Bright Horizons Shoreham-by-Sea Day Nursery and Preschool

A landscaped garden, a sensory room and space for messy play give this Buckingham Road nursery a clear physical character. Bright Horizons Shoreham-by-Sea Day Nursery and Preschool cares for children from six months to five years and has 65 places in total. Its playrooms are bright and spacious, with resources selected for different stages of development.

At its October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good and found safeguarding effective. That judgement needs to be read alongside the later organisational safeguarding action described below. It is a historical assessment, rather than a fresh endorsement of current practice.

Indoor and outdoor play both feature in the learning arrangements, with children choosing some activities and adults organising others. That combination gives children room to pursue their interests while also taking part in planned experiences. The sensory room adds a separate type of space to the playrooms; outside, the mud kitchen, water play and nature trail give families concrete features to consider.

EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, learning includes developing language, controlling movements and becoming more independent with simple self-care; the October 2021 examples below illustrate those areas. Alongside it, the group-wide Bright Beginnings Curriculum combines activities intended to develop skills for the next stage, whether children are changing rooms or preparing for school. The useful emphasis is on progression through everyday experiences, rather than treating school preparation as a separate final step.

In October 2021, conversation and books were woven into activities: adults gave children time to explain their ideas, made story sessions interactive and talked babies through their experiences. These examples show what language work looked like in practice at that time. Older children developed stories through imaginative play, including a pretend safari, while babies experimented with finger marks in foam.

The garden also mattered in October 2021. Children practised balancing on bicycles and spent time running and climbing, alongside smaller movements with brushes and pencils. Physical learning extended beyond exercise: it included the control needed to handle tools and make marks.

In October 2021, babies sought comfort from staff and also explored independently. Older children practised everyday self-care, including choosing snacks with tongs and managing toileting, while babies were introduced to handwashing. Those small routines made independence part of the day rather than something reserved for an organised activity.

Emotional communication was another practical element in October 2021: children told adults when they felt hungry, tired or excited, and staff helped them recognise and manage feelings. Children also invited others into their play and shared resources. These are dated examples of relationships and routines, not promises about every child's experience today.

Two learning weaknesses accompanied the October 2021 judgement. Some planning concentrated on the materials and activity rather than the precise learning intended for the child, and information passed between rooms did not consistently equip covering staff with each child's learning priorities. The distinction matters: an appealing activity needs a clear purpose, and that purpose needs to survive a change of practitioner.

On 22 June 2026, Ofsted's compliance summary recorded a Welfare Requirements Notice for Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited because the organisation had not demonstrated consistently effective safeguarding across its provision; the actions concerned organisational arrangements and did not establish concerns at every individual setting. The notice required stronger leadership oversight, consistent handling and escalation of concerns, procedures for allegations against staff, and monitoring of training and supervision, with actions due by 1 August 2026. This is the latest published position in that summary, dated 22 June 2026.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm. It operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Those opening hours establish the daily operating window; families should distinguish them from the attendance arrangement agreed for their child.

Getting There

The address is 48 Buckingham Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5UD. The train station is a five minute walk away, and both Southlands Hospital and Buckingham Park are a short walk away.

Funding and Paid Extras

Meals and snacks are included in the fee, with an onsite chef and freshly prepared food. The branch also carries the group-wide inclusion of nappies, wipes and feeding essentials in its fees, with a caveat that a small number of nurseries cannot supply every listed item. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Organisational safeguarding action. The 22 June 2026 notice concerned consistency across the organisation, with actions due by 1 August 2026. Before joining, ask how those requirements have been implemented at Shoreham-by-Sea and what follow-up has taken place.
• Learning continuity. In October 2021, planning and information passed to covering staff needed greater precision. A personal tour is an opportunity to ask how each child's next learning steps are shared between practitioners now.
• Your attendance and funding arrangement. With an 8am to 6pm weekday opening window and Christmas closures, ask which booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement fits your household, including how meals and consumables are treated within that agreement.

This nursery suits families seeking childcare across the year in Shoreham-by-Sea, with indoor play spaces and several ways to explore outdoors. The sensory room and garden features give the practical offer substance. The June 2026 organisational safeguarding notice is a material part of the decision. A choice here should weigh the daily environment alongside clear answers about how safeguarding and learning continuity work today.