Castle Tots

Emotional confidence and outdoor exploration give Castle Tots its character: in June 2021, children talked about feelings, tended vegetables and built dens in nearby woodland. At its June 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes.

Based at Castle Hill Primary School in Chessington, Castle Tots has capacity for 18 children aged 3 to 36 months. Its small overall capacity is useful context, though it is not a measure of the number attending together.

In June 2021, the early years foundation stage took practical shape through stories, songs, sensory exploration and growing vegetables. Babies investigated foam, play dough and sand; older children practised steering bicycles and digging with trowels in the mud kitchen. These experiences combined language, movement and opportunities to investigate materials.

Outdoor play had substance. In June 2021, children used magnifying glasses to look for living things, watered their crops and explored nearby woods, where den-building included learning about safety. Indoor and outdoor areas allowed children to move between activities.

The June 2021 activities gave children different ways to explore: handling materials in sensory play, looking closely at living things and caring for growing vegetables. Building large structures added another physical challenge alongside bicycles and the mud kitchen. For families, these examples give a concrete picture of the learning: children used their hands, explored movement and investigated nature. The woodland activities also brought safety into play, with children learning how to manage risks as they built dens.

Stories had a participatory element in June 2021. Staff used props to act them out and invited children to join in, alongside songs and rhymes. That gave language work a place in shared activities, with something for children to watch and take part in. The inspection's recommendation about leaving enough time between questions matters in this context: an invitation to speak also needs room for a child's reply.

At the June 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and positive support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language.

In June 2021, relationships with key workers helped younger and less confident children settle, including when moving between rooms. Staff helped children discuss emotions through colours and offered calm encouragement. Families received daily online updates, parents’ evenings and activities for learning at home, with a lending library extending those opportunities.

The emotional work in June 2021 went beyond naming a feeling. Children considered what different emotions might look like and what could help them feel happy. Staff encouraged conversations about feelings, making emotional understanding part of their interactions with children. For a parent choosing care for a very young child, this is a useful example of how staff approached the feelings that accompany learning to spend time with others.

Safeguarding practice in June 2021 included regular staff training, recruitment checks and procedures for reporting concerns about children or allegations involving adults. Staff understood their reporting responsibilities. Deployment supported children's safety as they moved between the indoor and outdoor areas, and routine checks covered the play spaces. These details explain the practical arrangements behind the dated safeguarding judgement: attention to adults' responsibilities sat alongside supervision and checks of the children's surroundings.

Fresh meals came from the school chef in June 2021, while children explored fruit and vegetables through play and growing activities. Participation in the Healthy Early Years London Award sat alongside this practical attention to food and health.

The address is Castle Hill Primary School, Buckland Road, Chessington, KT9 1JE. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time, with school-holiday closures.

The school setting needs a clear admissions distinction. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a place at Castle Hill Primary School.

• Time to answer. In June 2021, staff sometimes moved to another question before children had time to respond. Allowing that pause was an improvement priority for language development.
• Everyday independence. In June 2021, mealtimes offered opportunities for children to do more for themselves that staff did not consistently use. How is independence encouraged during meals now?
• Term-time attendance. School-holiday closures make the annual calendar a practical consideration for families needing care throughout the year.

Castle Tots suits families seeking term-time care for babies and young toddlers within a primary-school setting. Its June 2021 picture combines close relationships, exploration outdoors and thoughtful work on emotions. The two teaching priorities matter too: children need time to answer and opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.