Shoreham Day Nursery & Pre-school

A sensory area for babies, child-sized toilets for toddlers and children serving their own snacks give Shoreham Day Nursery & Pre-school a clear emphasis: growing independence through everyday activity. Indoor and outdoor play are connected by a free-flow approach, giving children choices about where to spend their time. The garden is part of the nursery day.

On Middle Road in Shoreham-by-Sea, the nursery has capacity for 58 children aged three months to five years. At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying uneven learning support between parts of the setting. That distinction matters: the positive overall judgement came with a specific teaching improvement to address.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Snug, for three months to two years, combines a sensory area exploring sound, colour and texture with a cosy book area, giving early communication a place in both exploration and shared stories.

For two- to three-year-olds, The Toddler Den links communication, movement and emotional development with practical independence: making playdough, learning to dress and using child-sized toilets bring manageable challenges into familiar routines.

The Pre-school Study, for three- to five-year-olds, brings together early number work, literacy, creativity and physical development, alongside serving food and learning to resolve disagreements, connecting preparation for school with managing daily life.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, development and care: here, play, conversation, physical activity and everyday routines support those areas together. Adult-guided activities sit alongside play that children initiate themselves. Practitioners build activities around children's interests and capabilities, allowing different starting points within the same room.

Free-flow means children can choose between outside and inside during the day. It makes the garden an extension of play rather than a separate destination, with sensory exploration, creative activity and movement among the choices.

In May 2022, children investigated a woodlouse discovered beneath a step and shared what they noticed with other children. Outdoor play also included discussing how rain affected growing plants and exploring oranges in water through smell and observation. These were concrete examples of learning from what children encountered, rather than relying entirely on adult-set tasks.

The limitation was consistency. In May 2022, purposeful adult interaction supported learning in some areas, but this was uneven across the nursery; the improvement required stronger practitioner knowledge and skills throughout the setting. Families should weigh the appealing room arrangements alongside that dated finding.

Independence runs through the current room descriptions. Toddlers practise dressing and toileting, while preschool children take responsibility for serving meals and snacks. These are small, repeatable tasks that give children opportunities to participate in their own care.

In May 2022, younger children used gestures and simple signs to express themselves, with staff responding in similar ways. Older children's vocabulary was extended during play. Communication support therefore involved both helping children make requests and giving them words for their discoveries.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received individual, sensitive support, with information shared to assist their move towards school. This is a dated finding about support in practice, rather than a promise about every child's experience today.

In May 2022, contact with parents included photographs, spoken updates and communication with a key person and management. Information from parents and other carers helped staff understand individual children. For families, that exchange connected care at home with care during the nursery day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Middle Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 6GA. The nursery opens on weekdays from 7.30am until 6pm and operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year. Those closures matter when arranging care around work commitments.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01273 467250, and a visit can be booked.

Getting There

There is a car park, and the premises are wheelchair accessible. This gives families using a car or requiring wheelchair access concrete practical provision to consider.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2022, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Treat that as the position at that date when considering the funding question below.

• Consistency of learning support. In May 2022, adult support for learning differed between areas. Ask how practitioner development now supports consistent teaching across the rooms.
• Movement between spaces. Free-flow allows children to choose indoor or outdoor play. During a visit, discuss how that arrangement works for a younger child who needs help managing transitions.
• Funding and costs. The May 2022 funding position covered children aged two, three and four. What funded attendance arrangements and additional charges would apply to your child's proposed pattern?

Shoreham suits families seeking care for babies through to preschool age, with practical independence built into each stage. The Baby Snug's sensory and book areas offer a different emphasis from The Pre-school Study's self-service routines and preparation for school. Free-flow adds choice across indoor and outdoor play. Balance those concrete features against the May 2022 concern about uneven learning support when deciding whether the nursery fits your child.