Artemis Nursery Hollington

A converted church hall, three main rooms and two outdoor play areas give Artemis Nursery Hollington its character. Space is divided between age groups, so the physical arrangement matters as much as the building itself: children have places to explore alongside others at a similar stage of development.

At its 6 January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. That is a dated judgement, rather than a description of every aspect of the current offer. The strongest practical features today are the home visit before a child starts, food cooked on site and opportunities for parents to spend time in the nursery.

Based at St. Johns Hall on Hollington Old Lane in St Leonards-on-Sea, the setting has capacity for 68 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance provide different ways to organise childcare around family routines.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS is the required framework for children's learning, development and care: it connects play and everyday experiences with developing language, movement, relationships and early learning. It is the foundation of provision here, rather than an additional programme that sets the nursery apart.

In January 2023, sensory exploration gave children concrete things to investigate. Babies made marks with paint using their hands, brushes and sponges, while older children explored a play farm with different materials representing the animals' surroundings. These examples show learning through handling, experimenting and noticing differences, rather than simply listening to an adult explain them.

Language also grew out of practical experiences in January 2023. Staff repeated words clearly and introduced vocabulary linked to textures and young animals. Book corners supported shared reading: younger children pointed at pictures, while older children talked about story characters. For parents, these are useful examples of how conversation can be built into play throughout a child's day.

The same January 2023 account identified two teaching points needing attention. Questions did not consistently stretch children's thinking, and opportunities to develop mathematical language were sometimes missed. Counting and recognising shapes were present, but the next step was to make fuller use of children's surroundings when explaining mathematical ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

Two outdoor play areas are divided between age groups. This gives families a concrete feature to weigh alongside the indoor rooms, rather than treating outdoor space as an undifferentiated extra. In January 2023, outdoor experiences included climbing, ball games and adults supporting younger children as they learnt to walk.

Baby Sensory Sessions were scheduled for summer 2026 in Hollington's Dreamers Classroom. Treasure baskets, games and imaginative play were planned for the pirate-themed session.

Everyday independence was also part of the January 2023 nursery day. Children put on painting aprons, poured their drinks and added toppings to crackers. These small tasks matter because preparation for school includes managing ordinary routines as well as early reading and number work.

A home visit before starting gives a child a chance to meet a member of the team in familiar surroundings. It also lets parents see that first interaction before nursery attendance begins. This is a practical settling measure with a clear purpose: the first day need not be the child's first encounter with a practitioner.

At the January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, SEND support effective and communication with parents strong, with the special educational needs coordinator seeking outside advice where needed and families receiving updates about learning and next steps. These findings belong to that visit. They describe mechanisms worth understanding, rather than providing a blanket assurance about any individual child's future experience.

Relationships had tangible expression in January 2023. Children sought comfort from adults and shared books with them; staff explained expectations and redirected children towards other activities when necessary. Children also took part in checking their surroundings for potential trips and slips. Care and learning overlapped in these everyday routines.

Current parent contact includes parents evenings twice a year and stay and play sessions, which let parents spend time alongside their child in the nursery. The two formats serve different purposes: one supports discussion of development, while the other gives families a chance to take part in the child's nursery experience.

Food is prepared daily in the nursery by its chefs, with menus changing between summer and winter. Meals are included in paid fees, making food part of the childcare package rather than a separate paid-meal arrangement.

Sessions and Attendance

Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm, afternoons from 1pm to 6pm, and full days from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. These are booking patterns, distinct from the opening window of 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.

Applications allow families to select Hollington and request individual weekdays for all-day or part-day attendance. The morning and afternoon choices mean the offer can accommodate shorter attendance as well as a full day. That distinction is useful for families arranging childcare around work, other care or a child's preferred routine.

Getting There

The address is St. Johns Hall, Hollington Old Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 9DR. Hollington enquiries use 01424 853836. The postcode and branch telephone help families keep this setting separate from the other Artemis locations.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside paid care. The application includes two-year-old disadvantaged funding and three-year-old universal funding, both at 15 hours, as well as working-family funding options. Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to under 5 can use the 30-hour offer; eligibility remains a condition, rather than a promise of funding to every applicant.

The funding arrangements include 30 hours a week over 38 weeks, with parents paying for the remaining 13 weeks under that package. A separate stretched arrangement provides 25 hours over 46 weeks. Funded hours can be organised across morning, afternoon and full-day attendance, giving families more than one session pattern to consider.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Paid fees include meals, payment is due monthly in advance, and booked sessions remain chargeable when a child does not attend. The fees and funding page explains these arrangements. The practical distinction is between the funded hours themselves and the paid attendance a family chooses around them.

• Teaching beyond the immediate answer. January 2023 improvement points concerned questions that stretch thinking and the use of mathematical language. During a visit, ask how staff now extend a child's explanation or bring number and shape vocabulary into play.
• A first relationship before starting. Home visits are part of Hollington's settling approach. Discuss how that initial contact will connect with the practitioner supporting your child once attendance begins.
• The complete funding package. The term-time and stretched arrangements cover different periods, while paid fees include meals. Ask for a written breakdown of the funded-hours meal position and responsibility for nappies, formula and other consumables.

Artemis Nursery Hollington suits families considering morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day attendance, with a converted hall setting and outdoor areas separated by age group. Home visits, on-site cooking and opportunities for parents to take part give the practical offer substance.

The January 2023 Good judgement is a useful starting point, with concrete examples of sensory play, conversation and independence. Its teaching improvement points also deserve attention. The best fit will depend on how those daily experiences, the settling approach and the chosen funding pattern match the child and the family's routine.