Bright Stars Nursery at Long Mead Community Primary School

Three-hour sessions or a six-hour day give Bright Stars its practical shape: a preschool within Long Mead Community Primary School, with entry possible from the term following a child's second birthday. Nursery and Reception together form the school's Foundation Stage, so this is provision within a primary school rather than a separate setting.

Each session is capped at twenty-six children. That is capacity, not the number attending: there were 22 nursery children at the April 2025 inspection. Ofsted judged the school's early years provision Good on 1 and 2 April 2025; that judgement covers early years rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Morning attendance runs from 08:30 to 11:30, afternoons from 12:15 to 15:15, and the six-hour funded session from 08:30 to 14:30. These patterns let families choose between a shorter session and a longer nursery day. An extra 45 minutes can be added at lunchtime or following the six-hour session.

Language and stories supply the clearest picture of learning. In April 2025, adults in early years demonstrated accurate language, helping children develop communication skills quickly. Children also selected bedtime books to read with their parents, linking early reading with time together at home.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sits at the beginning of the school's curriculum. In April 2025, that curriculum was ambitious but still relatively new, with implementation requiring further work across the school. The early years findings were more specific: children understood important concepts and could explain them clearly. Talking about learning matters here, alongside listening to stories.

A preschool teacher works with three nursery learning support assistants. The wider support structure includes an early years lead who also holds the SEND coordinator role, a SEND coordinator assistant and a family liaison officer. This gives families identifiable roles for discussing learning needs and wider family concerns.

Safeguarding training covers all school staff, with concerns about harm or neglect passed to the designated safeguarding lead. For parents, that establishes a reporting route shared across the school.

Food arrangements across Long Mead include meals served on site by an outside caterer, with a choice of dishes, or a healthy lunch brought from home. Packed lunches need a labelled container; sweets, chocolate bars, canned drinks and glass bottles are excluded.

Attending Bright Stars does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate CAF primary application, and Kent County Council manages admissions for children starting Reception. The transfer is not automatic: choosing the nursery and applying for school are separate decisions.

The shared Foundation Stage structure places nursery within the school, but it should not be treated as an admissions promise.

Entry usually takes place in September or January. Registration goes through the school office, and families can arrange a tour by telephone or email. Contact 01732 350601 or office@long-mead.kent.sch.uk.

Funding includes the universal 15-hour entitlement for all three- and four-year-olds. Free For 2 and an additional 15 hours for working parents are offered where eligibility applies. Sessions beyond a child's funding can be paid for; families should obtain current charges from the school before booking.

Preschool children enter through the green gates and should be accompanied to their classroom. Tell the school when another adult will bring or collect your child, so staff know about the arrangement. Drivers should park on Waveney Road; access onto school premises is restricted to authorised vehicles unless agreed with the headteacher.