Cromwell Road Day Nursery and Pre-school

Three floors give babies, toddlers and preschool children their own territory at Cromwell Road Day Nursery and Pre-school. The Baby Snug, Toddler Den and Pre-School Study divide the day by stage of development, while a mud kitchen and outdoor climbing opportunities add a messier, more physical dimension. This is care for children from three months to five years, with different spaces for changing interests and abilities.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The strengths included conversation, books and practical encounters with nature; the improvement priorities concerned sharper activity planning and better access to resources for independent play. Both sides matter when judging the experience here.

The address is 44 Cromwell Road, Hove, BN3 3ER. Weekday opening runs from 8am to 6pm.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Snug serves children from three months to two years, with room to rest, crawl and investigate sensory experiences, and play shaped around individual interests and development. That combination gives the youngest children space for movement as well as quieter moments. Sleep belongs within this room's provision, alongside exploration.

For two- to three-year-olds, Toddler Den combines stories, songs and creative materials with a more structured day and growing independence, including support with potty training. The emphasis changes as children become more able to do things for themselves. Pre-School Study takes children from three until school, extending their interests into early literacy, science and maths through play.

Each age group occupies a separate floor. Within those age-group spaces, children can move between rooms, rather than spending the whole day in a single playroom. Creative activities, pretend play and opportunities to move are part of the current offer. The arrangement makes the differences between stages concrete, rather than relying on age labels alone.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build skills through play and experiences that support their development. Here, room activities change with children's interests and stage, from sensory exploration for babies to early reading and number work before school.

In March 2023, younger children explored sound with drums and shakers, while older children discussed what bats eat. Books had a practical place in the rooms: comfortable reading areas supported children choosing a story independently or sharing one with another child. Conversation extended beyond listening to adults, with older children asking questions and telling their own stories.

There was also an important limitation in March 2023. Adult-led activities sometimes attracted more children than their organisation could accommodate effectively, and plans did not consistently identify the particular vocabulary, concepts or skills to develop. Frequently changing the toys children could reach also restricted sustained exploration, especially younger children's access to drawing materials. Interesting activities and independent access are separate tests of a nursery day.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor provision includes the mud kitchen, opportunities to investigate nature and space for digging, balancing and energetic movement. These give children different ways to use their bodies and explore materials beyond indoor table activities. Muddy play is part of the offer.

In March 2023, climbing equipment accommodated different abilities, and practical experiences included tending plants, looking after fish and raising chicks. Outings helped children encounter life beyond the nursery. These were concrete opportunities to explore living things and the wider community, rather than learning solely through pictures or adult explanations.

In March 2023, staff supported sharing and turn-taking through consistent responses and encouragement. Children received praise for kindness, and adults helped reluctant children participate in jobs such as putting toys away. The detail matters: everyday cooperation was taught through ordinary interactions, rather than reserved for a separate activity.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff attended closely to individual medical and dietary needs, supported children's progress and worked with relevant professionals to identify and meet special educational needs and disabilities. That judgement belongs to the inspection date. It gives families a useful account of how individual support operated at that point.

Communication also took several forms in March 2023. Signing and visual cues helped children understand the present activity and what would follow. Books in two languages and invitations for parents to read in their home language brought children's family languages into nursery life. When a child's key person changed, staff passed detailed information to colleagues, helping the next adult understand the child rather than start afresh.

School transition was supported in March 2023 through contact with local teachers. That is preparation for a change of setting, with attention to the individual child. Current food preparation takes place on site with an in-house chef; children can access snacks and water during the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, at 44 Cromwell Road, Hove, BN3 3ER. It operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year. The weekday opening window gives families a clear outer boundary for planning care around work and other commitments.

Enquiries and tour bookings can be made by telephone. A tour offers a chance to see how the separate floors work together, especially for a family whose child will move from one age group to the next.

Funding and Paid Extras

In March 2023, the nursery received funding for free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise of eligibility or a particular funded booking arrangement.

• Independent access. In March 2023, changes to accessible toys restricted sustained exploration, especially drawing for younger children. On a visit, look at what children in Baby Snug can choose and reach for themselves.
• Purposeful group activities. The March 2023 improvement priorities included more precise learning intentions and better organisation of adult-led activities. Ask how staff now plan popular activities so that each participating child can engage.
• Your attendance and costs. Weekday opening is 8am to 6pm, with bank-holiday and Christmas closures. Ask which booking pattern fits your week and request a current written quotation setting out funded hours, private hours, meals and consumables.

Cromwell Road Day Nursery and Pre-school suits families who want care spanning infancy to the start of school, with separate age-group floors and space for outdoor exploration. Baby Snug's movement and rest provision, Toddler Den's independence work and Pre-School Study's early learning give that progression a practical shape. The March 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, while activity planning and children's access to resources remain the most useful points to explore on a visit.