Apricot Pre-school St Neots

  • Open 7.30am - 6.30pm

  • Open 51 weeks

  • Outdoor learning

  • FREE sibling places

01480 473 551

A nurturing environment for St Neots pre-schoolers to learn through play and prepare for school

At Apricot Pre-school, we know that early years education has many benefits. Not only does it allow parents to return to work knowing their child is safe and cared for, but evidence shows that it contributes to cognitive, social, and physical development, boosts confidence and independence, and supports children’s preparation for school. To support this, our St Neots pre-school offers FREE childcare for siblings of registered children to support the whole family.

Please contact the team at Apricot Pre-school to determine the nursery fee that is correct for your individual circumstances.

Through role modelling and teaching independence at a young age, children at Apricot Pre-school St Neots become confident and can achieve their own goals, exceeding in many areas before they seamlessly progress to their next stage of early years education at school.

Our pre-school rooms benefit from large, enclosed outdoor play areas equipped with age-appropriate resources. Free-flow access to the outdoors allows children to enjoy the fresh air, explore independently and in groups, and develop physical skills such as running, climbing, and balancing. Whatever the weather, we enjoy stimulating chatter about the changes in seasons and the effects on the environment and wildlife around us.

The team at our St Neots pre-school is proud of its Ofsted ‘Good’ rating, where engaging learning opportunities enable children to gain knowledge and prepare for school life through routine, and child-led, and adult-led activities.

Well-being and individuality are important to our experienced practitioners, and activities are thoughtfully prepared to entice curiosity. We take special educational needs and disabilities seriously and actively form partnerships with parents, professionals and local schools to personalise and support children through their learning journey.

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  • Apricot Pre-school, Priory Park Infant School, Almond Road, St Neots, PE19 1DZ
  • Opening times:
    • Full day
    • 8am to 6pm
    • AM
    • 8am to 1pm
    • PM
    • 1pm to 6pm
    • Early start
    • 7:30am to 8am
    • Late finish
    • 6pm to 6:30pm
  • The Pre-school is situated in St. Neots, in the grounds of Priory Park Infant school, which is within walking distance of the town and other commutes. The setting is approximately only a 10 minute walk to the train station; with trains running every 30 minutes to Kings Cross, London. We are also situated only a couple of minutes’ drive from the A1 and the A428 with bus routes into Cambridge. There is ample parking for all parents and visitors.
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  • View Ofsted report

Our enriched curriculum embedded into every nursery

The Brighter Learning Approach (BLA) is unique to The Old Station Nursery group and is our advanced approach to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and core pedagogy. It differs from traditional nursery teaching methods by providing real-life opportunities to enhance children’s natural curiosity, with emphasis on hands-on experiences, child-led learning, and whole development.

The six core areas promote active engagement and critical thinking whilst encouraging exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Each child learns at their own pace and is challenged and extended at appropriate times.

The best place to see the BLA in action is via our local nursery Facebook page, where each post explains which part of the curriculum the children are working on. Our parents also receive updates on the Parent App too.

My Happy and Healthy Self

Championing children's holistic health and laying the foundations for a happy, healthy and successful life.

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Wonderful World

Helping the future generation of global citizens to understand the world they live in and to believe they can make a difference.

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Super Steam

Enabling early experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). Nurturing our next generation of investigators, inventors and innovators.

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Raving Readers

Enticing children to develop a life-long love of books and reading through engaging and interactive storytelling experiences. Building strong literacy skills while sparking imagination and creativity.

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Mini Maths

Engaging children in meaningful mathematical learning. Developing knowledge, building skills and exploring concepts, through purposeful play and plenty of practice.

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Confident Speakers and Communicators

Developing confident communicators by engaging in quality conversations with children every day, in a language rich and communication friendly environment.

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Clubs and enhancements at Apricot Pre-school St Neots

With such an expansive outdoor space at Apricot Pre-school, our children delight in sporting activities that take place out in the fresh air. Clubs throughout the week enhance our Brighter Learning Approach, our bespoke version of the Early Years Statutory Framework and instil curiosity, creativity, and well-being to support readiness for school.

