Rocking Horse Private Day Nursery

Wooden planks balanced on crates, seed planting and conversations with care-home residents give Rocking Horse Private Day Nursery a recognisable character. In March 2025, children tackled practical problems, explored their community and developed their language through everyday activities. Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 6 March 2025.

Based at 35 Norwood Avenue, Southport, PR9 7EQ, it has 32 places in total and accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. That capacity is a whole-nursery figure, rather than the size of an individual group.

The early years foundation stage covers children's learning, development and care. In March 2025, children developed language through songs and conversations, explored quantities during meals and practised physical skills outdoors.

In March 2025, babies joined songs with movements, while older children developed vocabulary through conversation during seed planting. Practical challenges gave children opportunities to reconsider their ideas: when their plank-and-crate obstacle course became unstable, they adjusted the positions of the crates and tried again. The activity made problem-solving tangible.

Celebrations included Diwali and Shrove Tuesday, introducing children to different traditions. In March 2025, World Book Day outfits also prompted children to speak confidently about themselves. Community trips included time with care-home residents, and visiting dentists helped children explore the world beyond nursery. Outdoors, running, jumping and bicycle riding supported physical activity.

Mathematics needed greater consistency in March 2025. Older children explored quantities and size during meals, but younger children's counting mistakes were sometimes left uncorrected. The improvement priority was a clearer progression in early mathematical learning across ages.

At its March 2025 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding and strong SEND support, including prompt referrals, collaboration with other professionals and regularly updated individual learning and medical plans. Additional funding supported children's preparation for their next stage of learning.

In March 2025, settling sessions gave staff time to understand each child's care needs and development before attendance began. Parents received daily conversations and app updates, giving them more than one way to follow their child's experiences. Stay-and-play sessions included advice about weaning and potty training, connecting nursery support with practical issues at home.

Health routines were less consistent in March 2025. Children learnt about hydration, but staff sometimes missed opportunities to reinforce handwashing after children wiped their noses. This was a specific improvement point, with implications for both daily hygiene and children's understanding of self-care.

Opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates throughout the year and closes on Bank Holidays, making its calendar relevant to families who need care beyond school terms.

In March 2025, the nursery offered government-funded early education. That dated participation is separate from a family's entitlement and the terms of an individual childcare arrangement.

• Early mathematics. The March 2025 improvement priority concerned how mathematical learning builds across ages. Families can use a visit to discuss how staff now support accurate counting among younger children.
• Everyday hygiene. In March 2025, handwashing reminders were inconsistent after some self-care tasks. Ask how these routines are reinforced throughout the day.
• Your child's attendance pattern. The opening window runs from 08:00 to 18:00 across weekdays. Discuss which booking arrangement would fit your family's routine before committing.

Rocking Horse suits families seeking year-round weekday care who value practical play, communication and community experiences. Its March 2025 strengths were concrete: collaborative construction, conversations during planting and contact with people beyond nursery. The balanced decision also includes the two improvement priorities, early mathematics and hygiene routines, rather than treating the Good judgement as the whole story.