Little Acorns Nursery at Thorncombe St Mary's

A familiar adult, settling visits shaped around the child and time to lead their own play give Little Acorns its character. This is the nursery at Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy, taking children aged two, three and four. The nursery aims to make the step between home and school feel comfortable, with relationships and growing independence central to its approach.

The practical model allows families to combine morning and afternoon sessions, adding lunchtime if needed, subject to availability. That gives parents a choice of session patterns while keeping their child within the same setting.

Play drives the curriculum. Children choose and develop activities themselves, alongside experiences guided by adults. A structured daily routine holds those opportunities together. The nursery aims to encourage children to try things independently, investigate and build confidence in their own ideas.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers learning from birth to five. Here, its seven areas connect everyday experiences with early skills: talking and listening, movement, relationships and emotions, books and writing, number, exploring the world and creative expression. For parents, this means learning extends beyond letters and counting to the ways children communicate, move and play with others.

Primary Sports runs sessions each week, giving physical development a named place in the programme. Children practise movement and coordination, while learning about exercise and healthy food choices. Mathematical activities include counting, working with numbers and exploring measures and shapes. Books and other reading materials support interest in words, sounds and letters.

Creative play uses different materials and media, giving children ways to express feelings and ideas. Exploration also takes in technology, people and the environment. These strands give children different starting points for conversation and discovery, rather than making every activity depend on the same skill.

Before a child starts, families can meet their allocated key person. This adult provides their main care and follows their learning through planning, observation and assessment. The arrangement gives parents a clear relationship to establish from the outset.

Settling is individual. Children have as many visits as they need to become familiar with the team and comfortable staying when their parent leaves. That makes the initial adjustment responsive to the child, rather than tied to a fixed number of visits.

For additional needs, the school's support arrangements include short intervention programmes and extra adult help where appropriate. Individual Education Plans are discussed with parents and reviewed regularly. Speech therapy, educational psychology or behaviour support may be involved if the school needs further help to meet a child's needs. Parents raise concerns with the class teacher first, then the SENCO.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet its deadline. Dorset Council administers school admissions, so the application route is through the council.

Preparation for that move is a separate matter. The nursery plans transition into the Reception class, where the class teacher becomes the child's key person. This provides continuity in adult responsibility; it does not secure admission.

Opening follows school days, from 8:45am to 3:30pm. Morning sessions run until 11:45am; afternoons begin at 12:15pm. Families can book either, combine them with lunchtime or choose the full day. Session combinations depend on availability.

All three- and four-year-olds receive the universal 15-hour entitlement from the term after their third birthday until school starts. Eligible working families may qualify for 30 funded hours, subject to circumstances including income and immigration status. Some two-year-olds qualify for a separate 15-hour early learning scheme. These entitlements do not change the nursery's starting age.

Non-funded hours are invoiced at the start of each term, with payment divided between half terms through Parent Pay. Contact the school for current charges. Nursery applications go through the school office, which can supply a paper form, and families can arrange a visit by calling 01460 30535 or emailing office@stmarysthorncombe.dorset.sch.uk.