Hobby Horse Children's Centre

Speaking, listening and close relationships give Hobby Horse Children's Centre its character in the November 2021 account of nursery life. The centre is based at Oxford and Cherwell College's Banbury Campus, on Mewburn Road, and has 62 places for children aged 3 to 60 months.

At its 11 November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective targeted help. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of today's daily practice.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play and teaching support their development together. In November 2021, conversation ran through activities, with staff introducing vocabulary and encouraging children to speak confidently.

Learning changed with children's stages of development. In November 2021, babies explored numbers through songs, older toddlers practised number sequences, and older children worked on counting, sorting and shapes. This gave a concrete progression to early mathematical learning.

Remembrance Day provided another example in November 2021. Children learned what the occasion meant before taking part in a silence, connecting the activity with its purpose. Children also sustained their attention during activities that interested them.

Outdoor space supported energetic play in November 2021. Staff ran alongside children and encouraged them to notice their heartbeats afterwards, linking movement with awareness of their bodies. Familiar routines helped children stop, listen and move between activities.

In November 2021, the key-person approach helped children settle and build close relationships with staff; these connections were especially evident among babies. Children responded warmly to familiar adults, and consistent expectations helped them treat others and resources considerately.

Partnerships with parents and professionals were an emphasis in November 2021, creating a shared approach to children's needs. Leaders used additional funding for targeted support. Experienced colleagues also worked alongside newer staff, giving them opportunities to learn through everyday practice.

The address is Oxford and Cherwell College, (Banbury Campus), Mewburn Road, Banbury, OX16 9PA. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In November 2021, the centre received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This describes its funding participation at that time.

• Time to think. In November 2021, staff sometimes moved conversations along before children had enough thinking time. Giving children room to formulate their own answers was an improvement priority.
• Technology safety. In November 2021, teaching children how to use technology safely needed further development. This concerned what children learned about personal safety.
• Attendance planning. The 8am to 6pm opening window covers a substantial working day. Which booking patterns would fit your child's routine and your working week?

Hobby Horse suits families seeking care for children from 3 to 60 months within a weekday, year-round opening schedule. Its November 2021 assessment offers useful reassurance, with conversation, relationships and purposeful play prominent in that account. The two teaching priorities deserve attention alongside those strengths.