Nursery at Cumnor House 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.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 home corner that becomes a veterinary surgery or travel agency gives Cumnor House’s nursery its character: children explore adult life through play, alongside counting, science and music. This is the school’s Kindergarten and Pre-School provision for boys and girls aged two to four, with sites in Purley and South Croydon.
Purley occupies an address on Woodcote Lane within the Webb Estate; the South Croydon nursery overlooks the school’s sports ground. For families choosing now, applications are currently being accepted only for Purley. That makes the site distinction consequential when planning childcare.
Play and structured activities share the day. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the learning framework, bringing together early reading and writing, number work, creative expression and learning about the world. Children experiment at science water trays and tackle STEM activities, while the changing home corner gives them situations to imagine and discuss. Learning is tracked through observations, which inform what staff plan next.
Music brings live instruments into singing sessions. Children in their second nursery year, when they turn four, also have a weekly games lesson led by staff from the main school. These are concrete connections with specialist teaching, while play remains part of the learning itself.
The June 2024 ISI inspection found that nursery children developed knowledge and skills that prepared them well for their next educational stage. Secure early-years premises supported indoor and outdoor play; role-play resources included a stethoscope, giving children a prop for exploring familiar occupations. Planned activities and choices made by children both contributed to the day.
Questioning. The same inspection identified occasions when early-years adults gave children too little thinking time or asked questions that limited fuller answers. Opportunities to explain an idea, rather than supply a short response, were an explicit development priority.
Each child has a key worker and a qualified teacher. Two settling sessions precede the first full day, allowing children to become familiar with the setting before the longer routine begins. At Purley, parents can follow individual planning and activities online and discuss them at termly meetings. Purley meals are cooked on site, so food preparation forms part of the nursery’s provision.
Support for additional needs includes collaboration between the SEN Lead, the child’s key person, parents and outside professionals. In June 2024, early-years staff adapted planning to individual interests and needs, with specialist advice translated into strategies for nursery staff. Children learning English as an additional language received support that allowed time to settle and gain confidence.
Meeting individual needs. The admissions policy requires families to disclose allergies, disabilities and special educational needs. It also allows refusal of a place where needs cannot be met despite reasonable adjustments. Families should discuss their child’s requirements as part of the application.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. The January 2026 admissions policy makes progression conditional, including whether the school can meet the child’s needs. Reception progression requires a separate admissions decision. Ask the school’s Admissions Manager to confirm the progression procedure for existing nursery families; the application form includes Reception as an entry option. Nursery attendance is not listed among the policy’s possible allocation criteria.
Familiarity is a different matter from entitlement. The older nursery children’s games lessons introduce them to main-school staff, giving them relationships to carry into the next stage. That practical preparation should be considered separately from a Reception offer.
Purley’s fee schedule describes a nursery day from 8am to 3pm and a 50-week opening model, with both holiday and term-time wraparound provision. The school describes Purley as term-time provision, so confirm holiday availability before booking. Breakfast Club and Tea-Time Club extend the childcare framework, with before-and-after care spanning 7.30am to 6pm. Charges are billed termly, with a monthly payment option. Ask the Admissions Team for current charges and the package applicable to your booking.
Included nursery consumables cover intimate-care supplies, learning resources and access to an online learning diary. Universal funding is offered from the term after a child’s third birthday until the term in which they turn five, capped at 15 hours weekly within funded sessions between 8am and 1pm. An annual funding form and supporting documents are required. Funding for eligible two-year-olds is described as an intention rather than a confirmed offer.
Enquiries can go to admissions@cumnorhouse.com or through the enquiry form. Private tours can be booked online. Purley’s nursery address is 13 Woodcote Lane, useful when arranging the visit rather than heading to the school’s main address.
Cumnor House’s nursery provision is for boys and girls aged two to four. Applications are currently being accepted only for Purley.
Children have two settling-in sessions before their first full day. Each child is supported by a key worker and a qualified teacher.
No. The January 2026 admissions policy says progression is not automatic and may be declined where the school cannot meet a child’s needs. Ask the school’s Admissions Manager to confirm the progression procedure for existing nursery families.
Universal funding is offered from the term after the third birthday until the term in which the child turns five, with a maximum claim of 15 hours a week in funded sessions between 8am and 1pm. Families must submit the funding form and supporting documents each academic year.
Yes. A private tour can be requested through the online booking form, and the Admissions Team will confirm the arrangements.
