Westside Day Nursery at Longhill

Separate outdoor spaces for each room give Longhill a clear physical identity: babies and toddlers occupy divided areas within an open interior, while preschool children have a room of their own. Based in Longhill Childrens Centre in Hull, this is a term-time nursery with provision spanning babies through to preschool children.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 18 October 2021. That dated assessment provides useful examples of children learning through practical tasks, imaginative play and conversation, alongside two clear priorities: using ordinary routines to develop mathematical understanding and giving children learning English more opportunities to practise both languages.

The nursery has capacity for 50 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months. That whole-setting total is separate from the arrangement of its rooms and does not describe the number of children sharing any one space.

Rooms and Ages

Babies and toddlers have separate sections within the open interior, while preschool children occupy their own room; each room connects with its own outdoor space. For families, the useful distinction is between the younger children's divided shared interior and the preschool group's separate room. Outdoor access belongs to each room rather than a single indoor group alone.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing learning through play together with everyday care routines. At Longhill, the October 2021 examples show how ordinary materials became starting points for conversation, number work and imagination.

During October 2021, children used a home-made recipe book with pictures to choose baking equipment and ingredients. They measured quantities and shared the mixing. This gives parents a concrete picture of early mathematics: handling ingredients and following visual instructions rather than completing isolated exercises.

Imaginative play took a different form that month. Children turned the space beneath a table into a cave and developed a story about a bear hunt and escaping rain. Staff developed the activity as the children's ideas unfolded, while observations helped determine their next learning steps. The example connects children's own interests with adult planning.

Everyday independence also featured in October 2021. Children buttered their snacks and helped friends with coats. These were practical opportunities to do things for themselves and contribute to the group, rather than having adults complete each task for them.

Outdoor and Community Life

In October 2021, garden bubble play prompted conversation about movement and direction as children chased and burst bubbles. Passing pumpkins between friends created another opportunity to compare texture and size while practising turn-taking. Both examples show how a simple shared activity can support several kinds of learning.

The mathematical improvement point matters alongside these examples. In October 2021, opportunities to count during routine activities were sometimes missed. Enjoyable baking and comparison activities therefore sat beside a need to make more consistent use of the smaller learning moments across the day.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and recognised that staff worked with parents to identify additional needs and support children's progress. The safeguarding arrangements included checking outdoor risks, supervising activities and recruitment checks.

During October 2021, adults reassured children who were anxious about joining, helping them settle into play. Staff also helped children handle their feelings and understand the day's routines. For parents, those examples connect emotional support with the practical business of participating in nursery life.

Health learning had a tangible place in October 2021. A dental hygienist's visit led into guided tooth brushing, with a song helping children remember different parts of their mouths. Children also washed their hands between activities without needing reminders. These examples made personal care something children could practise themselves.

Preparation for school was similarly concrete that month. A book showed children photographs of the schools they would attend and their future teachers. It gave them something recognisable to discuss before the move, rather than leaving the next stage entirely abstract.

Language support was the other improvement priority in October 2021. Staff did not consistently repeat vocabulary or bring children's home languages into activities. Families raising children with more than one language should give this point weight alongside the examples of conversation during play.

Longhill's address is Longhill Childrens Centre, 160 Shannon Road, Hull, HU8 9RW. The nursery operates during term time, with opening hours of 7am to 6pm from Monday to Friday. These are opening hours rather than a description of individual booked sessions.

Enquiries can be made through the Longhill contact form, with telephone or email selected as the preferred response method.

In October 2021, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two and three. This is a dated part of its provision rather than a statement of today's entitlement or charge arrangements.

• Term-time planning. Longhill operates during term time. Families needing care during school holidays will need to plan around that calendar; ask which attendance patterns can be booked within its opening hours.
• Mathematics in everyday routines. The October 2021 improvement priority concerned missed opportunities for counting during ordinary activities. This matters alongside the more structured baking examples.
• Support for both languages. In October 2021, repetition and use of children's home languages needed greater attention. Families using more than one language have a specific point to discuss about their child's day.
• Different indoor arrangements. Babies and toddlers use divided sections of an open interior, while preschool children have a separate room. A visit can help families assess how that layout fits their child's stage and preferences.

Longhill suits families seeking term-time care with separate provision for preschool children and outdoor access for every room. Its October 2021 Good judgement comes with concrete examples of practical independence, imaginative play and preparation for school. The balance is clear: an engaging inspection-era account, with everyday mathematics and support for children learning English requiring attention.