Warlingham Park School Nursery Review

Sand, songs and forest school give Warlingham Park’s nursery day its character. Blossoms caters for children aged 2–3, with Pre-School forming the next stage within the school at Chelsham Common, Warlingham. The appeal is the combination of nursery play and participation in school life: specialist music and dance sit alongside activities led by familiar key workers.

This review focuses on the school’s Nursery and Pre-School. A separate registered early years setting also operates on the premises, including a baby room; its provision should be distinguished from the school nursery when choosing a place.

Learning follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the framework for children’s early development. Activities span seven learning areas, with the nursery aiming to build on what children already know and what interests them. In practice, painting, puzzles, songs, stories and play with water or sand give children different ways to explore, communicate and practise skills.

Music and dance involve specialist teachers. Key workers lead cookery, PE and forest school, bringing movement, practical tasks and outdoor exploration into the programme. During settling sessions, children spend time in the garden, choose their own play and join activities led by adults. This lets them try different parts of nursery life before starting.

Pre-School introduces early number work and phonics, alongside bigger physical equipment. In March 2025, ISI found purposeful early years learning, with adults developing children’s spoken language and using questions to extend understanding. Bikes, a climbing wall, painting and colouring supported physical development. These are concrete opportunities to practise both larger movements and finer hand control.

Five complimentary settling sessions help children become familiar with nursery before their start date, usually during the preceding week, with flexibility over timing. Parents are invited to stay for the first session; from the second session, they can leave and return to collect their child. An All about me form helps staff tailor the introduction to the child rather than treating settling as a fixed routine.

Relationships guide the choice of key person. Staff watch which adults a child connects with during settling, while photographs and updates through Famly keep parents involved. The same app carries information about the day and progress summaries each term, giving families both immediate updates and a longer view of development.

In the Nursery room, staff encourage toilet training and reducing daytime sleep before Pre-School. Funded childcare excludes meals and consumables, so families need to consider those charges alongside their chosen attendance pattern.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the SENCO works with parents on individual plans where needed, including support, intended outcomes and review dates. Support and accessibility. Facilities for disabled children are limited, and some specialist provision can carry additional charges. Families should discuss their child’s requirements during the application process so that adjustments and the proposed support are understood before accepting a place.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. At this independent school, existing pupils are expected to continue through the school, conditional on meeting its behaviour and progress standards; the entry procedures for new applicants do not apply to pupils already progressing within it.

For oversubscribed entry at age four, priority goes first to children of Inspired Learning Group staff, then siblings of current or former pupils, followed by other applicants in registration order. Nursery attendance is not a separate priority category. Families should distinguish conditional continuation as an existing pupil from applying for a new Reception place directly with the school.

Nursery drop-off starts at 8am, with clubs continuing until 6pm. Attendance options include a five-school-day term-time pattern and full-year patterns of three, four or five days. Full-year charges are calculated over 51 weeks and spread across 12 monthly payments; bank holidays, public holidays and inset closures remain payable.

Eligible families can use 15 or 30 funded hours and should supply their eligibility code to the nursery manager. Funding covers childcare itself; additional hours, food and consumables sit outside that entitlement. Contact the school for current charges.

Enquiries can be made through the nursery enquiry form, by calling 01883 626844 or by emailing info@warlinghamparkschool.com. Individual tours include the nursery and outdoor learning spaces, making a visit a useful opportunity to discuss the attendance pattern and settling arrangements.