Hillrow Day Nursery

Continuity of care gives Hillrow Day Nursery its clearest character: in July 2023, staff gathered details of home routines and stayed alongside their key children during meals. Familiar adults and familiar habits made care personal, rather than simply a timetable of activities.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 25 July 2023. At 35 Hill Row in Haddenham, Ely, it has capacity for 38 children and accepts ages from 0 to 96 months. The strongest examples from that visit concern relationships, practical independence and communication with families.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the July 2023 examples show what that meant in practice: stories prompted exploration, while everyday tasks gave children opportunities to practise doing things themselves.

After a bear story, children mixed water with oats and investigated the changing texture. Adults supplied words for what children could feel and see, connecting language with an experience rather than teaching it in isolation. Babies practised using spoons; older children handled cutlery and learnt how to divide food into smaller pieces.

Responsibility also had a practical place. In July 2023, older children helped prepare lunch tables and put activities away. Adults explained rules and gently prompted sharing and turn-taking, making expectations understandable.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities good, with staff working alongside families and external agencies. For school transitions, the practical support included quiet classroom visits, photographs of teaching staff and sharing information with the relevant adults.

In July 2023, key people learnt about children's sleep, feeding and comfort items at home. Maintaining those familiar routines helped connect nursery care with family life. Children's efforts at home and nursery were also displayed and recognised.

Communication extended beyond the daily conversation. In July 2023, families received messages and learning updates, and evening meetings accommodated parents working longer days. A lending library of activities and ideas for learning at home gave parents something concrete to use between conversations.

Hillrow Day Nursery's address is 35 Hill Row, Haddenham, Ely, CB6 3TQ. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays excluded.

In July 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise of a funded place today.

• Language teaching. In July 2023, some staff used too narrow a vocabulary or modelled pronunciation inaccurately. Ask how staff now extend children's language during stories and play.
• Developing teaching expertise. The July 2023 improvement priorities included deeper professional learning about teaching. Families should explore how that training has changed everyday interactions.
• Matching care to your child. The opening window runs from 8am to 6pm, while the July 2023 care examples emphasise individual routines. At a visit, discuss how your child's attendance and sleep or feeding needs would fit together.

Hillrow suits families who value personal continuity and practical independence: its July 2023 examples put familiar adults, self-feeding and useful responsibilities ahead of grand claims. The improvements needed in language modelling and teaching expertise also deserve attention. Its weekday opening window is a useful starting point for families arranging care around work.