Our Offering

Nursery

Children from Balham and Tooting join our nursery class from the term after they turn two years and four months. In order to ensure they have a gentle start to their early years education, they join us for a minimum of three mornings a week (Tuesday through Thursday) until the term after they turn three. In the term after they turn three, all children attend for the full five mornings each week. All children have the option of staying for lunch or if they are no longer napping they can join us for afternoon school until 3.15pm.

Pre-Reception

In the year they turn four, children move into Pre-Reception where they all stay for five morning sessions each week. As with nursery, they are able to stay for lunch or afternoon school also. We encourage children to attend at least one afternoon session per week to ease the transition between part time and full time school.

Morning school

8.45am – 12.00pm

Once in their spacious classrooms, children are independent in choosing their own activity from a selection that will develop their skills in each of the key curriculum areas.

Teachers will work individually with children on focused tasks to help them to keep achieving new targets and teaching assistants facilitate interactive group activities. Each morning children also spend a minimum of 45 minutes outside on the field engaged in more physical activities set-up to reflect the core curriculum areas.

Lunch

12.00pm – 1.00pm

Children sit together to eat their packed lunches whilst supervised by the staff in our hall. The year groups are mixed together to encourage blending within the classes and positive behaviour modelling for the younger nursery children. The children will have a short play on the indoor play equipment and enjoy some quiet time in the reading corner.

Afternoon school

1.00pm – 3.15pm

Afternoon school at Bertrum House is designed to complement the more structured activities covered each morning. Each afternoon features a specialist session and provides an opportunity for the children to consolidate their learning and engage in much more creative play.

Peripatetic teachers lead dance and yoga classes on a Wednesday and Friday morning, respectively, whilst teaching staff lead the afternoon sessions in sport, French, music and the creative arts. By hiring well qualified teachers and teaching assistants, Bertrum House offers a broad and varied curriculum that will enthuse and encourage the children to learn.

Specialist sessions

Bertrum House offers a range of specialist sessions to broaden the children’s experience; from sport and dance, to music and yoga and even French. Early exposure to a structured routine of creative sessions instils a willingness in the children to express themselves as individuals.

Ofsted Inspection Report, October 2018

“Children very confidently and openly discuss and celebrate diversity. They are incredibly kind, respectful and caring towards each other and staff.”

What parents say

“Both of my children went to BH – the nursery is perfect for that first introduction to life in a school environment. It is big with different areas for focused play and learning. Teachers are lovely and really do care. Then for pre-reception they follow on with fun led teaching which really supports the children ready for big school. I loved the school.”

“Bertrum is such a uniquely special place and we feel extremely lucky that our son was a part of your family.”