Toad Hall Nursery Ottershaw

Garden movement, pretend family life and children remembering how they made brownies gave Ottershaw's nursery day its character in May 2023. Practical independence ran through those experiences: moving around other children, playing together and recalling ingredients rather than simply completing an activity.

Ofsted rated Toad Hall Nursery Ottershaw Good at its inspection on 11 May 2023. It has capacity for 41 children aged 3 to 60 months, at The Old School House on Brox Road in Ottershaw. The inspection's two improvement priorities matter alongside that judgement: extending older children's thinking and reducing waits between daily routines.

In May 2023, babies practised moving around the garden while avoiding obstacles and other people. Older children shared imaginative play involving baby dolls and pretend telephones. These were different kinds of learning: physical coordination for the youngest children, and conversation and cooperation for older ones.

The early years foundation stage is the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the May 2023 curriculum emphasised independence, confidence and social development, giving everyday tasks an educational purpose. Children remembered ingredients from making brownies, linking something they had done with something they could explain afterwards.

A mindfulness group in May 2023 involved breathing, listening and paying attention. It gave children a specific activity through which to practise recognising and managing their feelings. Staff also repeated words with babies and sustained conversations with older children. However, opportunities to develop older children's own ideas were inconsistent, so the next step was deeper thinking rather than simply more questions.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and additional needs identified promptly, with targeted resources helping children with SEND make good progress. That finding describes the care assessed at that visit.

In May 2023, each child had a key person, and parents received progress feedback and regular updates through that relationship. Staffing difficulties were being managed using familiar agency practitioners and induction arrangements. For families, continuity depended on keeping relationships recognisable even when staffing changed.

Mealtimes also contributed to school preparation in May 2023: children practised serving food and pouring drinks themselves. Handwashing and nose wiping formed part of daily hygiene routines. Waiting around lunchtime was less successful, with some children losing interest despite having books to look at.

The address is The Old School House, Brox Road, Ottershaw, Chertsey, KT16 0HH. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Those closures matter when arranging care around work commitments.

In May 2023, the nursery received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. This describes its funding participation at that time, rather than an entitlement or attendance arrangement for an individual family today.

• Older children's thinking. In May 2023, staff did not consistently extend children's own ideas during play. On a visit, ask how practitioners now encourage children to explain, predict and develop their thinking.
• Daily transitions. Lengthy waits around lunchtime caused some children to disengage in May 2023. Ask how the current day moves between play, meals and other routines.
• Care across the year. Bank holiday and Christmas closures affect the opening calendar. Families needing continuous weekday cover should build those breaks into their childcare arrangements.

Ottershaw suits families seeking weekday, year-round nursery care, with an opening window that extends from morning into early evening. Its May 2023 day combined garden movement, imaginative play and practical independence. The Good judgement provides a dated quality reference; the sharper decision points are how older children's thinking is extended and how smoothly daily routines now run.