Chestnut Nursery School, Sue Bramley

A large garden, regular yoga and an approach built around investigation give Chestnut Nursery School, Sue Bramley a practical, active character. Its 28 March 2023 inspection judged overall effectiveness, education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management Good. Safeguarding arrangements were effective.

Children aged zero to four are catered for on Bastable Avenue in Barking. In March 2023, the inspection found that children formed close bonds with staff, chose activities reflecting their interests and learned through a broad, balanced curriculum. The nursery now opens weekdays from 8am to 6pm and publishes full-day, morning and afternoon sessions.

Learning and Named Experiences

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning, development and care from birth to five. For a child, that means learning through daily play and exploration rather than a school-style timetable. Alongside it, the nursery's Core curriculum encourages children to explore, investigate and apply their skills in new experiences.

In March 2023, music, making and stories were all part of the day's learning. Babies explored sounds with bongos and shakers; other children made Easter cards, painted, drew and built with play dough. Stories and songs from around the world supported learning about Eid, Diwali and difference, while sign language was used to extend communication. These are concrete routes into language, creativity and shared attention.

Outdoor and Physical Play

The Large Garden Area is a well-equipped outdoor space for exploring changes in nature. That matches the nursery's regular yoga sessions, which add a recurring movement activity alongside outdoor running, climbing, jumping and balancing described at the 2023 inspection. Families looking for physical play to be part of the routine will find it threaded through both the garden and organised activity.

In March 2023, children were described as confident and happy, with staff using eye contact, smiles and praise to help them feel secure. Children practised independence by setting tables, pouring drinks, putting on coats and helping younger children. These are everyday routines with a clear purpose: confidence around food, self-care and relationships rather than adult-led help at every turn.

Communication with families was a visible strength at that inspection. Staff shared activities and progress regularly, and gave parents ideas for learning at home. The report also recorded timely intervention in play, nutritious meals and snacks that met special dietary needs, plus daily physical challenges. Its improvement priorities were to give children more time to think before answering questions and to develop understanding of changes in nature further.

Chestnut Nursery School, Sue Bramley is on Bastable Avenue, Barking, IG11 0LG. It opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year, closing for bank holidays and inset days. EL1 and EL2 buses serve the area; Upney is the named nearest station.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day sessions run from 8am to 6pm. Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm, while afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 6pm. The nursery takes fees by direct debit and requires one month's written notice to end a place or change sessions.

Funding and Meals

Funding is listed for eligible children aged nine to 23 months, eligible two-year-olds, and three- and four-year-olds through universal and extended entitlement. For funded sessions, lunch and tea are optional; families who do not take them provide a suitable packed meal. Private full-day sessions include breakfast, snacks, lunch and tea, while the published morning and afternoon sessions each include the meals appropriate to their window. Current nursery-specific prices are supplied in the provider's written quotation.

• Inspection priorities. The 28 March 2023 report asked for more thinking time after questions and a stronger understanding of changes in nature. These are useful points to explore in a visit conversation.
• Funded-session meals. Lunch and tea are optional for funded sessions, whereas the private session patterns include food. Families using funded hours should factor that distinction into their weekly routine.
• Attendance pattern. Full-day, morning and afternoon sessions are all published. The one-month notice rule also matters if a family's work pattern is likely to change.

Chestnut Nursery School, Sue Bramley will suit families seeking weekday care for children aged zero to four with a choice of full-day, morning or afternoon attendance. The 2023 Good judgement rests on warm staff-child relationships, purposeful play and effective safeguarding, while the garden, regular yoga and Core curriculum give the offer a clear active thread. The dated improvement priorities are worth keeping in view when deciding whether its approach is the right fit.