Old Basing Village Nursery School, The Nest

Small acts of independence give The Nest its character: practising with cutlery, persevering with boots and experimenting with spoonfuls of oats featured in daily life in February 2025. At its 10 February 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and judged safeguarding effective.

Based at the Beddington Centre in Basingstoke, the nursery accepts children aged six months to five years and has 26 places in total. These are whole-setting places, rather than a measure of how many children share an activity or attend together.

Term-time opening runs Monday to Friday, from 8.15am to 2.45pm.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing play, communication and practical skills into their day. In February 2025, learning included counting spoonfuls while making play dough and exploring quantities as children measured flour. Songs, rhymes and words describing actions accompanied their play.

Ofsted found in February 2025 that learning was planned around individual children and organised in a deliberate sequence, but staff sometimes struggled to put the intended learning into practice. That distinction matters: thoughtful planning needs consistent delivery.

During that month, children practised controlling their movements by transferring oats between containers with spoons. Regular outings included feeding ducks and visiting a local park, extending experiences beyond the nursery. Fundraising activities introduced the needs of other people through something children could take part in themselves.

In February 2025, settling arrangements were adapted to each child, with key persons collecting information before children started. Staff also incorporated familiar home routines and adjusted the day when children became tired. For a young child, that links the nursery day to patterns they already recognise.

Communication at that time combined spoken handovers with an online application. Daily updates gave parents details they could use to continue activities at home. Independence was practised in ordinary routines, including washing hands before food, using cutlery and allowing toddlers time to tackle their boots.

An external caterer supplied meals and snacks in February 2025; colour-coded placemats helped staff identify children with allergies. Shared meals and familiar routines also formed part of preparation for moving on to school.

The address is Beddington Centre, Riley Lane, Basingstoke, RG24 7DH. Attendance follows school terms, with closure during school holidays, so families needing holiday care will need a separate arrangement.

In February 2025, sessions ran from 8.15am to 2.45pm on weekdays, and the nursery provided funded early education. That dated session pattern describes a nursery day ending during the afternoon, rather than care extending into the evening.

• Curriculum delivery. In February 2025, staff confidence in putting learning plans into practice needed further development. Ask how staff now translate those plans into children's daily activities.
• Term-time calendar. Closure during school holidays makes the annual attendance pattern an important part of the childcare decision, especially for parents working throughout the year.
• Booking and charges. What would a current written quotation cover for your child's sessions, funded hours, meals and non-food consumables?

The Nest suits families seeking term-time childcare with an afternoon finish. Its February 2025 account combines individual settling, practical independence and local outings with a clear improvement priority around consistent curriculum delivery. The everyday detail is useful: care and learning meet in meals, play and familiar routines, rather than being separate parts of the day.