St John's Nursery, Redstone Lodge

Bug hotels, paint-filled puddles and conversations about feelings give this Redhill nursery a recognisable character. The July 2023 picture was of children learning through outdoor exploration and close relationships with their key person, with emotional development a clear emphasis.

At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, while asking staff to check understanding more consistently and give quieter children more opportunities to speak. St John's Nursery, Redstone Lodge accepts children aged 24 to 60 months.

In July 2023, children gathered sticks and bark to make a bug hotel, learning about insects through handling natural materials and caring for living things. Sensory activities included adding paint to puddles and combining paint with shaving foam. These were concrete opportunities to investigate changes rather than simply listen to explanations.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the July 2023 activities connected that learning with practical experiences: balancing on tyres and wooden blocks, digging in mud and using scissors. Large movements and careful handwork both had a place.

During that month, staff also helped children name their feelings and explain them in morning conversations. Stories and a doll introduced situations such as starting school, making unfamiliar experiences something children could discuss.

Planning in July 2023 drew on the interests of each practitioner's key children and the learning they needed next. Activities therefore linked something a child wanted to explore with something staff wanted to help them learn. The teaching priority matters in that context: an interesting activity still needed enough time for children to understand and develop an idea.

Group activities that month also gave children opportunities to concentrate together. They treated one another considerately and approached learning positively. Alongside the garden's physical challenges, these shared activities brought social participation into the learning day.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities making good progress, supported by prompt contact with other agencies and professional advice, with additional funding used appropriately for individual needs.

Safeguarding practice in July 2023 included staff training and discussions at team meetings to refresh knowledge. Practitioners understood indicators of possible abuse and the steps to take over a concern about a child's welfare. They also knew how to raise concerns about a colleague's conduct. That distinction matters: the procedures addressed concerns both about children and about adults working with them.

Daily checks of risks to the premises formed another part of the July 2023 arrangements. Staff positioned themselves to supervise children effectively. These observations describe how safety was managed during the inspection, alongside the overall safeguarding finding, rather than relying on a policy alone.

Staff development that month included regular supervision and opportunities for further training. The autism training already described had a practical consequence in small-group work on attention and listening. For parents, that connection between training and an activity is more useful than a training list: it explains what changed in children's experiences.

In July 2023, key-person relationships extended into meals and indoor activities. Staff shared progress information with parents to support learning at home, while small-group activities following autism training helped children practise listening and attention.

Independence featured in everyday care that month. Children poured drinks and put on their own shoes; mealtime conversations covered healthy habits and looking after teeth. Recording equipment was also used to bring children's home languages into communication activities, although quieter children needed more encouragement to join conversations.

The address is Redstone Lodge, Philanthropic Road, Redhill, RH1 4DG. The nursery opens during term time and closes for school holidays.

In July 2023, opening hours were 8am to 5pm each weekday. At that time, the nursery accepted funding for early education for children aged two, three and four.

• Understanding before moving on. In July 2023, staff sometimes changed topic before establishing what children had understood. Ask how practitioners now check understanding and allow children time to develop an idea.
• A voice for quieter children. The July 2023 improvement priorities included conversational opportunities for quieter children, especially those learning English as an additional language. Ask how small-group work includes them.
• Term-time planning. Closure during school holidays matters for families needing continuous childcare. How would the attendance pattern fit your working week and holiday arrangements?

This nursery merits consideration for families seeking term-time childcare with outdoor exploration and emotional development prominent in its July 2023 practice. The Good judgement provides a useful dated assessment. The practical decision is whether term-time attendance fits family life, alongside how staff have addressed the two teaching priorities.