Sutton Centre Under Fives

Guttering turned into tracks for toy cars, ice investigated with warm water, and a play house transformed into an ice-cream parlour: practical exploration shaped Sutton Centre Under Fives in March 2023. These examples give a concrete picture of children learning by trying things out.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good developmental progress. The setting has 23 places in total for children aged 24 to 60 months.

In March 2023, children joined pieces of guttering outdoors to send balls and cars along them. They also freed toys from ice and explored how warm water changed it. These activities brought problem-solving and investigation into play.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care, linking play with the skills children need to develop. In March 2023, counting children in a group gave mathematics an everyday purpose; cutting out animal pictures to make puppets connected practical skills with storytelling.

Language activities that month included new vocabulary, such as guava, and matching objects with similar sounds. Children's interest in making pretend ice creams also shaped the play house, which became an ice-cream parlour. Their ideas helped determine what they played with.

Other March 2023 examples connected words with tangible objects. A toy ostrich introduced an animal's name, while a toy cat paired with a hat gave children objects to compare during sound activities. Learning moved between looking, talking and making. The animal puppets gave their cutting practice a purpose within a story, rather than leaving it as an isolated exercise.

Physical activity also took a playful form that March: children ran after bubbles and burst them. This bubble play gave children an opportunity to be physically active. The examples capture different kinds of participation, from handling materials to active games.

In March 2023, staff gathered parents' accounts of children's abilities when they started, then combined these with observations to plan their next learning steps. Guidance for parents included encouraging independence at home, connecting nursery learning with family routines.

Children that month helped clear toys and collected milk cartons after snacks, giving them manageable responsibilities. Staff used praise and stickers to acknowledge achievements, including attempts at new words.

Food learning in March 2023 included where milk and eggs came from, while additional funding supported daily fruit and opportunities to meet animals. Story sessions also helped children practise listening in preparation for school.

March 2023 routines included children organising their own belongings, placing lunch boxes on a trolley and hanging up coats. Handwashing was part of that routine too. These were concrete opportunities to practise everyday independence, alongside the small jobs of clearing toys and gathering empty milk cartons.

During stories that month, staff varied their voices to sustain children's interest. Listening practice therefore sat within shared storytelling, alongside the puppet-making described above. These examples show how practical activities and group experiences could connect, with children both making materials for stories and listening to adults read.

Safety routines in March 2023 included headcounts when children moved between indoor and outdoor areas. Children also knew what to do when the fire alarm sounded: they followed staff while holding rings attached to a rope. These details describe the procedures children practised at that time.

The address is Sutton Centre, High Pavement, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 1EE. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time, with closure in school holidays.

In March 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. At that time it operated independently within the grounds of Sutton Community Academy. Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place.

• Quieter children. In March 2023, some group discussions passed without quieter children being encouraged to contribute. Ask how staff now draw less vocal children into shared activities.
• Understanding healthy food. The March 2023 improvement priorities included explaining what healthy food and drink do for children's bodies. Ask how this is developed beyond identifying where food comes from.
• Term-time routine. The weekday opening window ends at 3pm and the setting closes for school holidays. Families need an arrangement that fits both the afternoon finish and holiday breaks.

Sutton Centre Under Fives suits families seeking term-time weekday care within school-day hours. Its March 2023 picture combines practical exploration, imaginative play and everyday independence, alongside clear improvement priorities around quieter children's participation and food education.