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Nursery at Bonners CofE School & Nursery
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Language gives Bonners Nursery its clearest character: stories, singing and rhyme help children begin communicating. It is the nursery provision of Bonners CofE School & Nursery in Maresfield, taking two-, three- and four-year-olds. Its daily capacity is 28 children, with up to 10 places for two-year-olds and 18 for the older nursery children.
Attendance can continue until the academic year after a child's fourth birthday ends. The nursery runs for 38 weeks, during term time. That makes it a school-calendar choice, with holiday childcare needing a separate arrangement.
Communication is a concrete focus. In April 2024, Ofsted highlighted the nursery's early attention to language, using stories alongside rhymes and songs to support learning, including for disadvantaged children. These familiar activities give the youngest children ways to practise language.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for early learning and development. Language Link adds a specific assessment tool: children entering early years have their language understanding checked, with small-group support for identified gaps. Persistent difficulties can lead to a referral to the Speech and Language Service, with parental consent. This connects the emphasis on communication to a route for additional help.
Library visits also feature in nursery life, with a Bonners Nursery Bookbag encouraged. The Church of England setting brings a religious dimension: the nursery class has contributed to the school's virtual Easter celebration.
Seesaw connects nursery and home, allowing carers to communicate and share home learning. All carers associated with a child can access it, so confidential written matters need a separate channel. On joining, families complete an About me form covering dietary and medical requirements, allergies and collection arrangements, giving staff information needed for daily care.
The nursery manager also holds early-years SEND and safeguarding responsibilities. Practitioners include qualified and unqualified staff, with first-aid roles listed within the team. Morning sessions include lunchtime; afternoon sessions exclude it.
Additional needs. The April 2024 findings raised a school-wide concern about insufficiently precise learning targets for some pupils with SEND. Families should consider how their child's next steps will be defined and reviewed. The nursery admission policy also permits withdrawal of an offer within the first 10 sessions if the setting cannot meet a child's needs, except where the child has an Education, Health and Care Plan. The school's accessible site includes wide doorways and corridors, plus a toilet with space for wheelchair users to be changed.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to Bonners Reception. Parents must make another application under local authority procedures, whether choosing Bonners or a different school. Treat that application as a separate decision from booking nursery sessions.
Transition support has its own purpose. The school's arrangements include summer-term induction for children joining the foundation stage in September. For children with SEND, meetings bring parents, preschool staff and the school together; additional events and a photograph booklet can support children who find the change difficult. Familiarisation helps children prepare, rather than securing admission.
Morning sessions run from 9:30am to 12:30pm, afternoons from 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and full days from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Early Drop Off covers 8:45am to 9:30am. Children must attend on at least two days each week, although one session on each day meets that requirement; the terms link this regular attendance to settling into nursery routines. Session allocation follows acceptance and depends on availability, so a preferred pattern is not assured.
Universal funded places and places using the 30-hour entitlement are offered. Families using a 30-hour code must attend at least seven sessions weekly and have eligibility re-checked before the end of each term to maintain funding for the following term. Fully funded-only places are restricted and require collection at the funded session's endpoint. Additional sessions and extra session time attract charges; ask the nursery office for current charges. Donations of snack food or materials are voluntary. Changing or cancelling sessions requires six weeks' written notice, excluding holidays.
For enquiries, email nursery@bonners.e-sussex.sch.uk or call 01825 762381. Most families must use village parking; on-site exceptions include eligible Blue Badge use and approved permits.
It has places for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Children may stay until the end of the academic year following their fourth birthday.
Morning sessions are 9:30am to 12:30pm, afternoons 12:30pm to 3:30pm, and full days 9:30am to 3:30pm. Early Drop Off runs from 8:45am to 9:30am.
No. Parents must apply separately for Reception through local authority procedures.
Seesaw supports communication and sharing home learning. All carers involved with a child have access, so confidential written matters need a separate channel.
The terms require attendance on at least two days each week, which can be one session per day. Children using a 30-hour funding code must attend at least seven sessions weekly.