French Lessons at Apricot Pre-School

Age-appropriate French lessons are a frequent feature in our timetable to learn basic vocabulary, phrases and cultural insights through songs, stories and books, which can also be shared with parents to continue learning at home.  Children leave for their next learning stage at primary school feeling confident about exploring languages and participating in class.

Budding Movers at Apricot Pre-School

Children at our St Neots pre-school thoroughly enjoy their time with external professionals from Superstar Sports. They focus on developing children’s agility, balance and co-ordination while following EYFS goals.

Our pre-schoolers develop an activity and healthy lifestyle that will last a lifetime, with sessions that help children develop problem-solving, self-evaluation, and decision-making skills.

Budding Musicians at Apricot Pre-School

Zumbini classes connect children with their peers through song, dance and instrument playing. Using a variety of rhythms, children’s moods can shift, boost energy and help them to relax whilst improving cognitive development through language, memory and literacy.

Budding Artists at Apricot Pre-School

Children at our pre-school love to explore daily arts and crafts to help them understand the world around them. The messier the art project, the better, and we take the opportunity to discuss different types of materials, textures and colour mixing, creating fantastic projects to take home to parents .

Budding Gardeners at Apricot Pre-School

Come rain or shine, we tend our vegetable plots, teaching the children about the different stages of growth cycles and exploring the different tastes and textures of the produce.

As Budding Gardeners, children learn about the environment and gain lifelong sustainable growing skills and enjoyment, which they will carry with them throughout their lives.

Budding Scientists at Apricot Pre-School

Children learn so much during their early years and take great joy in exploring the world around them. At our nursery they’re immersed into the world of Science through age appropriate hands-on experiments and activities designed to spark their curiosity.

Our promises at Apricot Pre-school St Neots

Parent Communication

Our nursery group is passionate about the link between home and nursery; the nursery experience is as much about the parent as it is for the child.

Apricot Pre-school commits to verbally updating you about your child’s day at pick-up time and via digital updates on the parent App.

We are here at any time should you wish to call us or want to discuss any area of your child’s care. We aim to look after our parents as well as our children so you can carry on with your day, work and career with a sense of peace.

Safety First, Safety Always

First and foremost, you and we need to know that your child is safe. Before we can deliver the excellent curriculum that makes our nurseries so special, robust policies and procedures are followed to meet the exacting standards of Ofsted, building and fire regulations, food safety standards and staff DBS background checks and references.

Our staff are trained in numerous areas and we offer further training opportunities for staff who have an interest in a particular area.

For example, some of our nurseries have attained Millie’s Mark, an accreditation gained by having 100% of staff on site trained in paediatric first aid.

Nursery Mealtimes

Meals at our St Neots pre-school are freshly prepared on-site by our cook. We use fresh, seasonal ingredients to create nutritious menus that are rotated regularly for variety. All dietary preferences, including intolerances and allergens, are catered for.

Key Person

Every child has a nursery key person who knows them best and who will be the child and parent’s main contact. Your key person at our nursery will update you about your child’s day and is there to answer your questions.

When your child moves to the next age group room, we hold several settling sessions with a new nursery key person.

We encourage our parents to view the new room too, and we will work with you to discuss the new routines, just like we did when you first started nursery.

Next Stop School

It is wonderful to nurture and see our children graduate to primary school. Part of the unique offering of Apricot Pre-school is our focus on the next stage of your child’s learning journey.

We prepare the children through school activities, teacher meet and greets and graduation ceremonies. Our commitment is to support our parents too by providing child learning journey updates, parents evenings or one-to-ones and home link learning kits to enhance the link between nursery and home.

Extra Curricular Activities

All our nurseries follow the Brighter Learning Approach to the Early Years Statutory Framework, our bespoke curriculum. Within this, each nursery chooses extra clubs, activities, and enhancements suitable for their space.

