Little 1 Chandlers Ford Nursery

An extended bungalow and a large garden give Little 1 Chandlers Ford Nursery a domestic setting with room for active play. The garden is a substantial part of its character, rather than a small addition to the building. For parents, that combination brings the physical setting into the decision alongside the care and learning.

At its June 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and safeguarding effective. There were clear strengths in relationships, alongside improvements needed in how staff planned children's next learning steps and challenged older children. Both sides matter.

The nursery accepts children aged 3 to 60 months at 49 Valley Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 1GS. Full-day care and stretched funded hours form part of its offer.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, relationships and everyday routines contribute to learning, rather than education being confined to organised activities. Here, the June 2025 examples included imaginative play with natural materials, shared stories and experiments with paper aeroplanes.

In June 2025, preschool children combined herbs with mud in pretend baking, using utensils together and explaining their creations to staff. Story discussions included children's knowledge about big cats, while paper aeroplanes prompted predictions about how far they might travel. These examples show different routes into conversation and investigation, from pretend play to testing an idea.

There was a limit to the teaching, however. In June 2025, some newer staff did not have a sufficiently precise grasp of what individual children should learn next. Activities could follow a child's interests without clearly advancing their learning. Opportunities to take older and more able children's understanding further were also missed. Enjoyment and purposeful teaching need to work together.

Outdoor and Community Life

The large garden gives outdoor play a physical base. In June 2025, toddlers balanced on low beams with different surfaces, while older children steered scooters and ride-on bicycles around one another. Those experiences involved balance, coordination and judging space, rather than simply spending time outside.

Everyday independence also featured in June 2025. Babies practised feeding themselves, and older children helped clear cups and plates and wash up after eating. Tidying toys was another shared responsibility. For families, these are useful examples of care routines becoming opportunities to practise doing things independently.

Relationships were a central part of daily care in June 2025. A key person gathered information about individual interests and care needs, and babies' and toddlers' routines were adapted to resemble those at home. Children sought staff out for comfort during play. That gives settling a practical foundation: familiar routines and an adult who knows the child.

At its June 2025 inspection, Ofsted found SEND support strong, with professional advice informing shared strategies and additional funding supporting individual care where needed. This is meaningful detail for parents whose children need coordinated support, because it concerns how adults worked together, rather than a broad promise of inclusion.

Settling arrangements are tailored to each child's developmental stage and age. The nursery normally recommends at least 3 settling sessions, with further sessions charged. That allows preparation before the regular attendance pattern begins, while making extra settling time a cost to factor in.

In June 2025, children received balanced food and drinks during the day. Active outdoor play also included climbing, running and jumping, connecting daily care with physical movement.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day care is offered at the Chandlers Ford setting. Opening hours are 8am to 5.45pm, Monday to Friday. One-day-a-week attendance is not accepted, so this is a practical option for families planning a recurring pattern beyond a single weekly day.

The nursery operates across the year, with closures on bank holidays, the Friday preceding the August bank holiday, and for two weeks around Christmas and New Year. Fees are not charged for those closures. Occasional absences, including sickness and family holidays, remain chargeable under the terms.

An expression-of-interest form is the enquiry route. Guided visits can be booked by calling ahead, allowing time for a tour and discussion.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts 15-hour and 30-hour early years funding, subject to the relevant eligibility arrangements. Funding is stretched across the year rather than delivered through a term-time attendance option: the 15-hour entitlement becomes 11 hours weekly, and the 30-hour entitlement becomes 22.5 hours weekly. This makes the funding pattern important to compare with the hours a family needs.

Access beyond the universal offer requires an eligibility code, which parents must renew every 3 months. Parents are responsible for reconfirmation and must notify the nursery promptly if funding ends. Private childcare is also offered; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

A refundable deposit is required after a start date has been agreed and is credited towards the final month's fees after notice, or the summer term before school starts. Ending the contract requires at least one month's written notice or fees instead. The funding and terms page sets out these arrangements.

• Teaching beyond children's interests. The June 2025 improvement points concerned precise next steps and greater challenge for older and more able children. During a visit, ask how staff now turn an engaging activity into a clear learning progression.
• A recurring attendance commitment. One-day-a-week bookings are not accepted, and funding is stretched across the year. Families seeking a single weekly day or term-time attendance need to weigh those rules before joining.
• The complete quotation. Additional settling sessions are charged, and occasional absences remain payable. Ask for a written breakdown covering meals, non-food consumables and funded hours so the total arrangement is clear.

Little 1 suits families seeking full-day care with a large garden, a recurring weekly attendance pattern and funding spread across the year. The June 2025 picture gives weight to personal relationships, everyday independence and coordinated SEND support. The teaching improvement points deserve equal attention, especially for parents of older children who need their ideas stretched further.