Hook Village Nursery

Parents have a hand in the running of Hook Village Nursery, as well as in their children's learning. An elected parent committee manages the setting at Hook Community Centre, while a garden, outdoor learning area and nature walks give children opportunities to explore beyond indoor activities. This is community nursery life with practical ways for families to take part.

Children aged two to five attend, and the nursery has 20 places in total. At its September 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and found safeguarding effective. Those judgements provide a dated assessment of care and education, rather than a promise about an individual child's experience.

Attendance can be arranged as half-days or whole days during term time. The combination of shorter sessions, family involvement and preparation for the next stage makes this a setting with a clear preschool character.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning and care: play, exploration and developing relationships sit alongside growing independence and thinking skills. Activities are shaped around what children can already do and what interests them, with observations from home contributing to individual learning plans. Parents therefore have a practical role in helping staff understand the child beyond the nursery session.

In September 2022, an interest in minibeasts led children and staff to consult an information book together. It was a useful example of following curiosity with a way to find out more. Books also served different purposes across ages: younger children shared stories with adults, while older children spent quiet time reading independently. Recognising their written names and joining in songs added further opportunities to use language.

Conversation mattered, too. In September 2022, staff introduced vocabulary during play, including words about position while children used a toy dental kit. The improvement needed was in how adults followed up: children were not consistently given enough thinking time before answering questions. The distinction matters. Hearing new words and having space to formulate an answer are different parts of learning to communicate.

Outdoor and Community Life

A garden and an outdoor learning area make outdoor activity part of the offer, alongside visits and nature walks. The grounds include a fenced outdoor area and a sand pit. These give children opportunities for physical and sensory play as well as indoor exploration; nature walks extend that experience beyond the nursery's own space.

In September 2022, children practised steering tricycles around obstacles, connecting movement with control and coordination. Children had also won an art competition with a mural inspired by hedgehogs. That was a concrete connection between their creative work and the wider community, rather than an activity confined to the nursery room.

Parents can contribute their own interests and skills to activities. They can also work with children in the group, help with fundraising or join the committee. For families who enjoy being involved, participation can extend well beyond receiving updates about the day.

Relationships and Communication

A key person is allocated before a child starts. That adult helps the family settle, acts as the principal contact and works with parents on a personalised plan for care and learning. The arrangement gives families someone with particular responsibility for bringing together knowledge of the child at home and in nursery.

Settling is agreed with parents rather than imposed as a single timetable. A parent or close relative can remain for some or much of the session during the first week, then spend gradually more time away as the child manages the separation. Phone calls can keep parents informed during early independent sessions. The policy also allows the nursery to require a parent to stay when being left causes distress, so a gradual start may require time from the family.

Tapestry, the online learning record, holds observations, photographs, video clips, examples of children's work and developmental summaries. Parents can access and contribute to their child's record, with permission sought during induction. This creates a shared account of learning: something a child does at home can inform the nursery's understanding, as well as the other way round.

End-of-term discussions with the key person provide another opportunity to talk through development. Parents are encouraged to contribute to records and can arrange a meeting when an issue needs fuller discussion. The elected committee adds a separate route into decisions about policies, practice and the employment of staff.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that leaders worked effectively with external professionals to support children with SEND, including using hand signals to help children with limited speech communicate. Current arrangements include a SENCO role and procedures for working with other agencies on additional needs. These are mechanisms families can discuss in relation to their own child's support requirements.

Children do not have to be toilet trained to participate. Staff work with parents on the transition from nappies to using the toilet, following children's needs and agreed routines. This removes a potential pressure on families whose child's toileting development is still in progress. Parents supply spare nappies, wipes, nappy sacks, changes of clothing and nappy cream where needed.

Allergy care uses a healthcare plan covering triggers, reactions, medication and measures to prevent contact with an allergen. The nursery takes a nut-free approach and discourages children from exchanging food. Families managing allergies should confirm how these arrangements will work for their child.

The safeguarding structure includes a designated lead and deputy, recruitment checks and supervision arrangements for volunteers. These describe how responsibilities are organised; the dated inspection judgement remains the assessment of their effectiveness.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time, following Hampshire school term dates. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon and afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm. Children can attend half-days or whole days, with a minimum booking of a three-hour session.

Breakfast Club provides an earlier start from 8.30am and carries an additional charge. A morning session can also be extended for lunch, with collection at 1pm and a separate charge for the extension. Earlier collection can be arranged within session times. These options allow families to choose a shorter nursery day or combine sessions, while the term-time calendar still determines when care operates.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. Parents must give at least four weeks' written notice when they no longer require their child's place. That notice period matters when planning a change of childcare or the move to school.

Getting There

The address is Hook Community Centre, Ravenscroft, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9NN. Free parking and disabled access are provided, useful practical details for families bringing children or using mobility aids.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible families can use the Universal 15hr pw grant or Extended 30hr pw grants, delivered through the nursery's term-time attendance. Private sessions are also offered, and hours exceeding a child's funded allowance are charged. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the attendance plan needs to distinguish funded hours from additional paid time.

A healthy snack is included in session fees, while parents provide a packed lunch for attendance covering lunchtime; food brought from home is not reheated. Breakfast Club starts and morning-session lunch extensions are charged separately, and parents also supply the toileting consumables their child needs.

Moving On

The nursery describes an established relationship with Hook Infant School. In the year before starting school, children are invited to the Infant Christmas Nativity and storytime with Reception teachers, while school staff also visit the nursery. Move Up Day gives children an opportunity to meet their teachers. These activities introduce people and experiences associated with the next stage; attendance at the nursery does not guarantee a school place, and families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Term-time attendance. Half-days and whole days follow Hampshire school terms, with Breakfast Club starting at 8.30am. Families needing care through school holidays must account for that calendar when choosing their attendance pattern.
• Time to settle. Parents may stay during early sessions, and the nursery can require their presence if separation is distressing. At a visit, discuss how a gradual start would work alongside your family's working arrangements.
• Thinking time and cultural learning. In September 2022, children needed more time to form answers, and opportunities to share home languages, cultures and celebrations were insufficiently developed. Ask how these two areas now shape activities and conversations.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Lunch comes from home, and the nursery operates a nut-free food policy. Families managing an allergy should discuss the healthcare plan, lunch storage and current snack arrangements before starting.

Hook Village Nursery suits families seeking either half-day preschool sessions or whole-day attendance within school terms, especially those who want an active part in nursery life. The garden, shared learning records and contact with Hook Infant School give that involvement substance. Flexible settling and support for children still learning to use the toilet are useful care arrangements. The September 2022 assessment was positive, with specific weaknesses in questioning and cultural learning that deserve attention when families assess today's experience.