Silverdale Nursery

A small open-plan setting, two quiet spaces and a garden give Silverdale Nursery a clear physical character. With capacity for 32 children aged two to five, Silverdale occupies premises within Silverdale Academy Primary School's grounds in St Leonards on Sea. The shared play environment makes this a useful option for families who prefer a compact nursery.

Ofsted rated Silverdale Good on 26 May 2023 and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. That assessment sits alongside a specific improvement point about recognising children who need extra help and adapting activities to keep them involved. Both matter to the choice.

Attendance is term-time only. The nursery's school-ground setting and daytime opening hours are practical advantages for families whose childcare needs follow the school calendar.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and ordinary routines become opportunities to develop language, movement and social skills. Silverdale's May 2023 activities illustrate how those strands can meet in one task. Children drew ducks, cut out their pictures and made a pond picture together, with counting, songs and sharing woven into the activity. Craft work had more than one purpose.

During May 2023, children also invented a chalk hopscotch game. Staff added written numbers to their circles, connecting the children's own idea with number recognition and movement. This is a concrete example of adults extending play rather than replacing it with an unrelated task.

Outdoor learning had a recurring place in the day at that date. Weekly forest school sessions added outdoor experiences, while the vegetable garden gave children plants to tend. Pumpkins were growing, and children brought cherry seeds from home to dry before planting. The connection between home interests and nursery activity is the useful detail here: children's curiosity could become something they worked on over time.

Outdoor and Community Life

Today, the purpose-built premises combine an integrated kitchen with an open-plan interior and a medium-sized outdoor area. Two small quiet spaces offer somewhere to pause away from the main activity. For a child who enjoys shared play but also needs quieter moments, that balance is worth considering.

The indoor facilities are accessible, although the sloping section outside cannot be accessed by wheelchair. That distinction matters more than a general accessibility label: families need to consider the spaces their child will actually use throughout the day.

In May 2023, key persons provided a familiar relationship for children, who settled readily and showed pleasure in seeing them. Parents received regular updates about learning, and home learning packs linked nursery activities with what children could practise at home. Communication included opportunities to raise worries, with staff responding promptly to concerns.

Everyday independence was also visible that month. Children managed handwashing, dealt with used tissues and helped themselves through snack routines, including preparing fruit and pouring milk. These were practical opportunities to take responsibility for small tasks. Staff also talked about sun protection and encouraged children to help apply sun cream and select a hat before outdoor play.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that additional funding had supported a sensory room where an overwhelmed child could recover and return to activity, but asked staff to recognise support needs more consistently and adjust activities to improve engagement. The weakness was specific: a child struggling to participate in a group activity went unnoticed for a time. Families seeking additional support should weigh the useful provision alongside that limitation.

In May 2023, management had breached a requirement by omitting notification of a manager change; completed suitability checks and the manager's understanding of the role meant this did not affect children's safety.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Perth Road, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 7EA, within Silverdale Academy Primary School's grounds. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time, with closure during school holidays. This calendar makes holiday childcare a separate planning consideration for working families.

Families can contact the nursery by telephone on 01424 435895 or email silverdalenursery@fsncharity.co.uk, and there is a Nursery Place Enquiry Form. These are direct routes for making an enquiry about Silverdale.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2023, the nursery offered free early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices should come in a written quotation from the nursery.

Children staying for the day bring lunch from home; fruit is offered at snack time. Parents therefore organise the main meal themselves.

Sharing school grounds does not guarantee a Reception place at Silverdale Academy Primary School. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• The school calendar. Silverdale opens during term time and closes for school holidays. Families needing year-round childcare must account for those breaks.
• Support during group activities. The May 2023 improvement point concerned noticing children who needed help and adjusting activities. On a visit, ask how staff now identify disengagement and respond to individual needs.
• Outdoor accessibility. A sloped part of the outdoor area is inaccessible to wheelchairs, although the indoor facilities are accessible. Discuss how your child would participate in outdoor play.
• Planning the daily arrangement. Packed lunches form part of a day here. Before joining, ask how the attendance arrangement you need works with funded hours and who supplies non-food consumables.

Silverdale suits families seeking term-time childcare for children aged two to five in a compact, shared environment. The open-plan premises, quiet spaces and outdoor access give that choice substance. Its May 2023 assessment provides a Good judgement, with practical examples of creative play and independence, alongside an important question about consistent support during activities. The school calendar and outdoor accessibility are the clearest practical constraints.