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Nursery at Chalvey Nursery School & Early Years Centre
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Mud-kitchen play, garden investigations and a specialist Butterfly Class give Chalvey’s nursery provision its character. Children aged two to four learn at the Ladbrooke Road site in Slough, where the nursery school belongs to The TLC Nursery Federation alongside Slough Centre Nursery.
The January 2026 admissions policy sets capacity at 60 full-time equivalent places for three- and four-year-olds, plus 10 for two-year-olds. These are equivalent places, rather than a headcount. Butterfly Class provides an assessment setting for children with complex needs, with its own classroom base and opportunities to participate in mainstream nursery activities.
Play carries the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) starts with children’s movement, communication and emotional development, then connects these foundations to reading, writing, number, creativity and understanding their surroundings. Activities are planned around individual interests and needs.
The construction area, creative space and garden offer different ways to explore an idea. In February 2026, children built beds of different sizes with bricks, made playdough by measuring and mixing ingredients, and investigated textures outdoors. In the mud kitchen, bowls of different sizes turned pretend cooking into practice with language and quantity. These activities give children practical experience of size and quantity.
Outdoor choice occupies much of a session. Children can move between indoor and outdoor play regardless of the weather, so suitable clothing matters. May 2026 activities included planting vegetables and flowers, counting through fishing games, and meeting visiting farm animals, including goats and a donkey. Caring for plants and animals gives children something real to discuss and investigate.
A key worker collects observations, photographs and examples of work in each child’s Record of Achievement book. Parents can contribute information about home interests, helping staff connect learning across both settings.
Settling happens gradually. Start times are staggered, parents can remain while their child adjusts, and the key worker agrees the length of each early session with the family. Under the January 2026 policy, a home visit is arranged when it serves the child’s interests. Familiarity comes before a full session.
The behaviour policy uses PACE: playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy. Adults help children recognise feelings and practise handling disagreements. A teacher, early years practitioners and teaching assistants form the classroom team; parents also receive messages through Eduspot and meet key workers for progress discussions.
For additional needs, the SENCO works with families and other professionals, with individual education plans reviewed together. Butterfly Class adds sensory experiences, a home-school diary and input from a Speech & Language Therapist. Level access, changing facilities in each area and a shower in the Assessment Unit support personal care.
Session snacks are optional, so children should eat beforehand. Lunch club requires a packed lunch and advance arrangements because spaces are limited. Nuts and nut products are prohibited; food from home is permitted only for children attending lunch club.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application for their chosen school through the normal admissions process. For entry in September 2026, applications went through Slough’s online admissions service, with a deadline of 15 January 2026. That cycle has passed. Reception allocation is handled by Slough Borough Council’s School Admissions Team, independently of the nursery.
Preparation is a different matter. Children practise dressing themselves, washing hands and managing toileting. Staff write a leaving profile, and children who need extra transition support can have additional visits and resources. These arrangements help with the change of setting; they do not secure admission.
Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The 30-hour session runs from 8.30am to 2.30pm, with an optional paid extension to 3.30pm. Funded places operate over five days during term time. Universal funding covers eligible three- and four-year-olds, while other funded routes depend on eligibility and available places. Requested hours cannot be guaranteed.
Breakfast club starts at 8am and provides toast or cereal before the regular session. Ask the office for current charges for extras. Nursery applications go directly to the school, and visits can be booked by telephone or email.
Use comfortable clothes, suitable shoes and a spare outfit. The gate through the car park became the regular drop-off and collection point from June 2026; children finishing at 2.30pm leave through the front. Parents need specific permission to use the private car park. Tell staff if someone else will collect your child; accompanying adults must be at least 16.
Children aged two, three and four can attend.
The 30-hour session runs from 8.30am to 2.30pm, subject to eligibility and places. An extra paid hour can extend it to 3.30pm.
Children start at staggered times. Parents can stay while their child settles, and the key worker agrees session lengths until the child is ready for a full session.
No. Reception requires a separate school application, and Slough Borough Council handles the allocation process independently of the nursery.
A packed lunch without nuts or nut products. Arrange lunch club in advance because places are limited and same-day requests are not accepted.
