Court House Day Nursery

Songs, stories and an adjustment to the pre-school room’s acoustics give Court House Day Nursery a recognisable character: attention to language alongside practical changes for children’s needs. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, finding that children developed their listening skills and sustained attention, while identifying uneven curriculum delivery and too few opportunities to explore other cultures.

The Bristol setting accepts children aged 2 to 60 months. Its inspection-era strengths offer useful starting points for families, with the improvement points deserving equal attention.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children’s learning, development and care. Here, the November 2023 curriculum set out what children should learn within each age group, giving staff clear age-group learning aims.

In November 2023, familiar books and songs supported language development, with storytelling and singing woven into daily activities. These repeated encounters gave children opportunities to practise listening and become familiar with words and rhymes.

Outdoor play also featured in November 2023. Younger children practised jumping and balancing, with adults nearby to help those who needed encouragement. A visiting sports coach led physical activities, adding another opportunity for movement. Children practised waiting and sharing resources within established routines.

The curriculum needed more consistent delivery. In November 2023, some less confident practitioners needed further support to translate its aims into teaching, and opportunities to introduce children to different backgrounds and cultures needed extending.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and recognised targeted SEND support involving the SENCo, key people, parents and other professionals, with additional funding used effectively for children’s needs. This linked individual support to the adults involved in each child’s care.

In November 2023, acoustic sound clouds had been added above the pre-school room to lower noise and help children hear. Visiting professionals worked with staff, who also accessed training to support health and care needs.

Meals in November 2023 were freshly cooked, with adults and children eating together; older children practised serving themselves and using cutlery. Handwashing before eating and after toileting formed part of the routines, connecting everyday care with growing independence.

Court House Day Nursery is at 270 Wells Road, Bristol, BS4 2PU. It opens Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

In November 2023, session times ran from 7.30am to 6pm, and the nursery received early-education funding for children aged two, three and four. Those funding arrangements belong to that inspection period.

• Consistency of teaching. In November 2023, less confident staff needed help implementing the curriculum. Ask how staff are now supported to deliver its age-group learning aims.
• Learning about other lives. Opportunities to explore different cultures needed extending in November 2023. Ask for examples of how this now shapes children’s activities.
• Attendance and costs. The opening window spans the working day. Which booking patterns and funded arrangements would apply to your child, and what would the written quotation include?

Court House suits families seeking weekday childcare across the year, with an inspection-era emphasis on language, physical play and individual support. The November 2023 Good judgement provides a positive assessment, tempered by specific questions about teaching consistency and children’s experience of other cultures.