Paint Pots Nursery and Pre-School, Freemantle

A Victorian guest house and a tree-bordered garden give Paint Pots Freemantle its character: domestic surroundings on Waterloo Road, with outdoor space for play beyond the house. At its 4 July 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and judged safeguarding effective. That dated judgement is the strongest reason to take this Southampton setting seriously.

The nursery has 55 places in total and accepts babies from 3 months. Its offer extends from infancy into the preschool years, while weekday opening runs from 8am to 6pm. The clearest strengths in the July 2025 account are concrete: sensory exploration for babies, animated storytelling for toddlers and practical opportunities to become more independent.

Rooms and Ages

In July 2025, the baby room combined space to move with soft, squeezable sensory resources and adults ready to provide physical comfort; exploration and reassurance sat together. Babies approached staff for comfort and explored soft, squeezable sensory resources. For a parent choosing care for a very young child, that balance matters as much as the activity itself.

The older toddler room's July 2025 story session involved animal movements and sounds, turning listening into participation. Children acted like penguins and made cow noises rather than simply sitting through a reading. Preschool children used an emotion-themed fishing game to start conversations about feelings. Each example gives a different picture of learning suited to the children taking part.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the July 2025 examples show learning through play, conversation and everyday tasks. Cutting fruit became an opportunity to discuss its texture, seeds and unfamiliar words. Exploring slime with tools brought shape and texture into a hands-on activity.

Independence also had practical substance in July 2025. Younger children practised putting on bibs and serving pasta, while handwashing and looking after coats and bags became things children did for themselves. These are useful steps towards managing an ordinary day. Tabletop games gave children opportunities to discuss rules and work through uncertainty with adult support.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden is a substantial part of this converted house's appeal, with trees providing shade around its boundary. It offers a different setting for play from the rooms indoors, an important consideration for families drawn to a house-based nursery.

In July 2025, children planted seeds and learnt how they would grow into pumpkins. That made the garden a place to investigate change over time, rather than only somewhere to exercise. Growing vegetables gave children a tangible reason to ask what would happen next.

At the July 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received highly effective support, with communication adapted to their needs. The practical methods included signs, body language and picture cards carried on a lanyard. Children could express a choice or a feeling through a method that worked for them, rather than relying solely on spoken words.

Support for families went beyond conversations about activities in July 2025. Staff helped parents with referrals to specialist organisations, and families could use a food bank within the setting. Emotional support included help with behaviour and transitions. These are substantial examples of a nursery working with the circumstances around a child, as well as the child's time in care.

Information-sharing between parents and staff also supported consistency in July 2025. For families, the practical value is that care decisions can connect with what is happening at home. The same dated account describes babies seeking staff for comfort, giving a concrete picture of the relationships behind the activities.

Understanding feelings was taught through play in July 2025. Preschool children caught discs showing facial expressions, then discussed the emotions with staff. Behaviour guidance included explaining how actions affected others, and children sometimes reminded their friends of those effects. The emphasis was on understanding a situation, alongside following a rule.

Paint Pots Freemantle is at 20 Waterloo Road, Freemantle, Southampton, SO15 3AR. The branch has a contact form and an Express interest route, alongside telephone contact on 023 8022 7931. These provide a direct way to begin an enquiry about this setting.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year. Closures include bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Families planning regular care should factor those breaks into their arrangements, especially where nursery attendance needs to match a working week.

In July 2025, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation statement rather than a guarantee of a funded place for a particular child. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Care in a converted house. The Victorian guest house and shaded garden are central to this branch's character. On a visit, explore how your child's day would move between indoor activities and outdoor play.
• Starting with a baby. Children are accepted from 3 months, and the July 2025 account describes babies seeking comfort from staff. Ask how settling, sleep and your baby's home routines would be organised together.
• Funding and the total bill. Funding participation for two-, three- and four-year-olds was recorded in July 2025. Before committing, request a written breakdown for your child's intended attendance, including meals and non-food consumables.

Paint Pots Freemantle suits families who value a house-based nursery with a substantial garden and practical learning through ordinary experiences. Its July 2025 examples are persuasive because they are specific: babies investigating sensory resources, toddlers joining stories and children learning to manage everyday tasks. The weekday opening window also suits families whose care needs span a working day. Settling arrangements and the written attendance quotation are key details for families choosing care here.