Halstead St Andrew's School

We have just finished putting our 2nd child through the HSA nursery and it has shown consistently great results with both. The kids have lots of fun, make friends and learn so much. Every week my son loved telling me about his new phonics sound and can now recognise all the letters when we read together setting him up well for Rising Reception (pre school) which we are very much looking forward too. The teachers are caring and know each child very well. Being part of a school makes the kids feel grown up and part of something (e.g. summer fairs, school sports day etc.) and I can't recommend it highly enough.

We recently attended Dhrithi's sports day and it was a real highlight. The staff had clearly put so much thought and effort into organising it, and watching the little ones participate was an absolute joy - they were absolutely adorable! The atmosphere was so positive and encouraging, and it was wonderful to see how confident and happy the children were. The level of communication from the school is excellent - we always feel informed and involved in Dhrithi's progress. We would wholeheartedly recommend Halstead St Andrew's nursery to any family looking for a nurturing, well-run setting where children truly thrive.

Our girl started in Rising Reception in January 2026 and we have all been so nicely welcomed by teachers and other parents. I find this school to be very open and warm, and that was noticed in the first week. Our daughter has grown in her self-confidence, her general development and I especially like that she is challenged in various activities, both academical and creative tasks. We like and think that our daughter also has benefitted a lot from the structure a school setting gives, rather than the more laid back style of other nursery settings. We can't praise the class teachers more and it really shows that they see the individual child and their own needs. We would recommend HSA to anyone looking for an organised, warm and welcoming school setting, where the children excel in a kind and nurturing environment.

We have been made to feel so welcome since joining the nursery at Halstead St Andrews. From our first open day experience, where we met staff and existing parents who really demonstrated and showcased what a wonderful school community they have. The fact that they have so many staff members with long tenures is testament to the school, and their ability to retain high quality staff. The initial stay and play before we enrolled, was a great way to get a first hand experience of the nursery facilities before we enrolled. Our son really loves the nursery, especially all the facilities and different activities / classes he attends - such trips to the library, forest school, and performing arts. The class sizes are small and I feel he gets the right level of attention from the staff. He has made wonderful friends, and we have seen phenomenal personal growth and extended vocabulary since he has started at HSA. We cant praise the pre-prep staffing team enough!

My little boy has recently transitioned to the Rising Reception/Preschool class of Halstead St Andrews (HSA) and we cannot speak highly enough of our experience. He has been used to a nursery setting from a young age, but as an energetic 3 year old he was ready for something more. The breadth of activities and experiences he has on a daily basis has been very impressive and he always comes home excited to tell us about the things he has been doing. The teaching staff have been fantastic and the level of communication between the school and parents always leaves me feeling very content and knowledgeable about the week he has had. I was nervous about transitioning my son ahead of compulsory education (because he was happy with his previous setting), but seeing how happy he is 4 weeks in, I know I made the right choice and I am very excited to see him grow at HSA.

We have been really impressed by Halstead St Andrew's and the impact they have had on our daughter who was previously in a smaller, childminder setting. All staff members we have encountered appear familiar with our daughter and her character. Would recommend to anyone.

Our little boy has had such a fantastic start to nursery! He goes in happily every day, for all the fun, structured activities that keep him engaged and learning.

It's been amazing to see his confidence grow, and he looks so smart in his new uniform! The nursery provides a nurturing and stimulating environment, and we're so grateful for the care and attention he receives. A perfect start to his early learning journey!

We are happy to share that improved a lot after going to day nursery.

Her day by day things are improving very fast like learning skills and food habits.

Thank you team for supporting.

I would highly recommend Halstead St Andrew's School to anyone. My daughter had previously been to a different nursery which was great whilst she was very little but she was ready for more. Moving to HSA pre school allowed her to feel that she was already at school and started her on her journey of learning numbers and phonics. The small class sizes meant she got lots of time and attention from staff and she formed good bonds with her friends. The staff and facilities are great and so is the food.

My son has just completed pre-school at Halstead St Andrew's School (HSA). I'm so glad we chose HSA as a pre school for him. For my daughter, we kept her at another nursery until she joined in Reception but I've really seen the benefit of undertaking a school-based preschool instead. My son was very well equipped to begin Reception, with a solid foundation and knowledge of phonics, letters and sounds. This has set him up very well to succeed in the transition to Reception year. I would recommend the pre-school setting at HSA to anyone; the class sizes mean that there is a very high level of individual focus on the children, and the staff are also extremely knowledgeable, nurturing and kind. The food for the children is also fantastic! My son thoroughly enjoyed his pre-school year at HSA.

I can't recommend HSA enough, the the staff are so committed to the children and the quality of the education is exceptional. My son thrived there and I feel the preschool gave him an excellent introduction to school.

Halstead St Andrew's School has been a wonderful place for our daughter since she started in pre-school in Sep 2023. Having relocated to the UK in 2022 she had started at another local nursery and we were not sure whether to move her for pre-school or just to wait till she was starting reception the following year. We are so pleased that we made that decision to move - we immediately noticed the difference - she really thrived and settled wonderfully at Halstead St Andrew's School. The staff were excellent and so nurturing she loved going in every day. The facilities are great, big classrooms and outdoor space.

We had a very good experience with the nursery. The teachers were fantastic, the nursery was very nurturing and the daily activities they did every day were very good. I could not recommend the nursery enough.

A fantastic nursery with wonderful staff who helped settle my little boy in and transition him onto pre-school. He bonded so well with the staff and built a great trusting relationship. A lovely nurturing setting with a great two-way communication channel. Daily feedback and weekly pictures of what he'd been up to. Highly recommended.

The school also has on-site caterers and our son seems to love the food. The menu is published in advance and there is a variety of options available which gives us peace of mind, knowing he's getting balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day, even though he's a bit of a fussy eater at home!

Thank you.

The school has wonderful provision for 2 year and 3 year old in addition to the traditional reception intake. My 3 year old is enjoying the rich curriculum the school provides and surrounded by loving teachers. She's making new friends and building relationships with her peers. My 2 year old just joined as well and it's so lovely that she can join her big sister in the after school clubs together. The after school care and the 46-week provision (very popular, we didn't get the place) makes work life possible for full-time working parents possible. The management is very effective, willing to listen and accommodating. The admission and admin team is amazing too. It's very reassuring to see my children loving going to school every day.

Absolutely fantastic experience in nursery and preschool. My daughter is so happy there, and I feel relaxed knowing she's being cared for by such kind and dedicated teachers. She learns a lot and has loads of fun. Highly recommend.

The nursery at Halstead is the star and backbone for the school. The nursery have some amazing teachers and specifically one particular member of staff who really cares and loves the children to ensure they are cared for in the best way. As a parent, the nursery teachers always made sure I had all the information needed for development of my daughter and were very flexible in their approach. I am very grateful for the way my daughter was looked after in the nursery.

The classrooms and facilities are also good (although there is not direct access to a grass area, the facilities and fields that form part of the school more than makeup for this and the girls are taken out to these daily). The academics are not forced on the girls, but a clear lesson is taught every day (gym, music, phonics, etc.). My daughter has loved being part of a school and has not been as “babied” as she was in her previous nursery. I think this sets the girls up well for school while allowing them to play and “be kids”.