More information about our Nursery

Looking for a great Nursery?

At One Degree we know how important the first few years of a child’s development are. We know 90% of brain development is, typically, completed by age 5 (Kennedy et al, 2002). Children only get one chance at learning the fundamentals so, we ensure that we provide an excellent offer for our 3-4 year olds in our Nursery.

We know that a key factor for children to be successful is through positive interactions with highly skilled adults. Our team works hard to ensure that children feel safe and happy by building positive relationships from the very start of the transition process. Parents have opportunities to speak to the teaching team at the end of the day at collection, the team will also aim to make regular phone calls home to keep parents up to date. We also use the online platform Tapestry, where staff will share occasional “proud moments” from school and encourage families to do the same from home.

Our carefully designed curriculum is delivered through direct instruction (whole class carpet time) as well as small group work and lots of play both inside and outside (in all weathers!). Full details of our curriculum can be found on the Curriculum Maps (here). We know the importance and benefit of a storytelling approach so reading extends beyond English lessons. We ensure that all children are exposed to a wide range of diverse texts that help to support their understanding of new topics and expand their vocabulary.

We are a school based nursery and so our policies, including attendance, mirror that of the rest of the school. It is important to us that our Nursery students feel like a part of the whole school and so they join the Reception students in weekly celebration assemblies and take part in all whole school events i.e. World Book Day. Our admissions process follows the main school’s policy, with applications open in February for the following September. We occasionally do in year admissions but this is dependent upon the cohort size, staffing and needs of the students.

The settling-in process is thoughtful and gradual, with stay-and-play sessions, home visits, and personalised support for children who need extra care during the transition.

How can your child get an ODA Scholarship and additional hours?

If you are from a lower-income family, we may be able to support you with additional hours! We want as many children as possible to be able to attend full-time hours, and so we are working to top up your hours from 15 to 30 for free! Please give us a call if you think this could help you and you would like to hear more about eligibility.