Hopscotch Day Nursery Gosport

A separate Under 2s building gives the youngest children their own base at Hopscotch Day Nursery Gosport, while high ceilings and original architectural details give the older building its character. The sensory room is another practical draw for baby families. This is a nursery with clearly different spaces for different stages.

At its 27 April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. The judgement came with two priorities: more consistent responses to children's needs and stronger support for staff in delivering planned learning. Both matter when choosing care, because a thoughtful activity needs equally thoughtful adult involvement.

Children aged three months to five years are accepted, with capacity for 88 children in total. Morning, afternoon, school day and full day bookings run across the year. The strongest reasons to consider Gosport are its separate provision for younger children, substantial outdoor play equipment and attendance choices that extend beyond a full working day.

Rooms and Ages

Under 2s occupies a separate building with a sensory room, giving younger children a setting designed around their stage rather than sharing the older children's main space. Toddlers and Preschool are the other named rooms, organised around development rather than a single routine for everyone.

In April 2023, babies explored sensory resources in small groups, toddlers worked dough with rolling pins, and children investigated shells and sand. These examples show the different kinds of exploration taking place at the time: handling materials, practising movements and talking about discoveries. They are a useful picture of that period, rather than a promise of today's activity schedule.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care; here, the April 2023 activities illustrated learning through play, conversation and everyday routines. Outdoor beanbag games introduced comparisons of quantities, while pretend vehicles made from crates and planks gave older children reasons to negotiate turns and discuss imaginary shopping trips.

During April 2023, staff planned around children's interests and checked their development to identify next steps. Language activities were organised for children needing help with communication. However, adult interactions did not consistently give every child the support needed to participate fully. The important distinction is between having an activity ready and adapting it successfully for the child taking part.

Small acts of independence also featured in April 2023. Older children poured drinks, helped themselves to snacks and cleaned their plates afterwards; babies received help to clean their faces. These were ordinary routines with a learning purpose, giving children opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden combines a mud kitchen and sandpit with a slide, play frame and climbing area. Those resources offer different ways to spend time outdoors, from handling messy materials to more physical play. A sheltered outdoor section also supports play when the weather changes.

Regular community outings extend experiences beyond the nursery. Gosport town centre and the ferry port are within walking distance, making the surrounding area part of the setting's practical appeal.

Relationships and Communication

In April 2023, children had key people who knew their interests, and parents received updates about development. A familiar adult provides a useful link between home and nursery: someone who can connect a parent's concern with what happens during the day.

Current communication includes Famly, the app used for nursery updates. Its level of detail depends on the charging package: the Basic Funded Offer provides a simpler digital service, while enhanced access includes photographs, videos, observations and a learning journal that can be downloaded when a child leaves. For parents who value a detailed account of the day, that difference belongs in the decision about funding as well as communication.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with SEND good, including a quiet area for more individual adult attention, but identified uneven staff responses and interactions that did not always meet each child's learning needs.

Current SEND arrangements include the nursery's SENDCO, with support from area managers and Hopscotch head office. This gives families a defined role through which to discuss additional needs, rather than relying solely on a general conversation about care.

A dedicated cook works at Gosport, and dietary preferences and allergies are addressed individually. The funded package determines whether fully catered food is included, separately charged or replaced by the standard cold meal and snack option.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at The Guard House, Mumby Road, Gosport, PO12 1NY. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, and attendance runs throughout the year. Bank holidays and Christmas are closure periods.

A Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm; Morning covers 8am to 1pm, and Afternoon runs from 1pm to 6pm. Premium Flex offers School Day options of 8am to 3pm, 8.30am to 3.30pm and 9am to 4pm; Basic permits only 8am to 3pm. Breakfast Club, the early session before the main day, runs from 7.30am to 8am and cannot be used with the Basic Funded Offer.

Basic funded bookings allow a single morning or afternoon funded block each day, with at least one booked session on a Monday or Friday. Their pattern stays fixed within a funded term, and changes require two months' notice before taking effect in the next funded term. Premium Flex permits changes during a term with one month's notice, subject to space. That is a meaningful difference for families whose working arrangements change.

Enquiries can be made through the Gosport enquiry form or by calling 023 9252 1456.

Getting There

On-site parking is provided. The town centre and ferry port are within walking distance, which may help families combining nursery with other journeys through Gosport.

Funding and Paid Extras

Two packages operate here. The Basic Funded Offer separates funded care from optional contributions for food and non-food consumables; Premium Flex Offer combines greater booking flexibility with a separate package charge covering both categories. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

On Basic, parents can pay for fully catered food or use the standard cold lunch and snack option instead. Non-food contributions cover items such as wipes, nappies and sunscreen, alongside enhanced digital access and applicable activities; parents who decline this contribution bring the care items each day. Packed food from home is not permitted.

For children receiving disadvantaged funding under Basic, fully catered food and non-food consumables are included without charge, and the minimum is two sessions. Premium Flex includes both food and non-food consumables within its additional package charge, so choosing it means opting into both. Comparing the packages therefore involves the daily experience and communication service, as well as the attendance pattern.

• Consistency of care. The April 2023 improvement priorities concerned staff responses and how adults supported learning. During a visit, ask how practitioners adapt an activity when a child needs more help and how that practice is shared across the team.
• Funding and booking conditions. Basic limits funded care to one morning or afternoon block per day, while Premium Flex permits several session patterns. The minimum-booking descriptions within the funding terms conflict; obtain a written agreement identifying the minimum pattern, notice rules and included services for your chosen package.
• Dietary arrangements. Gosport has a dedicated cook and supports individual dietary needs, while Basic includes a cold-food alternative when the catering contribution is declined. Families managing allergies should confirm current preparation and serving procedures, including how their child's needs fit the chosen package.
• Postcode difference. The nursery address uses PO12 1NY, while its contact details also use PO12 1AB for The Guard House on Mumby Road. Confirm the postcode to use when arranging a visit.

Hopscotch Gosport suits families choosing between morning or afternoon care and full or school day attendance, with a separate base for children under two and plenty of different ways to play outside. Its buildings give it character; the sensory room and outdoor resources give that character practical value.

The April 2023 Good judgement is accompanied by clear teaching and care priorities. Package choice also changes more than the bill: it affects booking flexibility, catering, consumables and digital communication. Families who weigh those differences alongside the room arrangements will have a much clearer basis for deciding whether Gosport fits their child and their week.