Ivy House Nursery Station Approach

Paint, herbs and homemade potions give Ivy House Nursery Station Approach a recognisable character: children’s interests become material for conversation, experimentation and play. Its Weybridge setting combines indoor play spaces with gardens, while the June 2026 account of daily life includes outings to nearby shops, a library, a care home and the station. There is more to the day than staying in one room.

At its June 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged welfare and wellbeing and inclusion to be Strong standard, with achievement, behaviour and routines, curriculum and teaching, and leadership at Expected standard; safeguarding standards were met. This is a report card with separate judgements, rather than a single overall grade. The distinction matters: care and inclusion received stronger judgements than teaching, and improving younger children’s language remains a specific priority.

Children are accepted from 3 months to 5 years, with 54 places in total. Full-day attendance has a minimum booking requirement, so the practical fit deserves as much attention as the play spaces.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday experiences support their next steps. Alongside that foundation, the branch applies aspects of the group-wide Curiosity Approach to its play environment, with eye-level resources and rooms refreshed over time to encourage children to explore their interests.

In June 2026, older children explored colour mixing and made perfumes using plants, herbs and citrus. Pouring, combining ingredients and considering what might happen next linked practical activity with talk and problem-solving.

Younger children’s sensory play included water, cornflour, flowers and lemon. Stories also became active play, with children constructing houses for pigs and discussing the wolf’s behaviour. Books were used both with adults and independently, giving quieter exploration a place alongside messier activity.

The teaching priority is equally concrete. In June 2026, staff differed in how confidently they explained things and used descriptive language with children. Leaders’ next step was to make support for younger children’s communication more consistent, extending both vocabulary and understanding. An appealing activity needs purposeful adult conversation around it.

Outdoor and Community Life

Garden play formed part of the June 2026 nursery day, including opportunities for toddlers to share resources and try activities. Outdoor access also gave children another way to explore, beyond indoor sensory materials and books.

Outings extended to the station, local shops, a care home and a library. Those destinations connected nursery experiences with the surrounding community, rather than confining exploration to the garden.

Relationships and Communication

In June 2026, settling sessions were adapted with parents to suit individual children. Babies and toddlers sought comfort from their key person or another member of their room team, while changes to the key-person arrangement meant staff across each room knew the children well. For a child still finding their feet, familiarity could extend beyond one adult.

Communication with parents covered practical matters such as potty training and room or school transitions. Detailed transition reports helped carry information into the next stage. Staff also displayed children’s next learning steps so colleagues could refer to them, making the handover of knowledge part of everyday practice.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that staff adapted activities for children’s individual needs, identified emerging difficulties promptly and worked with parents and outside professionals to put support in place. Individual support plans were revisited and updated, keeping the next steps and teaching strategies relevant to the child.

The routines described in June 2026 used signing and visual prompts to help children understand what was happening and what would follow. Staff also helped children recognise emotions and when they needed some space. These are useful details for families whose child benefits from predictability or needs help expressing a feeling before it becomes a conflict.

Children ate freshly prepared food cooked on site in June 2026. Conversations about healthy habits, eating safely and using resources safely brought care into the ordinary nursery day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Station Approach, Weybridge, KT13 8UD. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. These are the opening hours, rather than separately timed morning or afternoon sessions.

The booking requirement is at least 2 full days; the 30-hour funding arrangement requires attendance on at least 3 days. Extra sessions can be added subject to space. That makes the setting a more natural fit for a regular weekly commitment than an occasional standalone day.

Fees are charged across 51 weeks, with a week’s closure at Christmas. Payment is monthly in advance by Direct Debit.

Funding and Paid Extras

Both 15 and 30 hours of funded childcare are offered, subject to terms and conditions, alongside paid care. Childcare Vouchers and Tax Free childcare payments are accepted. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation, which should be considered alongside the required attendance pattern.

Nappies and wipes are included in fees. Formula comes from parents or carers and must be labelled clearly and remain in date.

• Younger children’s language. The June 2026 improvement priority was more consistent teaching for communication, vocabulary and understanding. During a visit, ask how practitioners now extend babies’ and toddlers’ talk during ordinary play.
• A regular attendance commitment. Bookings require at least 2 full days, rising to at least 3 days for the 30-hour funding arrangement. Consider whether that pattern matches the care your family needs.
• Deposit terms. The fee terms describe a deposit credited against the final month after notice in line with the terms, while the branch FAQ calls it non-refundable. Request written clarification before paying.

Ivy House Nursery Station Approach suits families who value hands-on exploration, a garden and a regular connection with the surrounding community. The June 2026 picture of sensory play, adaptable settling and individual support gives those priorities substance.

The balance is clear: care and inclusion are strengths of the report card, while younger children’s language teaching needs greater consistency. In June 2026, some new policies and procedures were still becoming established; leaders were also asked to sustain improvement and high standards. For families comfortable with the minimum attendance commitment, this is a setting to consider for its relationships and exploratory nursery day, with that teaching priority firmly in view.