Allsorts, Brackenbury

A separate baby room and preschool room give Allsorts, Brackenbury a clear division between its youngest children and those approaching primary school. Based in Underhill on Portland, it has 38 places in total. Babies can start from 3 months, with the move into the preschool room at 2 years.

At its June 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That dated judgement provides a useful starting point, but the detail matters: children chose their play, staff followed babies’ routines, and two specific teaching improvements were required.

The current offer combines preschool day sessions with breakfast club, after school club and holiday club, across 50 weeks of the year.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room takes children from 3 months to 2 years; the preschool room begins at 2 years and continues until primary school age. These are separate spaces, giving families a clear picture of where their child starts and the next room they will move into.

In June 2021, changes to the layout gave children greater freedom to choose outdoor play. Soft matting had also been added over carpet in the toddler room to cushion falls. These physical changes addressed both children's choices and the practical demands of an active play space.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage connects learning with children's development and care: in June 2021, water play introduced new vocabulary, stories encouraged children to join in, and brick building involved counting. Those examples make the framework tangible for parents, through conversation, shared play and familiar activities.

During water play that June, staff introduced names for sea creatures, including lobster and crab, and used a starfish to explore counting and unfamiliar words. This gave children something concrete to talk about while they played. Story sessions included familiar phrases and discussion of characters, while building towers brought counting into construction play.

The limitations were specific. In June 2021, adults sometimes missed chances to extend tower building into comparisons and simple calculations. Some children also needed more support to sustain their attention during larger group activities. For families, the useful distinction is between providing an engaging activity and helping each child take the next step within it.

In June 2021, practitioners caring for babies exchanged information closely with parents and used it to follow individual routines. For a family starting childcare, that is an important practical detail: familiar routines shaped care, rather than parents simply supplying background information.

Communication at that time included daily conversations with parents and additional information online. Staff also used observations of what children could already do to plan their next learning steps, connecting family knowledge with what happened during nursery play.

At the June 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that the manager, also acting as special educational needs coordinator, worked with practitioners and outside agencies to put effective support plans in place for children with SEND. The useful detail is the mechanism: staff and external professionals contributed to planning support around the child.

Personal care formed part of the day in June 2021 too. Older children managed bathroom visits themselves and learned about handwashing. Tidying resources, sharing toys and following instructions gave them opportunities to practise independence and participation alongside their play.

Sessions and Attendance

Brackenbury opens from 8am to 6pm for 50 weeks each year. Preschool day sessions sit alongside breakfast club and after school club, so the attendance offer includes both daytime provision and care around it.

Holiday club operates during school holidays except Christmas. At Brackenbury, it accepts children from 3 months until their fifth birthday, including children who attend other settings. Bookings must be made in advance, and holiday care is booked by the hour. That arrangement is useful for families whose holiday requirements differ from their usual nursery pattern.

Getting There

The address is Three Yards Close, Portland, DT5 1JN, in Underhill. General enquiries and bookings can be made through the contact form, which includes a choice of setting.

Funding and Paid Extras

In June 2021, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two and three. Holiday club is privately paid and booked hourly. For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

• Support during group activities. In June 2021, staff positioning did not consistently help children who struggled to concentrate in larger groups. During a visit, ask how practitioners now support those children during shared stories and other group activities.
• Extending early maths. The June 2021 improvement point concerned comparisons and simple calculations during play. Tower building provides a concrete example to discuss when exploring how staff extend a child's learning.
• Holiday arrangements. Brackenbury's holiday club excludes Christmas holidays and requires advance booking. Families using nursery care across the year need to account for that break when planning attendance.

Allsorts, Brackenbury suits families seeking standard preschool day sessions, breakfast club, after school club or hourly Holiday club provision for children under five. Its separate baby and preschool rooms make the age progression clear. The June 2021 picture gives useful detail about individual routines, communication and practical learning, balanced by specific questions about group participation and early maths. Those are the right areas to explore alongside the attendance pattern that fits your family.