Dysart Nursery

A vegetable patch, child-reachable fruit trees and a room for naps give Dysart Nursery a practical, homely character. Gardening connects play with food: children plant seeds, watch their crops develop and harvest what they have grown. Indoors, bright play rooms make space for imaginative play and creative activities. These are concrete parts of the day, rather than a philosophy expressed only in slogans.

At its June 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership to be at the Strong standard, with achievement and curriculum and teaching at the Expected standard, and safeguarding standards met. That is a positive but differentiated picture. The teaching priority is clear: activities need more consistent learning intentions so that staff can extend children's existing knowledge.

Dysart caters for children aged 3 to 60 months in Drayton, Portsmouth. Its weekday opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, with operation across the year and closures for Christmas and bank holidays.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, learning involves play, conversation, physical activity and growing independence, rather than simply completing adult-directed tasks. Dysart's current activities include painting, sorting shapes, reading and gardening. Children contribute ideas about what to make and which materials to use, giving them a part in shaping their play.

In June 2026, communication ran through the day through songs, stories and conversations. Staff repeated language and helped children correct their wording. Babies chose nursery-rhyme characters from a box during a welcome activity; older children registered themselves and took part in counting. The same shared routine therefore offered different tasks according to children's development.

Play also had both child-chosen and adult-organised elements in June 2026. Children built together with construction materials, while staff organised activities such as preparing play dough. Pretend play included caring for dolls and playing hairdressers. These examples show opportunities to handle materials, exchange ideas and develop a shared storyline.

The limitation matters alongside those appealing activities. In June 2026, staff did not consistently identify precisely what an activity should teach, leaving some opportunities to extend learning unused. Leaders were supporting the development of teaching skills, but that work needed time to become fully effective. Enjoyment and purposeful teaching are separate considerations here.

Outdoor and Community Life

The secure outdoor space includes a vegetable patch and miniature fruit trees bearing figs, pears and apples. Children can reach the fruit under adult supervision. Growing and harvesting food gives healthy-eating discussions something tangible: children can follow a crop from seed to something they take home.

Visitors have brought everyday health and safety into nursery life. Local Lollipop people have explained road crossing, while members of the National Health Service have demonstrated hand-cleaning techniques. These are examples of visits, rather than a fixed timetable of visiting sessions.

In June 2026, children used the outdoors in different weather conditions, with activities involving shapes and making marks as well as movement. Dancing, climbing and riding vehicles added physical activity to the day. Outdoor play was consequently used for learning as well as exercise.

Relationships and Communication

At the June 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that key-person relationships gave children reassurance, SEND support used specialist advice and reviewed individual targets, and adaptations included larger equipment and a sensory tent. Those details explain the stronger care and inclusion judgements: support was attached to individual needs and practical changes, rather than resting on a general promise of inclusion.

Parents evenings take place three times a year, alongside opportunities for parents to play with their child at nursery. Photographs and children's creations help families see what has occupied the day. A monthly newsletter on the parents notice board adds another route into nursery life, while staff are available for conversations between organised meetings.

In June 2026, staff and parents worked together on children's next learning steps for home and nursery. Development monitoring helped identify where additional support was needed, and advice from external professionals informed daily practice. Dysart also has links with the Health Visiting Team and Portage, connecting the setting with services supporting young children and their families.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A sleep room provides a place for children who need a nap. That is a useful physical provision for families whose child's day still includes sleep, alongside the busier play spaces.

In June 2026, visual boards helped children anticipate what would happen next, and music signalled tidying time. Older children practised toileting, handwashing and dressing, while staff attended to personal care needs. Before moving on to school, preschool activities included managing personal tasks, understanding space and learning to keep safe. Preparation centred on everyday independence as well as learning activities.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 1 Dysart Avenue, Drayton, Portsmouth, PO6 2LY. Opening hours run from 7.30am until 6pm on Monday to Friday; the nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. That opening window is useful for assessing how nursery fits around work and family routines.

Contact is through the nursery's contact page, telephone or email. Visits are arranged by appointment, allowing families to discuss their child's routine alongside seeing the play and care spaces.

The kitchen has facilities to warm meals and store packed lunches. Its role is practical food handling, alongside the garden activities that introduce children to growing food.

• Purposeful teaching. The June 2026 priority was to make intended learning clearer and build more consistently on children's knowledge. During a visit, look for how a practitioner extends a familiar activity, rather than judging it solely by how busy or appealing it looks.
• Sleep and communication. A sleep room and three parents evenings each year are useful starting points. Ask how your child's nap routine and everyday handover would work alongside those arrangements.
• Attendance and costs. Weekday opening spans 7.30am to 6pm, with Christmas and bank-holiday closures. Which booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement would fit your family, and what would the written quotation include for meals and consumables?

Dysart suits families who value gardening, practical independence and several ways to stay involved in nursery life. The vegetable patch, fruit trees and sleep room make that character tangible. Its June 2026 inspection position gives care, inclusion and routines more weight than the still-developing consistency of teaching. For parents weighing those priorities, the strongest case is the combination of practical care arrangements and an activity-filled day, with the teaching improvement remaining a meaningful consideration.