Langshott Ladybirds Nursery

A classroom in primary-school grounds, its own outdoor space and shopping trips for cooking ingredients give Langshott Ladybirds Nursery a recognisable character. This committee-run, non-profit setting in Horley has capacity for 21 children. Its surroundings matter: children can explore beyond the classroom, while the nursery retains a self-contained base within Langshott Primary School.

At the November 2021 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, and found safeguarding effective. That dated assessment gives the quality picture; the current offer includes indoor and outdoor play, community outings and a key-person system for sharing information with families.

Morning and afternoon attendance patterns are offered, with allocated sessions rather than flexible attendance. For parents, the central distinction is between a nursery built around sessional preschool life and one whose timetable can change from day to day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the common foundation for learning and care: children develop language, physical skills and relationships through play and adult support. Ladybirds adds community outings, including library visits and shopping at Waitrose for cooking ingredients, connecting learning with everyday tasks.

In November 2021, investigating a pump dispenser and repairing a superhero mask with a hole punch gave children practical problems to solve. Staff dramatised stories, then prompted discussion to develop recall.

Children also helped plan the role-play area and choose its resources in November 2021, giving them a say in their surroundings.

Outdoor and Community Life

Messy play and outdoor time in different weather conditions make warm layers, waterproof clothing and secure footwear practical necessities. Unsuitable shoes can restrict participation in outdoor activities. Uniform is optional.

Outings to parks and local ponds to feed ducks extend children's experiences beyond the nursery's own outdoor space.

In November 2021, regular duck-pond visits involved wildlife observation, and library borrowing supported learning about the community. A war memorial visit after Remembrance Day prompted discussion of poppies, connecting an outing with its meaning.

In November 2021, occasional garden-access restrictions interrupted learning for children who preferred being outside. Some role-play resources also limited imaginative possibilities. These improvement points concerned children's freedom to explore and develop their ideas.

Relationships and Communication

A key person provides a regular connection between home and nursery. Families can share information at the beginning of a session, and each child takes home a termly progress summary. Planning and photographs are displayed, giving parents concrete starting points for conversations about their child's experiences. This makes communication more useful than a general account of whether the day went well.

The Children's Library adds a simple home-learning link. From their second term, children can select a book during their session to take home and share with family; books must be returned by the due date, with charges for late or lost copies. Choosing a book gives the child a role in continuing nursery interests at home.

Friends of Langshott Ladybirds organises social activities and fundraising for parents and carers. Regular events include coffee mornings, scavenger treasure hunts and the fundraising events Toddle Waddle and Easter Extravaganza, giving families ways to participate together.

In November 2021, older children helped younger children and peers needing additional support, while staff worked individually with families whose children were finding settling difficult. These are dated observations of relationships and settling practice, rather than promises about how quickly any child will become comfortable.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support for special educational needs and disabilities is organised through a SENCO, a One Page Profile and a Surrey Support Plan developed with parents and the child. The Assess, Plan, Do, Review method means staff identify needs, agree support, put it into practice and review its effect. Support plans are reviewed with parents and the SENCO within six to eight weeks, allowing targets and strategies to change as the child's needs become clearer.

Level floors and wide doorways provide wheelchair access. Activities and routines can be adapted, and outside professionals can contribute advice or referrals with parental permission. The support plan brings these arrangements together around the child's individual needs.

Operation Encompass links the nursery with Surrey Police notifications about domestic-abuse incidents that may affect a child attending. The safeguarding policy also sets out staff training, visitor identification and recruitment checks. These arrangements describe how concerns are handled, alongside the dated safeguarding judgement above.

Allergies and medical conditions requiring medication need a Health Care Plan agreed before attendance. The medication policy restricts refrigerated storage and overnight storage, so a child needing medicine has practical requirements to resolve before starting.

School transition includes development summaries, contact between the key person and the receiving teacher, and accompanying children on school visits where appropriate. For children with SEND, nursery and receiving-school SENCOs can meet, with parents invited. That gives the next setting information about support already in place.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at Langshott Primary School, Smallfield Road, Horley, RH6 9AU. Access follows the school driveway past the main building to the second outside classroom. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form.

The morning pattern runs from 8.45am to 11.45am; the afternoon pattern runs from 11.45am to 2.45pm. Optional additional periods are offered from 8.30am to 8.45am and from 2.45pm to 3pm, with separate charges.

A minimum booking comprises two sessions across two days. Children attend their allocated sessions, and attendance is not flexible. Completed, signed applications enter the waiting list; the admissions policy gives priority to children receiving Early Learning for 2 year olds funding over other two-year-olds. This is a durable allocation rule, rather than a statement about vacancies.

In November 2021, attendance operated Monday to Friday during term time, and children attending were aged two to four. The nursery's school-site relationship does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 30 hr working parent entitlement, universal 15 hour funding and early learning for 2 yr old funding. Eligibility codes are checked before a place is offered where the admissions policy requires them. Private hours are also charged.

Nothing is charged during a child's funded hours; the optional additional periods sit outside them. Parents supply packed lunches, fresh fruit or vegetables are requested for shared snacks, and milk or water at snack time is free. Parents also supply a full nappy-changing kit and named sunscreen for reapplication after lunch; tissues and wipes are provided, with emergency nappies and wipes kept on site.

A deposit is required on accepting a place. For funded children, it is refunded after at least three weeks' attendance, but is not refunded if the child does not start; for other children, it contributes towards the first term's fees and is normally non-refundable on cancellation. Notice is one term in writing or one term's fees instead, making the commitment longer than simply stopping at the end of a half term.

• Outdoor choice and imaginative play. In November 2021, garden restrictions sometimes interrupted children's learning and some role-play resources limited imaginative possibilities. During a viewing, ask how outdoor access works now and look at how children can develop their own pretend-play ideas.
• Fixed attendance. The minimum is two sessions on different days, and children attend only their allocated sessions. Test the morning or afternoon pattern, including any optional extension, against your regular commitments before accepting a place.
• Medical preparation. A Health Care Plan is required for allergies or conditions needing medication, and the policy restricts medicine storage. Allergy-affected families should confirm current food and medication arrangements during their viewing.
• Deposit and notice. Refund conditions differ between funded and private places, and notice runs to a full term. Read those terms alongside the written quotation before committing.

Langshott Ladybirds suits families seeking morning or afternoon preschool sessions, a classroom with dedicated outdoor space and community experiences that connect play with everyday life. Library borrowing, ingredient shopping and parent involvement give its offer substance.

The November 2021 quality assessment remains the dated benchmark, with outdoor access and role-play resources the main points to revisit. Fixed attendance and a term's notice make this a choice for families who can commit to a regular pattern; the SENCO-led support process involves families in planning and reviewing support.