We moved in May 2023 and are now located in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon, at 51 and 52 Waterside.

We pride ourselves in providing a small, friendly day care facility where we care for and educate children in a fun, safe and happy environment. Each child has the opportunity to play and learn at their own pace in a creative atmosphere.

About the nursery

The nursery is managed by Kate Robinson, a qualified NNEB with over 30 years experience working with children from birth to seven years.

Staff ratios are 1:3 for 0-2 year olds, 1:4 for 2-3 year olds and 1:8 for 3-5 year olds.

How the admissions process works

• All initial enquiries should be made to Kate, Head of Nursery.
• We will email you an information pack including the current fees, terms and conditions and a registration of interest form. We can also offer you an appointment to visit the Nursery.
• You can place your child's name on the waiting list using the registration of interest form – we need to know your details and preferred sessions and start date.
• We use this list to identify your interest in the nursery and there is no guarantee of a place at this stage. We allocate places from the list using the following priorities: RSC employees, siblings of children who already come to the nursery, date of birth, date we received the registration of interest
• We offer government funded sessions to eligible families. Please speak to the Head of Nursery with regard to booking a funded place.
• We will make offers and confirmation of your place approximately three months before your preferred start date.
• Once we have confirmed session times and a start date between us, we ask you to pay a commitment fee of a £100 to secure the place. This fee will be refunded from your first invoice. The amount will not be refunded if the place is not taken up.

Fees and extra sessions

• Full fees will be charged from the accepted start date or a return to the waiting list. Non-payment of fees will forfeit the place.

• We will make every effort to accommodate an increase in sessions when you need them but we cannot guarantee to do so. Extra sessions will be allocated using a waiting list.

• Further information on nursery policies and terms and conditions are available upon request.

The Nursery meets the requirements of The Children's Act 1989 and is registered and approved by OFSTED.

Play and learning at the nursery 

Our staff

Our Nursery team are well established and have been working together, in some cases, for over ten years. We have a shared vision of childcare, development and expectation of achievement. The consistency and experience of our staff ensures happy, creative and well supported children. Parents and families are encouraged to share in their children's care and learning, developing a partnership where parents are valued and respected.

Mixed age groups

Children who attend the RSC Nursery play in mixed age groups just as they would at home. They can move freely between a range of areas and discover new skills and interests as they play with their friends, supervised and supported by our staff.

We believe that it is essential for children to have the scope to learn through play, in a secure, relaxed and challenging environment suited to your child's needs.

"It is through a child's self-chosen play that so much learning takes place. This is where he is able to make decisions for himself, develop relationships in his own way and come to terms with the problems and conflicts which life presents to him." (Structuring Play in The Early Years by Manning & Sharp 1977)

Our facilities

On the ground floor is a large, bright open plan area with a book corner where your child can be comfortable with story books, factual books, tapes and has the opportunity to use puppets.

The ground floor also has:

• Wet and dry sand trays.

• Water play area.

• A fully equipped working kitchen area where the children can bake and create.

• Small and large construction materials, including a woodwork bench.

• Area for malleable materials e.g. Playdough or cooking.

• Writing area to encourage mark making and early attempts at writing.

• Creative and messy area where children can develop their own creative ideas selecting and mixing resources.

• Music area with bought and home-made sound making instruments.

• Imaginative play areas, inside home corner and outside play house, shop, large bus, telephone box, rocking horse, dolls house, farm, garage and other small world equipment.

• Nature and interest table and outside a space to dig, and closely observe worms and insects, plant seeds and watch things grow.

• Topic and theme tables focusing for instance on colour, a letter sound, shape, magnetism or various senses.

• Units containing a variety of learning equipment such as specific mathematical and scientific apparatus, including scales, matching, sorting, ordering, sequencing, and measuring equipment, magnifying glasses, magnets and collections of interesting objects for the children to handle. There are also table top and floor games and puzzles.

On the first floor we have two rooms for our under twos and includes:

• Play areas where the children are able to safely explore their surroundings and can develop their language and communication skills, use their imagination and learn through play.

• Creative area to encourage children in mark-making, painting and other messy play activities with various materials that are on offer to them.

• Book corner where books can be independently explored and a big comfy sofa for snugly stories and songs.

• Snack area where the children all enjoy sitting together for snack time.

• Sleep room where children, under the close supervision of staff, can have a peaceful sleep when they are feeling tired.

• Decked area to encourage outside exploration and gross motor physical development.

Outdoor space

We also have an extensive woodland garden where there is space for exploration, climbing, running, jumping, role-play, story-telling, music making, and playing hide and seek and quiet areas to sit and watch the world go by. As much play and learning takes place outdoors as indoors in the garden. Children are encouraged to spend as much time outside as they wish.

More information

You can download the following PDF documents about the RSC Nursery:

RSC Nursery Terms and Conditions of Business

RSC Nursery Privacy Notice

Special Educational Needs Disability and Inclusion Policy

Supporting Behaviours and Feelings