A wide range of child-centred activities builds confidence and self-esteem. They also encourage children to learn how to assess and take appropriate risks depending on their environment. We hold open days, where parents and carers are encouraged to come along and meet other parents to build their own personal friendships and networks ahead of primary school.

Fees and Funding

Apricot Pre-school in St Neots commits to providing a simple fee structure so you can manage your costs.

In addition to FREE childcare for siblings of registered children, our pre-school in St Neots do not charge for additions such as food, enhancements or consumables and some fully funded and part-funded sessions are also available for eligible families.

Please contact the team at Apricot to determine the fee that is correct for your individual circumstances.

Free Sibling Terms and Conditions: Where more than two children attend, the 100% discount applies to one child only. 100% discount applies to the eldest sibling’s account. This offer is valid until the eldest child leaves. The discount does not transfer to additional children. Eldest child must be in receipt of government funding of 15 or 30 hours. The 100% discount will be applied based on the attendance hours of the youngest child. Limited availability applies; only available nursery sessions or spaces will be offered, and once full, the offer will no longer be available. This offer is valid for permanent booking patterns only. Extra sessions are not eligible for ‘Sibling Free’ discount. The discount will be applied to invoices from January 2025. Other discounts or offers are not applicable during this period. This offer does not apply to staff. We reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time. Offer valid for a limited period only. Offer will be honoured until the eldest child leaves. Available across selected nurseries only: Alvechurch, Apricot Nursery, Apricot Pre-school, Bromsgrove, Dover, Iver, Little Oaks, Maidstone, Margate, Moseley, Northfield, Rubery, St Nicholas, Taplow, The Grange, and Uxbridge. By taking up the offer, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

A room for every stage of your child’s development

Sunshine Room (2-3 years)

Our spacious rooms at Apricot Pre-school are equipped with natural resources for children to discover freely throughout the day. Independence is encouraged with children choosing activities of interest and self-serving meals and drinks to foster healthy decision-making and portion control skills, with supportive guidance as needed.

Children enjoy seamless indoor and outdoor play with free-flow access to the garden. This setup encourages free-flowing exploration and physical activity in a natural environment, enriching their learning experiences.

Pre-School Room (3-5 years)

What's happening at Apricot Pre-School

Join us for our Open Day on Saturday 25th January

Looking for the perfect start to your child’s early years? Come along to our Open Day and discover what makes our nursery a warm, nurturing, and inspiring place for little ones to learn, play, and grow.

Meet our friendly team, explore our engaging facilities, and learn about our tailored approach to early childhood education. Whether it’s our creative activities, outdoor play areas, or focus on individual development, we’re excited to share how we can support your child’s unique journey. Contact us today to book a time slot.

Free childcare for siblings*

At Apricot Pre-School, we offer FREE childcare for siblings*, allowing them to benefit from nursery education and prepare for their next stage of learning at school.

The benefits of nursery education extend to parents too, allowing them to return to work knowing their children are safe and cared for.

*Terms and conditions apply. Please contact the team at Apricot Pre-School to determine the correct fee for your circumstances.

What our Apricot Pre-School Manager says

“My passion is creating the best outcomes for the children in my care. Every child is an individual, and supporting and nurturing the foundations of who they are gives them the very best start in life. Childcare and children’s mental health are my passions, and making a difference to a child and their families' lives is the best job.”

Louise Wright, Pre-school Manager, Apricot Pre-school

Sunhill Apricot Pre-School is proud to be independently reviewed and graded by daynurseries.co.uk

Your childcare questions answered

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Can I call the nursery for an update?

You are welcome to call the nursery at any time.

Can I pay for hourly childcare?

Can I pick my child up early?

Can I split funding between two childcare providers?

The Old Station Nursery Apricot Pre-School news

Apricot pre-school children in need

Apricot Pre-School Raises £85 for Children in Need

Apricot Pre-School raised £85 for Children in Need, showing their strong community spirit and commitment to helping children...

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Brothers & Sisters Receive Free Day Nursery Care in St Neots

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Harvesting Homegrown Carrots with Pre-School

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