Early years: Nursery & Reception | Early Years Education | Nursery

Children are born with a natural readiness and eagerness to learn, driven by an instinctive curiosity to interact with the world around them.

The Early Years curriculum at Bedales Pre-prep is designed to nurture these instincts in children, offering stimulating environments and opportunities
for them to gain, practise and extend new knowledge and skills.

Relationships and wellbeing are at the very heart of the curriculum; we value emotional attunement as highly as academic attainment. Small class sizes allow us to get to know children and their families quickly and form positive relationships, ensuring every child is supported and has a nurturing team to guide and inspire them.

We deliver our curriculum through an inquiry-based approach, allowing children
to have agency over what they learn and how. Highly qualified and experienced teachers weave knowledge and skills into play, learning provocations and teacher-facilitated sessions, led by the children’s curiosity, interests and needs.

Bedales nursery experience

For families looking for a nurturing and inspiring nursery school near Petersfield, Bedales Nursery is a hidden gem, igniting curiosity and creativity in our youngest learners.

Nursery is the very first stage of the Bedales journey, where we support our youngest learners aged 3-5 to grow into curious, confident and independent thinkers. Through our nurturing, child-centred approach that stimulates children's innate sense of curiosity, we encourage them to explore their interests, ask questions and discover answers.

The Nursery is set in a beautifully converted barn surrounded by nature, where children enjoy light, open spaces designed for play, exploration and learning. With its own garden overlooking the leafy Pre-prep orchard, Bedales Nursery is a magical setting where every day is an exciting opportunity to discover something new.

Inquisitive learners

We use enquiry-based learning in age-appropriate ways to support children’s learning. In contrast with traditional approaches, enquiry-based learning means that children’s natural curiosity drives their educational experiences.

Our passionate and dedicated Nursery team encourage children
in the Nursery to ask questions, explore ideas and find solutions
in a way that feels natural yet exciting.

A learning enquiry on cultures around the world, for example, could
be introduced to the Nursery through immersive storytelling. Children might embark on an imaginative magic carpet ride to different countries, where they learn phrases in new languages, discover customs and traditions, and sample international cuisine. As their curiosity grows, the enquiry naturally evolves and is incorporated into other activities, such as preparing a popular delicacy for a morning snack or constructing famous landmarks from building blocks during free play.

This approach supports our youngest learners to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, creativity and global awareness – skills they will continue to build as they progress through the Pre-prep
and beyond.

Located in the heart of the South Downs National Park, the outdoors is central to life at Bedales, and this begins in the Nursery. From splashing in muddy puddles to growing vegetables in the garden, there are opportunities to explore, learn and connect with nature every day – so wellies are essential!

As part of the Bedales community, we have access to the extensive open spaces and facilities on the school’s 120-acre estate. Our outdoor adventures include exploring the Pre-prep’s green spaces, forest school sessions in the surrounding woodlands, and visiting the chickens, pigs, sheep, ponies and goats at the school’s on-site working farm.

We make full use of the Bedales estate to enrich children's learning experiences. Examples include observing the trees in our orchards and woodlands to learn about seasonal change; visiting piglets, lambs and chicks on the school farm to deepen understanding of lifecycles; and practising road safety when crossing the various roads and tracks around the estate. There are learning opportunities everywhere and we embrace them, while developing children’s understanding of how they learn.

Good Schools Guide

You walk around the school with your heart soaring, knowing that your child is experiencing their early years education amidst such natural beauty.

- Parent

Joining Bedales Nursery

We welcome children to the Nursery from the age of three, and many of our families find that attending for four days or more allows their child to truly immerse themselves in everything the Nursery
has to offer.

Families can use Early Years Education (EYE) grant funding towards Nursery fees. This funding is available as part of the funding for afternoon sessions only. To gain the full subsidy, a child would need to attend the Nursery for five full days.