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Nursery at Rose Hill School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Woodland exploration and swimming in a heated indoor pool give Rose Hill’s nursery a day that reaches beyond classroom play. This is provision for children aged 3–4 within an independent school in Tunbridge Wells, with Nursery forming part of the PrePrep community. Children start in September after their third birthday.
The emphasis is on learning through play, with subject specialists contributing from the early years. For families choosing a school nursery, the distinctive feature is that combination: early childhood routines alongside access to teaching and spaces within the wider school.
Compass sits alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In parent terms, children practise talking, early reading, writing and number skills through planned play inside and outdoors. Music, languages, PE, swimming and digital innovation add specialist input. The school aims to develop personal habits as well as knowledge through its 5 keys to success and happiness, including confidence and getting along.
Weekly woodland sessions give outdoor learning a regular place in nursery life. Children experiment with natural materials to make marks, listen to stories outside and tackle activities involving movement and balance. These are concrete ways to connect language and physical development with play. Weekly swimming takes place in the school’s heated indoor pool, adding another setting for practising movement.
The November 2024 ISI inspection found that early-years staff developed children’s vocabulary during play and taught phonics effectively. Across the early years, mathematical learning combined group activities with play, while outdoor resources supported balance and strength. These findings concern the early-years provision as a whole; they give parents useful evidence about the teaching surrounding Nursery without assigning it a separate grade.
Settling starts with a stay-and-play or classroom taster suited to the child’s stage. Time with prospective classmates and staff introduces routines before the first day. Families receive a welcome pack, and introductions to teaching and pastoral staff help establish who to approach as their child settles.
Pastoral leadership sits with the Deputy Head, who also holds the designated safeguarding role. Parents receive updates about progress and wellbeing, with the pastoral team available for discussions. The SENCo oversees SEND provision and tailored support, giving families a defined team structure for discussing additional needs.
Emotional development has a practical focus. In November 2024, early-years children were learning to express feelings and develop ways to manage them, alongside understanding others’ emotions. That matters in everyday friendships and frustrations.
Fresh hot lunches are made each day by the school’s catering team. Lunch is included in the fee total, although it appears separately on invoices, so meals form part of the charging arrangement rather than an optional addition.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Contact the admissions team to confirm the process and any deadlines for moving from Nursery to Reception. Rose Hill operates independently of the local authority admissions process; acceptance deadlines and any conditions accompany an offer.
Classroom familiarity is a different matter from admission. Where helpful, the school arranges visits between Nursery and Reception. These can introduce the next classroom and routines, but should not be read as an admissions entitlement.
Attendance builds across the nursery year: five mornings in autumn, four mornings plus one full day in spring, then three full days and two mornings in summer. An extended option provides five full days. That progression makes the term-by-term pattern a practical consideration for childcare planning.
For Nursery children aged 3 and over, funding covers 15 hours each week for up to 34 weeks annually and is credited to the termly invoice. Core classroom stationery is included. Selected activities can attract additional charges, and uniform may involve mandatory charges; contact the school for current charges.
Enquiries go to admissions@rosehillschool.co.uk or 01892 525591. Personal tours can be booked during the school day and last around 90 minutes. Before joining, families receive uniform and supplier information alongside daily timings.
The nursery caters for ages 3–4, with entry in September after a child’s third birthday.
Weekly woodland sessions sit alongside outdoor stories, mark-making with natural materials and movement and balance activities.
Yes. Freshly prepared hot lunches are included in the fee total and shown separately on invoices.
The pattern moves from five mornings in autumn to four mornings and one full day in spring, then three full days and two mornings in summer. Five full days are also offered as an extended option.
No. Contact the admissions team to confirm the process and any deadlines for moving from Nursery to Reception. Transition visits, arranged where helpful, support familiarity with the next stage rather than guaranteeing admission.
