Southwater Day Nursery and Pre-school

A sensory room, three age-based rooms and a preschool building with direct garden access give Southwater Day Nursery and Pre-school a clear identity: provision that changes as children grow, with practical links to the neighbouring infant school. At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and judged safeguarding effective.

Children are accepted from 3 months to 5 years, with 24 places in total. The Baby Snug, The Toddler Den and The Pre-school Study separate the youngest children's experiences from preparation for school. That distinction matters: sensory exploration for babies and early literacy for preschool children are different parts of the offer.

The preschool sits within the infant school grounds, while relationships with its teachers support information sharing when children move on. This is a transition arrangement, rather than a promise of a Reception place.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Snug serves children from 3 months to 2 years, with sensory play, massage and baby yoga among its activities. These give the youngest children opportunities to explore sensations and movement within their own room.

For children aged 2 to 3, The Toddler Den combines music, movement and yoga with activities developing both small hand movements and larger physical skills. The Pre-school Study, for ages 3 to 5, brings science and maths together with early writing and reading, alongside independence and emotional resilience.

The preschool occupies a purpose-built education unit: one large room opens directly into the garden, allowing children to move between indoor and outdoor play. That is a useful physical distinction for families who value outdoor access as part of the ordinary day, rather than only a separate outing.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning through play across its areas of learning. Here, the room descriptions translate that into age-related experiences, from sensory exploration to physical activity and preparation for school.

In July 2023, children explored dough-making in different ways. Some measured ingredients and used instructions; others investigated how the mixture changed as water was added. The same activity therefore offered opportunities for measuring, conversation and sensory discovery. Everyday routines also introduced mathematical language, including comparing amounts while pouring water.

There was a teaching limitation alongside those examples. In July 2023, some practitioners lacked a clear understanding of what particular activities were intended to teach, making it harder to take children's learning further. The improvement priority was sharper understanding of curriculum intentions and children's next learning steps. For parents, the useful distinction is between keeping children engaged and knowing what that engagement helps them learn.

Outdoor and Community Life

Regular on-site forest school activities bring nature-based outdoor learning into the preschool offer. The direct connection between its room and garden complements this emphasis, giving outdoor play a place within the setting's physical layout.

In July 2023, children visited woodland daily, listened for birds and investigated insects. Magnifying glasses helped them examine slugs, while clipboards supported drawing and writing about their discoveries. This was outdoor activity with a clear learning purpose: observing carefully, listening and recording what they noticed. The daily frequency belongs to that inspection period.

Relationships and Communication

Relationships with parents form part of settling: staff build connections with adults as well as with their children. This gives families a role in the settling process and establishes communication from the start, rather than treating it as something that begins once a child is comfortable.

In July 2023, families received electronic updates and spoken feedback about their children. Children also practised everyday independence, serving food, pouring drinks and clearing their plates. These small routines gave them opportunities to do things for themselves during the day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A sensory room and specialist resources form part of the current support arrangements, alongside support for children learning English as an additional language. These are concrete mechanisms for responding to different needs, rather than a general promise that every child will require the same approach.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the curriculum supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with additional emotional and communication strategies for children who needed them. The dough activity illustrated shared participation: children could engage through measuring and instructions or through investigating textures, according to their starting points.

In July 2023, mealtimes also included conversations about healthy food, and children practised washing their hands independently. Care routines therefore provided opportunities for learning about health and looking after themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The setting operates across the year, with closure between Christmas and New Year; the preschool also closes for a week in August. Families organising year-round care should account for that preschool closure in their plans.

Getting There

The address is Southwater Infant School, Worthing Road, Southwater, Horsham, RH13 9JH. Off-road parking and wheelchair access are provided, giving families practical access options at the setting.

Moving on to School

The nursery describes a close relationship with the infant school, including a handover of information to teachers when children transfer there. Sharing information can help the next setting understand a child's experiences and needs. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Purposeful teaching. The July 2023 improvement priority concerned practitioners' understanding of what activities should teach. On a visit, ask how staff identify and extend your child's next learning steps.
• The youngest room. The Baby Snug accepts children from 3 months and includes sensory and movement activities. Ask about its usual group size and how sleep and settling fit around those activities.
• Funding and charges. In July 2023, funded places were offered to children aged three and four. Ask which entitlements apply to your proposed attendance pattern and how meals, consumables and additional hours are treated in the written quotation.
• School transition. The preschool's position within the infant school grounds supports teacher contact and information sharing. Keep childcare and Reception applications as separate decisions; nursery attendance does not secure a school place.

Southwater suits families seeking provision from babyhood through preschool, especially those who value separate age-based rooms, sensory resources and outdoor learning. The Baby Snug and The Toddler Den give the younger ages their own activities, while The Pre-school Study places greater emphasis on independence and early learning for school.

The July 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, with the teaching improvement priority an important part of that picture. For a family choosing now, the strongest practical combination is the progression between rooms, the preschool's garden access and its transition relationship with the infant school.