The Old Potting Shed Nursery

A walled garden for toddlers and preschool children, a gated garden for babies, and estate grounds beyond give The Old Potting Shed Nursery its character. Outdoor exploration shapes the play-based approach at this Blagdon setting. The two buildings have different roles: The Stables houses the youngest children, while The Old Potting Shed serves toddlers and preschool children. For parents, that division gives the baby provision an identity of its own rather than treating it as a smaller version of the older children's day.

The nursery accepts children from 3 months to 5 years and has 102 places in total. The Stables has a published capacity of 15, a useful figure for families weighing the scale of baby care. At its 22 March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and disabilities received very good support through collaboration with families and professional agencies.

Rooms and Ages

The Stables combines sensory exploration, painting, water play and imaginative play for babies, with a gated garden and spaces suited to both activity and rest. Its 15-place capacity deserves attention when comparing baby settings: this is the provision's maximum capacity, not a daily attendance figure.

For toddlers and preschool children, The Old Potting Shed has a published capacity of 45 and access to a large walled garden, with learning built around hands-on exploration, shared play and growing independence. Natural obstacles and balance ropes give the outdoor space a physical purpose. Bug observation and noticing environmental changes add opportunities to investigate the world beyond indoor resources.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning, development and care, covering such experiences as communication, physical activity, relationships and creative play. It is the baseline for early-years provision. Here, children choose resources and develop their own ideas, while adults observe, ask questions and introduce activities that extend an interest or support a next step.

Accessible resources are supplemented to suit children's interests, with adult-led activities alongside their own choices.

A forest school approach adds an emphasis on outdoor exploration alongside that framework. The estate surroundings and the walled garden give this emphasis concrete expression. For older children, looking for bugs, negotiating natural obstacles and observing changes in their surroundings connect movement with discovery.

In March 2024, babies practised communication through songs accompanied by gestures and actions. Story conversations gave children time to examine pictures, answer questions and anticipate what might happen next. A discussion about a whale's teeth became an opportunity to talk about dental care and food. These examples show how an ordinary song or story can lead into language, understanding and everyday health habits.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden is used in different weather, making outdoor play part of the usual nursery day. Older children can help water plants, contribute to snack preparation and assist at mealtimes. Such jobs give independence a practical meaning: children take part in caring for the space and the people around them.

In March 2024, garden activities included combining clay with collected petals, sticks and rosemary. Children investigated how the materials behaved and made creations to take home. Digging in mud and moving water in wheelbarrows provided physical challenges, while younger children practised rolling balls to one another.

Walks through the estate grounds, including a wooded area, also featured in March 2024. Children explored nature and seasonal change, alongside learning about recycling and care for the environment. However, the outdoor curriculum needed further development across the learning areas. The attractive surroundings are a reason to look closely at the outdoor offer, rather than assume that space alone answers every learning need.

Relationships and Communication

Baby care included yoga sessions in March 2024, providing a quiet activity shared with a key person. The emphasis was on relationships as well as movement. Staff also gave children time to attempt tasks themselves, such as dressing dolls, before stepping in to help. For parents, these examples make the balance between support and independence more tangible.

Families are encouraged to add to their children's developmental records. Information from home helps staff understand a child's experiences and needs, so communication is intended to contribute to learning rather than simply report what happened that day. Parents and carers are welcome in the nursery, supporting that exchange between home and childcare.

Preparation for school starts with ordinary self-care. Older children practise dealing with coats and shoes, using the toilet, clearing away after meals and putting play resources away. Visiting teachers are welcome, and a designated team member liaises with each destination school. This is transition support through familiarity and communication, rather than a claim to influence school admissions.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The March 2024 account of additional-needs support centred on targeted help developed with parents and professional agencies. It gives families a concrete starting point for discussing how their own child's support would be organised.

Staff recruitment includes identity checks, references, interviews and enhanced DBS checks. Professional development and apprenticeships form part of the group's staffing approach used here. These are arrangements for recruitment and development; the dated safeguarding judgement remains the basis for assessing safeguarding effectiveness.

Meals and snacks are provided, with seasonal menus that respond to children's preferences and can be emailed to parents. The nursery describes individually labelled food and separate preparation to reduce risk, while explicitly recognising that cross-contamination cannot be completely guaranteed against.

Rest also has a place in the baby provision: The Stables includes quieter spaces alongside stimulating play areas. In March 2024, babies were encouraged to try using spoons, and children learnt hygiene habits such as handling tissues and washing hands. Care routines therefore offered opportunities to practise skills, as well as meeting immediate needs.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks of the year. The nursery closes for English Bank Holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year’s Day; closure dates are communicated annually and those days are not charged. For working families, the annual closure pattern belongs alongside the daily hours when planning childcare.

The address is Combe Lodge, Blagdon, BS40 7RE. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01761 462209, by email at info@theoldpottingshed.org or through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funding for 3- and 4-year-olds is offered, with the start described as the term following the child's third birthday and eligibility applying. In March 2024, the nursery also received funding for two-year-olds. That dated position should be kept separate from the current funding terms when choosing childcare.

Private childcare fees are collected monthly after the care has been provided, normally by Direct Debit unless another arrangement is agreed. Childcare vouchers are also accepted. Payment difficulties and grant arrangements can be discussed with the manager, and full childcare terms are supplied at registration. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Outdoor learning. In March 2024, the outdoor curriculum needed broadening for children who learn best outside. On a visit, ask how the walled garden now supports learning beyond physical exploration and nature activities.
• Baby care and attendance. The Stables has capacity for 15 babies and spaces for activity and rest. Ask how settling, key-person contact and rest are organised, and which booking patterns fit your working week.
• Allergies. The nursery describes risk-reduction measures while acknowledging the limits of preventing cross-contamination. Families managing allergies should confirm the current preparation arrangements and response plan for their child.
• The complete childcare quotation. Funding and private fees sit alongside provided meals and snacks. Request the full childcare terms before registration so you can compare the overall commitment.

The Old Potting Shed Nursery suits families who value outdoor exploration, separate baby provision and a play-based day with practical opportunities for independence. The Stables' own garden and the older children's walled garden give that offer substance. Weekday opening across most of the year also makes it relevant to families planning childcare around work.

The March 2024 Good judgement provides a useful quality reference, with collaborative additional-needs support among its strengths. The outdoor improvement point matters too.