Children's House Nursery

Books, early independence and outdoor problem-solving give Children's House Nursery its character in the August 2022 account: babies explored textured pages, while older children experimented with words and built dens. These are useful details for parents who want play and conversation to shape the day.

Children's House Nursery is on Station Road in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0ET, and accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. It has 56 places in total. At its 22 August 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective, with timely referrals supporting children who needed additional help.

In August 2022, the early years foundation stage supplied the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical exploration formed part of their day. Babies investigated sounds using instruments and reached towards toys, giving them opportunities to explore while practising movement. Toddlers made marks with their fingers in paint. Preschool children combined water and mud in imaginative cooking play.

Reading connected the age groups. In August 2022, babies handled books with textured flaps, and preschool story sessions included expressive reading. Older children explored words with different meanings and followed rules during board games. This gave language a practical purpose beyond listening to stories.

Outdoor experiences varied by age. In August 2022, preschool forest school sessions involved den-building, log-balancing and climbing, bringing physical challenges and problem-solving together. Toddlers, however, had trikes they could neither propel nor pedal because the equipment was too large. The improvement priority was age-appropriate physical activity for this younger group.

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children progressed well towards school readiness and that the special educational needs and disability coordinator used assessment and staff communication to identify additional support needs. This linked everyday observation with access to other services.

Family communication had a practical role in August 2022. Staff sent updates on children's experiences and development, shared learning ideas for home and used parents' accounts of achievements to inform activities. Communication worked in both directions.

Staff support also featured in August 2022: supervision and appraisal helped practitioners review their work, while experienced colleagues mentored those training. Daily organisation needed attention, though. Around meals and preparation for outdoor play, some children spent time waiting rather than taking part in worthwhile activities.

The address is The Childrens House, Station Road, Southwell, NG25 0ET. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank-holiday closures. That opening window matters for working families planning their regular childcare arrangements.

In August 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for three- and four-year-olds.

• Toddler movement. In August 2022, oversized trikes restricted toddlers' opportunities to practise physical skills. A visit should explore how equipment and activities now suit this age group.
• Time between activities. In August 2022, children sometimes waited during meals and preparation for outdoor play. Look at how staff keep children occupied through these parts of the day.
• Attendance pattern. With opening hours spanning 7.30am to 6pm, which bookable pattern would fit your family's week?

Children's House Nursery suits parents who value the reading, imaginative play and family communication documented in August 2022. Its weekday opening window is also relevant to working households. The clearest points to examine are toddler physical challenge and the organisation of daily transitions, both improvement priorities from that dated assessment.