Welcome to Hillside Early Years

Where Every Child Finds Their Roots

From the moment your child joins our Pinecones (ages 2-3) or Acorns (ages 3-4) classrooms, they become part of our Hillside family. We understand that children learn best when they feel safe, seen, and supported. That’s why our dedicated Key Person system is at the heart of everything we do—building the secure bonds your child needs to explore the world with confidence. 

We believe that the early years are the most critical for establishing a lifelong love of learning. By adopting a child-centered approach, we ensure that education is an engaging, play-based journey tailored to each child's unique personality. Guided by the EYFS framework and the latest Ofsted standards, our curriculum prioritises the prime areas of development: Personal, Social, and Emotional growth, Physical Development, and Communication as these underpin all learning. We then bridge into Literacy, Mathematics, understanding the World and Expressive Arts to extend learning opportunities following their interests.  

Our indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to be stimulating "play-scapes" that evolve alongside your child's interests. Whether they are developing their physical coordination in our large garden or discovering new concepts through the EYFS curriculum, our focus remains on their individuality. We aim to create a "home-away-from-home" that prepares them—not just for school—but for a bright and happy future.

Organisation of sessions

We now offer all-day sessions!!

Due to an expansion of our Early Years department, we are now able to be flexible to meet the needs of parents within our community.  

We do not charge any voluntary contributions or additional fees for funded hours.  You will need to provide nappies and wipes if they are not yet toilet trained.  If your child attends all day, you will need to provide a healthy lunch box.  

It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to apply for this funding. For more information, please go to the Best Start in Life eligibility checker.  Eligibility checker | Best Start in Life

Sessions available:

Morning sessions : 8.30am - 11.30am

Afternoon sessions : 12.15pm - 3.15pm

All day : 9am - 3pm

Children can do a combination of sessions if we have the capacity to accommodate it.  Please contact us to discuss your requirements.