Hopscotch Rotherham

A muddy garden, insect charts and books that follow children's interests give Hopscotch Rotherham a recognisable early-years character. Those were features of its August 2023 nursery day, alongside babies exploring books and older children turning natural materials into an indoor garden. The emphasis was on connecting play with something children could investigate, talk about and remember.

At its 2 August 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children made good progress, with strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A later regulatory notice is a material part of the picture, too.

The nursery has 42 places in total and accepts children from two months to five years. Tiddlywinks Room and Skittles Room organise the age groups, while full days, half days and a school-day pattern give families different attendance options.

Rooms and Ages

Tiddlywinks Room serves the 0-2 age band; Skittles Room serves children aged 2-5. These are age-group arrangements, distinct from the nursery's total capacity. For a family choosing care across the toddler years, the room structure makes the move between stages an important part of the decision.

The physical experiences described in August 2023 were varied. Babies used soft furniture and climbing equipment to practise pulling themselves upright. Older children painted large movements at a water wall and used brushes of different thicknesses for rainbow pictures. That connected whole-body movement with the finer control used in early mark-making.

Learning and Activities

EYFS is the framework for children's learning and development here, allowing children to learn at their own pace, with play activities planned around their interests and observations of what they can do. Each child's learning journey brings those observations together, so activities can be adjusted as their skills develop. The practical emphasis is on enjoyable experiences that staff revisit and evaluate.

Parents contribute through all about me sheets, which bring interests from home into nursery planning. Occasional suggested activities extend nursery experiences into family time. That gives staff something concrete to work with: what a child is interested in beyond the setting, as well as what they notice during sessions.

In August 2023, songs and games explored seasons, weather and animals. Sensory play introduced words for sea creatures, while books were chosen to match children's interests and development. Babies explored books with flaps; children could also borrow books to enjoy with their parents. Language had several routes into the day, through conversation, singing, stories and play.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden provided material for investigation in August 2023. Children searched for worms and bugs, used identification charts and explored related books. Their learning about plants also fed into an indoor garden made from natural objects. The useful connection was between noticing something outdoors and returning to it through another activity.

A keyworker is allocated to each child, helping them settle and building a continuing relationship with the family. At the end of a session, the keyworker discusses the care sheet and activities that interested the child. Learning journeys can also be discussed with them, giving parents a consistent person to approach about both everyday care and development.

Celebration evenings are opportunities for parents to discuss learning journeys and children's recent achievements. They complement the session-by-session conversation: one deals with the immediate day, the other gives space to consider development over time.

In August 2023, staff worked with parents to shape routines around babies' experiences and interests. Children practised cooperation as well as independent play, and tidying after an activity formed part of their responsibilities. These examples matter because settling and confidence are built through repeated interactions, not just a first introductory session.

The SEND arrangements observed in August 2023 included identifying developmental gaps, planning with parents and speech therapists, and using additional funding for staff training in sign language. This was a specific mechanism for supporting communication, rather than simply treating inclusion as a general promise.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Unit 7, Fern Court, Sunnyside, Rotherham, S66 3XJ. The nursery operates throughout the year, with bank-holiday closures, and its main weekday opening window is 8am to 6pm. Visits can be arranged by telephone on 01709 709900, and there is a contact form for enquiries.

Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm. Half Day can be booked for either 8am to 1pm or 1pm to 6pm, so families can choose a morning or afternoon block rather than committing to the whole day.

For Skittles Room, School Day runs from 8.30am to 3.30pm, with an 8am start when funded. Extra hours and optional early starts are also offered. The early-start choices include 7.30am and 7.45am, making the distinction between the main opening window and an additional early booking important.

Funding and Paid Extras

Early Years Funding is accepted across sessions, and privately paid attendance is offered alongside it. Funded early education for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds is also identified in the nursery's contact information. Eligibility remains a condition, rather than an assurance of a funded place.

Lunch and tea are included in session fees; the optional extras also include separately priced lunch and tea. Families should use the current written quotation to establish the charges for their chosen arrangement, including additional hours and early starts. The pricing information sets out the session choices and extras.

• Health and safety notice. Following a visit on 1 March 2024, Ofsted issued a Notice to Improve requiring better risk assessment, prompt action on hazards and clean, hygienic areas, with actions due by 15 March 2024. That is the latest published regulatory outcome in this account; ask what changes followed and how those practices are maintained.
• Making learning stick. In August 2023, staff did not consistently help children consolidate new experiences and remember their learning. Ask how activities are now revisited and how staff development addresses this point.
• Choosing the attendance pattern. Skittles Room has a school-day option as well as full and half days, with a different start time for funded school-day attendance. Discuss how the chosen session, funding and any early start fit together in the written quotation.
• Room transitions and everyday supplies. Tiddlywinks Room and Skittles Room meet at the two-year stage. On a visit, ask how that move is managed and what parents need to supply for daily care.

Hopscotch Rotherham suits families considering full days, morning or afternoon half days, or the Skittles school-day arrangement. Its keyworker system, individual learning journeys and celebration evenings give parent communication a clear structure.

The August 2023 learning examples offer useful substance: garden investigations, shared books and movement-based mark-making. The improvement point about consolidating learning and the March 2024 health and safety notice deserve equal attention. This is a nursery to assess through both its attendance choices and a concrete discussion of how those areas have been addressed.