Noah's Ark Nursery

Family photo books, torch experiments in a dark den and a visiting beekeeper give Noah's Ark Nursery a recognisable character. In June 2025, these experiences connected familiar people, sensory exploration and discoveries about the wider world. The emphasis was practical: children handled, investigated and pretended rather than simply listening.

At its 24 June 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The setting occupies Chells Park Pavilion in Stevenage, accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 77 places in total. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance provide different ways to use it.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, keyworkers plan activities around children's interests and developmental needs, using observations to decide what comes next. Assessments are brought together at three points during the year, giving planning a regular opportunity to respond to gaps in learning.

In June 2025, babies explored texture by squashing soft fruit. Younger children used torches inside a dark den, investigating the effect of light on their skin. Older children tackled problems involving weight and quantities. These examples show different demands for different stages, from sensory discovery to applying mathematical ideas.

Pretend hairdressing gave children a way to replay something recognisable from everyday life. A beekeeper's visit introduced honey-making and the equipment used to manage bees.

Outdoor and Community Life

Physical play in June 2025 included tunnels for crawling, ramps and tyres for climbing. Younger children practised judging risks as they moved between these challenges, while babies worked on balance and strength. The equipment mattered because movement involved decisions as well as exercise.

The outdoor curriculum needed further development at that point, especially for children who preferred learning outside. That distinction matters: having opportunities for physical activity did not mean the outdoor learning programme received the same attention as learning indoors.

Relationships and Communication

In June 2025, settling sessions were adapted to individual children, and family photo books helped connect nursery life with home. Familiar faces in those books gave staff something personal to use when helping a child settle. Daily conversations and stories also helped children recognise emotions; staff responded calmly to small disagreements.

Communication with parents then combined conversations, an online platform and individual meetings. Families received ideas for extending learning at home and could take part in nursery events. This made communication more than a report of what a child had eaten or done: it connected care, achievements and learning across the two settings.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENCo oversees provision for children with additional needs. Individual learning programmes are reviewed regularly with parents, and activities and resources are adapted to children's developmental stages. Links with speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and advisory teachers provide routes for specialist involvement.

The building has no stairs, with ramps providing access to a level garden, and reception contains a wheelchair-accessible toilet. These are concrete access arrangements for families considering mobility needs. Toys and equipment are positioned at children's level.

In June 2025, children received meals and snacks, alongside encouragement to be physically active. School transition work included teachers visiting the nursery and staff sharing information about individual learning needs. Meeting a future teacher before moving on gave children a familiar person to connect with the change.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Chells Park Pavilion, Poston Place, Stevenage, SG2 0BS. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with attendance across the year; closures include bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings are offered.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01438 518328 or by email at enquiries@noahsarknursery.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes support for children aged 9–23 months, eligible two-year-olds receiving additional support, working-family entitlements for two-year-olds, and universal and working-family entitlements for three- and four-year-olds. Private childcare is also offered. Eligibility remains a condition of using the relevant entitlement.

Meals and snacks carry a separate daily charge for funded childcare. A sibling reduction is offered, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Families comparing attendance patterns should consider the whole booking cost alongside the hours covered by funding.

• Outdoor learning. In June 2025, the outdoor curriculum needed strengthening for children who preferred to learn outside. On a visit, ask how outdoor activities now connect with children's next learning steps.
• Home languages. The June 2025 findings called for better opportunities to hear and use children's home languages. Families using another language at home should discuss how it will feature in play and daily routines.
• Funded attendance. Meals and snacks are charged separately on funded places. Ask for a written quotation showing the funded-hours arrangement, private hours and any consumables charges for your chosen pattern.

Noah's Ark suits families seeking morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full-day attendance across the year. Its June 2025 experiences give parents useful substance to weigh: tailored settling, sensory exploration and practical learning. The balance is clear, with outdoor learning and home-language support the two areas requiring further attention at that time.