Cricklade Manor Prep Nursery Review

A walled garden, nursery bug hunts and specialist PE give Cricklade Manor Prep’s youngest children a distinct school-connected day. The nursery has its own garden within the school grounds in Cricklade, combining a space of its own with opportunities led by specialist staff.

Children can now join from 3 months to 5 years. This is the nursery attached to the independent Cricklade Manor Prep, rather than a separate childcare setting. For parents, the useful distinction is between sharing school life and securing a later school place: those are separate questions.

Outdoor activity has concrete substance here. Forest School sessions are run by a qualified Forest School leader, while PE staff lead weekly nursery PE. Bug hunts add another way to explore the natural world. Together, these give children opportunities to move, investigate and learn beyond their nursery rooms.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) is the framework for early learning. At the ISI inspection of 25 to 27 June 2024, the early years curriculum covered all seven learning areas, with communication and language a successful feature. For a parent, that makes conversation and learning to express ideas an important part of the educational picture.

In June 2024, activities were adapted to children’s interests and individual learning needs. Support was used to help them take their next steps. Social learning was practical too: children invented games together, helped one another during activities and developed an understanding of other people through shared play. Learning about people who help them connected those experiences to life beyond the nursery.

The nursery team includes a manager, assistant managers, room leaders, assistants and apprentices. An assistant manager also holds the nursery SEND lead role, giving special educational needs and disabilities a defined place within the team structure.

Individual support had substance in June 2024: children’s learning needs were being met through carefully chosen interventions. Medical arrangements also covered early years children, with first-aid-trained staff. These are useful details for families weighing how learning support and everyday care fit together.

Mealtimes served a social purpose as well as a practical one. In June 2024, early years children ate together and talked with adults and friends, extending the opportunities to practise conversation beyond planned activities. Lunch and snacks were charged separately from the nursery day in the 2024/25 booking arrangements.

Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must apply again for Reception through the normal admissions process and meet the normal deadline. Treat the next school application as a separate step from booking nursery care.

Settling sessions and stay-and-play events support the move into school. These offer children a way to become familiar with school life; they should be understood as transition support, rather than an admissions advantage.

Families can choose year-round attendance or term-time-only booking. The 2024/25 day choices began at 8am and ended at 4pm, 5pm or 6pm, giving different lengths of care around the nursery day.

Funding and extras. In 2024/25, universal funding for older nursery children provided 15 hours each week, with another 15 for eligible parents. Funding began in the period following a child’s third birthday and ended at the end of the period in which they turned five. The maximum claim for eligible nursery children was 30 hours over 38 weeks for year-round provision, or over 33 weeks for term-time attendance. Lunch and snacks were additional charges. Ask the school for current charges before booking.

Register a nursery enquiry through the admissions team, or contact admissions@cricklademanor.com on 01793 750275. Personal tours can be booked, allowing families to focus their visit on early years provision. The visitor car park is outside the Manor House on Calcutt Street, Cricklade, SN6 6BB.