St John's School Nursery Review

Sand, craft and Forest School give St John's nursery a character built around exploration. Children use an activity room, outdoor space and the wider school grounds, so learning extends beyond the classroom. The nursery prospectus is aimed at ages 2–4.

Based on the school site in Sidmouth, the provision comprised one nursery class in January 2026. The ISI inspection of 20–22 January 2026 assessed early years within the school, rather than awarding the nursery a separate overall grade.

Play combines children's own choices with activities guided by adults. In January 2026, early years staff used children's interests to shape both kinds of learning. That gives a child's current enthusiasm a place in the session, alongside planned teaching. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum covered its learning areas suitably: conversation, physical activity and social development sit alongside early literacy.

Stories become material for play. Across early years, children spoke with adults and classmates, retold stories with confidence and acted out their characters. These activities give children reasons to practise language, listen and develop an idea with someone else. Role play also included recognising coin values, connecting early mathematics with imagined situations.

The main activity room and spaces for sand and craft support practical exploration. Swimming, Spanish and Music feature alongside PE and Forest School in the nursery's activities. Outdoors, early years children used equipment for balance, climbing and coordination, while lessons introduced them to the natural world. Movement has a learning purpose here.

Children also exercised choice through a weekly vote in early years, sometimes selecting a snack fruit or a book. It is a concrete introduction to making a decision together and accepting a group choice.

Learning to manage feelings is part of the early years day. Children received help with recognising and regulating emotions, and explored family relationships and kindness between friends. Sharing activities and play gave them practice in waiting their turn, listening and reaching a compromise. Those are useful foundations for joining a group.

Eating was supervised carefully, including for the youngest children, in January 2026. This is a specific reassurance about care at mealtimes, rather than a claim about the nursery menu.

Site safety. A January 2026 recommendation called for more systematic checks on health and safety matters and fire drills across the school. Families should weigh that site-wide concern alongside the findings about supervision of younger children.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a place in St John's Reception. Ask the admissions team to confirm the arrangements for moving from nursery to Reception, including any application requirement and deadline. Keep the decision about nursery care separate from the decision about the next school place; being familiar with the site is not an admission entitlement.

Arrange a tour through the admissions page, by emailing contact.stjohns@iesmail.com or calling 01395 513984. The school address is Broadway, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8RG.

The admissions process exempts nursery applicants from the registration fee and from the assessment and three-taster-day stage. For current charges, refer to the school. This distinction matters when reading the general school application steps.