Good Manors Day Nursery Stubbington Lodge

Language, independence and inventive play give Stubbington Lodge its character. At its January 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall, with children confidently sharing stories, solving disagreements and taking on everyday tasks for themselves. Those concrete examples matter more than the headline alone: they show how learning and relationships worked together during that visit.

Good Manors Day Nursery Stubbington Lodge has capacity for 46 children, accepting ages from 3 months to 5 years, at 45 Stubbington Avenue in Portsmouth. Its more recent activity examples include Knock Knock Cards, a vocabulary game involving concealed objects, and Pots ‘N Pans Band, a sound-making activity using kitchen equipment. Both give parents a useful picture of learning through familiar materials.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning and care. In January 2022, this took practical form through sensory exploration, conversations, stories and investigations of size, quantity and weight. Babies encountered new vocabulary while exploring textures; older children connected letters with sounds. Learning had something tangible to attach to.

In January 2022, activities grew from children's interests, with opportunities to revisit skills. Children made their own obstacle courses from wooden planks and crates, deciding how to move through them and testing manageable challenges. They also created a stage for favourite stories and sang to friends. These examples bring physical movement, imagination and communication into the same account of the day.

A December 2024 account described the Tweenies using Knock Knock Cards for a language activity. Children knocked on a card, opened its door and named the object revealed, progressing from individual words to phrases combining a description with a noun. The sequence made the next language step concrete: a familiar object could become a longer utterance through a simple game.

Outdoor and Community Life

A November 2024 account of Pots ‘N Pans Band described babies exploring sound in the mud kitchen. Pots, utensils and pans became materials for tapping, singing and copying rhythms, with different sounds coming from plastic, metal and wood. For families with babies, this is a useful example of outdoor activity that includes listening, imitation and movement.

January 2022 also brought examples of children exploring their wider surroundings through parks, the library and local places of interest. These outings connected nursery learning with the community. The same account described older children serving food themselves and managing hygiene routines, giving everyday independence a practical place alongside play.

In January 2022, staff gathered detailed information from families before children started and used it when planning learning. Parents received updates through an online application, conversations and meetings, including ideas for extending learning at home. This made communication more than a record of activities: families could understand what their child was practising and continue it themselves.

At the January 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised SEND support, including the special educational needs coordinator's work with families and other professionals. For parents considering additional support, the important mechanism was that collaboration around the individual child.

Also in January 2022, practitioners responded to gestures and other non-verbal communication, repeated familiar vocabulary and used simple signs. Children learning English as an additional language received support towards their next educational stage, while the manager assessed progress and identified where further help was needed. These were individual responses to children's communication and development.

A December 2024 account described safeguarding training involving Portsmouth City Council, covering recognising risks, refreshing knowledge and discussing practical scenarios. This is a dated example of staff training. It sits alongside the inspection judgement, with each describing a different aspect of care.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. That opening window is useful for families planning work and childcare around a weekday routine.

Getting There

The address is 45 Stubbington Avenue, Portsmouth, PO2 0HP. Capacity is 46 children across the setting; that whole-nursery figure should be kept separate from the number of children sharing any particular room or attending on a particular day.

Funding and Paid Extras

In January 2022, the nursery received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation fact, rather than a statement of a family's present entitlement.

• Learning for a younger child. The December 2024 account of Knock Knock Cards described the Tweenies taking part. On a visit, ask how practitioners adapt language activities to your child's current communication and interests.
• Support around the individual child. The January 2022 SEND finding centred on collaboration with families and other professionals. Discuss how that collaboration would work for your child now.
• Attendance planning. The opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays. Which booking pattern would fit your family, and how would funded hours apply to it?

Stubbington Lodge suits families who value practical language activities, imaginative use of everyday materials and opportunities for children to become more independent. Knock Knock Cards and the babies' mud-kitchen music give that character substance. The Outstanding judgement dates to January 2022, so families should weigh those inspection-era strengths alongside the individual support and attendance arrangements discussed on a visit.