Sunflowers Nursery at Staines Preparatory School

Bikes, cooking and obstacle-course building give Sunflowers a practical character, alongside phonics and maths. This is Staines Preparatory School’s nursery department in Staines-upon-Thames, accepting children from their second birthday. Seedlings covers ages 2–3; Petals covers ages 3–4. At the June 2024 inspection, 47 children attended two nursery classes. That is a dated attendance figure, rather than a capacity limit.

School facilities extend the nursery’s learning space: children use the library, sports facilities and environmental area. For parents seeking a school nursery, those connections are a concrete part of the day.

The morning combines group teaching with children’s own play. Phonics begins at 9am in key worker groups, followed by a 10am snack and play inside and outside. Maths groups follow at 11am, lunch at 11.30am and a story at 12.15pm. Afternoon activities mix adult direction with children’s choices, with another snack before stories and singing. There is room for both structure and exploration.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings learning and development together across seven areas. Here, themes connect those areas, while activities adapt to children’s interests and individual needs. In June 2024, ISI found that early years children progressed well, with secure number skills and developing reading and writing supported by effective phonics teaching.

Play dough, maths games and cooking sit alongside music with a specialist teacher and PE with sports teachers. Forest School activities take children into the environmental area. Bikes, scooters and climbing provide physical challenges; building obstacle courses together gives children a reason to solve problems and cooperate. Indoors, the nursery has resources and furniture for exploration, with an outdoor learning space extending those opportunities.

Settling begins with getting acquainted: staff arrange a visit to a child’s existing setting and a visit for the child to Staines Prep. Welcome events and induction follow. The June 2024 early years findings linked positive adult relationships with children feeling secure and settling smoothly; staffing ratios were suitable throughout.

Seesaw connects home and nursery through an online learning journal to which parents and staff can contribute. Independence also receives daily attention, from managing coats and wellies to toileting and helping friends. Early years staff help children recognise feelings, giving emotional development a place alongside practical self-care.

Lunch comes from Chartwells Independent. Choices include hot dishes, jacket potatoes and salads, with fruit and crudités alongside them. The welfare team alerts staff to allergies and dietary preferences, and children can receive guidance towards an appropriate choice. For additional learning needs, the school’s SENCo can assess suitable interventions; Individual Support Plans set termly targets, with support individually, in small groups or within class.

Keep Reception admission distinct from nursery session booking. Nursery attendance alone should not be treated as securing a Reception place: confirm the Reception offer directly with the school. Offers remain subject to availability and the school’s admission requirements when made. Children joining Sunflowers are expected to continue into the main school. Reception entry is handled directly through the school’s registration and offer process.

Familiarity is built separately from that admissions position. Reception teachers spend time in the nursery and join shared activities. Using the main school’s facilities during the year also helps children get to know the buildings and adults before moving on.

Sunflowers operates in term time for approximately 35 weeks annually. Morning attendance runs from 8.30am to 12.30pm, including lunch; a full day ends at 4pm. Recommended attendance is three sessions for Seedlings and five for Petals. Families give provisional requirements at registration and can increase session lengths half-termly or termly.

Funded hours. Up to 15 hours weekly are accepted in term time, with nursery funding sessions running Monday to Friday, 8.30am–11.30am. Funded-only attendance requires no mandatory purchase of extra hours or services. Lunch falls outside that window; it is compulsory for the longer nursery sessions and included in their charges. Wraparound care costs extra. Ask the school for current charges.

Nursery uniform can be bought online or at the Garden Room shop, beside the Lower School Playground; preloved uniform is also offered. Availability enquiries go to admissions@stainesprep.co.uk, and personal tours can be booked.