Chantrey House Nursery and Pre-School

A second key person and conversations around the sandpit give Chantrey House a recognisable character: close relationships alongside learning through ordinary play. These were features of daily life in October 2022, when children joined in songs, stories and turn-taking games.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 17 October 2022 inspection. The setting at 40 Chantrey Road, Sheffield, S8 8QW accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. For parents, the useful distinction is between that dated account of care and the practical arrangements for a child joining now.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning and care, with play providing opportunities to develop language, relationships and practical abilities. In October 2022, practitioners used parents' settling-in information and their observations to decide what each child should learn next. Activities were adjusted to individual starting points rather than following an identical task for everyone.

Outdoor play happened daily that October. The sandpit became a setting for conversation as children filled small teapots and explained their play; adults used questions to keep the exchange going. Indoors, stories and singing gave children further opportunities to practise language, while parachute games involved choosing and taking turns.

There were also clear limitations. In October 2022, the outdoor space needed further development to support children who preferred learning outside, including more opportunities to explore nature. Enjoying the space was only part of the picture: its educational potential needed more attention.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, children making good progress and activities adapted for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Those judgements belong to that visit.

Relationships had practical depth in October 2022. Each child had a second key person, giving another familiar adult a role in their care, and staff could share that responsibility when a child formed a bond elsewhere. Conversations and an electronic app connected home and nursery; parents could contribute information through the app as well as receive updates.

Care also involved small, respectful interactions that October: adults allowed babies time to respond during nappy changes and offered comfort or a familiar toy when children became sleepy. Professional connections that October included the special needs inclusion team, alongside a teacher for the deaf. Lunch was sociable, with adults joining children at the table, but opportunities to practise tasks such as pouring drinks and preparing the table needed extending.

The address is 40 Chantrey Road, Sheffield, S8 8QW. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round opening apart from bank holidays and Christmas.

In October 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation fact rather than a promise of a funded place now.

• Everyday independence. October 2022 brought a clear improvement point around self-care tasks. Look for how children now help prepare meals, pour drinks and serve themselves.
• Learning outdoors. Developing the outdoor environment was another October 2022 priority. A visit can establish how the space now supports exploration of nature.
• Attendance and funding. The nursery opens across the year, with bank holiday and Christmas closures. What booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement would apply to your child?

Chantrey House suits families who value familiar adults, communication with home and learning through play, and whose childcare needs fit its weekday opening hours. The October 2022 account gives those preferences substance through second key persons, parent contributions and conversational play. Its two improvement priorities also provide concrete points to assess: children's independence and the educational use of outdoor space.