mrs Bland's also has an ELSA room for emotional support, and parents can request a referral. This provides a separate space for talking about feelings and concerns.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate school application through the School Admissions Team at West Berkshire Council, following the normal application timetable.
Acorns works with families on preparation for starting school. Its combination of group activities and independent choices supports that preparation, but transition work and the allocation of a Reception place are separate matters.
Little Acorns offers full-day places only. Its timetable divides the day into a morning period from 8:45 to 11:45, lunch club from 11:45 to 12:30, and an afternoon period from 12:30 to 15:30. Those divisions are parts of the full-day offer, rather than separately bookable half-days.
Wraparound care includes nursery children. Breakfast Bees runs on school days from 7:30 to 8:50; Bumblebees continues from school finishing time until 18:00. Through KidsClubHQ, families can book recurring sessions or individual bookings, subject to availability.
Nursery application forms are on the Nursery Applications page. Contact the office on 0118 9832332 for applications or a visit appointment. Little Acorns children need wellington boots and spare clothes as well as their water bottle; Acorns asks for weather-appropriate clothing and named changes. Tell the office in advance if another adult will collect your child.
Little Acorns caters for two- and three-year-olds, while Acorns is the class for four-year-olds.
Little Acorns offers full-day places only, although its timetable includes morning, lunch and afternoon periods.
No. Families apply separately through the School Admissions Team at West Berkshire Council.
Yes. Nursery children are included in the wraparound offer, with Breakfast Bees before school and Bumblebees afterwards. Bookings can be recurring or individual, subject to availability.
Little Acorns has a cosy area for resting or sleeping. Each child has a keyworker, and staff are available for conversations at the start and end of sessions.
