Fairisle Infant and Nursery School Nursery Review

Pumpkins become counting materials, paint projects and soup ingredients at Fairisle: a concrete example of nursery learning that connects ideas through play. This maintained nursery in Lordshill, Southampton, has two learning areas. Rainbow Room serves children aged 2-3; Sunshine Room serves those aged 3-4. Children can start sessions from the term after their second birthday.

Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 28 and 29 January 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separate nursery inspection. Nursery children showed attentive listening and sustained concentration, useful foundations for joining activities and following their interests.

In Rainbow, children choose their play for much of the session, using resources outdoors and indoors. Adults join in to develop the learning and introduce materials that respond to children's interests and next steps. Choice has a clear role here. Staff connect it to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, the framework guiding children's early learning and development.

Sunshine's activities show how this works in practice. Children have counted and painted pumpkins, examined their interiors and made pumpkin soup. During World Nursery Rhyme Week, real mugs and teapots supported pretend play in the home corner. In the garden, children investigated water with tea leaves and tea bags. These activities connect familiar objects with counting, sensory exploration and conversation.

Adult-guided work also has a place. Children have compared their height and measured hands and feet with measuring tapes and multilink cubes, giving early measurement a tangible starting point. Building walls for Humpty Dumpty linked a familiar rhyme with construction and drawing.

Creative exploration extends across early years. Paint, junk modelling and string give children materials for making their own creations, while colour mixing introduces changes they can see. Musical instruments are accessible for experimentation. These are opportunities to try ideas, handle materials and express themselves.

Rainbow pairs each child's keyworker with a buddy member of staff, giving families another familiar contact. Home visits offer time to share information privately before nursery begins. Parents can join stay-and-play sessions, and settling sessions grow longer over several days. Families can also telephone for reassurance and speak to the keyworker or buddy at session boundaries.

Across both nurseries, parents receive regular updates and invitations to craft and play workshops. Staff welcome everyday information about a child, making communication part of the nursery relationship rather than something reserved for formal meetings.

For children with SEND, individual education plans set small, achievable targets and are revised as children progress. In Sunshine, concerns about development prompt observation and assessment by the SENDCo, with parents contributing their views. Referrals to outside agencies require parental permission. The nursery building is single storey, with ramps and straight access paths; its adapted toilet can accommodate wheelchair transfers. These physical arrangements matter alongside individual support.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline.

Preparation for the move is a separate matter. Children moving from nursery to Year R make several visits to their new classroom in the main school building. Extra classroom visits are planned for children with SEND or signs of anxiety, and transition stories can help families prepare a child for change. Familiarity supports the move; it does not secure admission.

The nursery offers morning-only or afternoon-only patterns of 15 hours, arranged as five three-hour sessions. Some children qualify for 15 funded hours from the term after turning two, depending on family circumstances. Eligible families can access up to 30 funded hours through the Working Families entitlement from that same starting point. All children qualify for 15 hours from the term after their third birthday.

Additional paid sessions may be possible. Parents agree to the nursery's terms before their child starts, and paid sessions require advance payment. Scopay is an accepted payment route; contact the school for current charges.

To arrange a nursery visit, contact the school office on 02380 731199 or email info@fairisle-inf.co.uk. A look around offers the chance to discuss the provision with staff.