The Gingerbread House Nursery

French lessons, Yoga and Dance give The Gingerbread House Nursery in Smallfield a recognisable character: language, movement and creative expression sit alongside learning through play. Its home is Centenary Hall on Wheelers Lane. The nursery accepts children aged 6 to 60 months and has capacity for 24 children in total.

At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with improvements needed in explaining behaviour expectations and giving children more opportunities to write independently. That is a useful balance for parents: a positive judgement, accompanied by specific teaching priorities rather than an unqualified endorsement.

The current opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. For families organising care around work, those opening hours are an important practical starting point.

Rooms and Ages

Lady birds is the baby room, Caterpillars caters for children under two, and Butterflies serves children aged two to five. The room names distinguish the youngest children's provision from the older children's group; families with a baby can therefore concentrate their visit on Lady birds rather than judging the nursery solely through its preschool offer.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers children's learning and development, including communication, physical development and early literacy, through play and practical exploration. In February 2023, speaking games, climbing activities and children's attempts to write their names illustrated these areas of learning. Alongside it, the nursery combines elements of Montessori, Reggio Emilia and the Curiosity Approach through creative and hands-on experiences. These approaches supplement the framework; they do not replace it.

French adds language learning, while Yoga brings an emphasis on mindfulness and Dance provides opportunities for self-expression. These are concrete additions to the day, rather than simply a collection of educational labels. For parents interested in movement and languages, they give the nursery's approach a clear point of interest.

In February 2023, children experimented with block towers and considered how changing their building pace could stop them collapsing. The activity gave them a practical problem to solve, with staff questions encouraging them to explain their thinking. Children also made an owl from feathers and twigs, combining natural materials with their own creative choices.

Outdoor and Community Life

In February 2023, tyres were used for climbing and balancing, and children worked together to roll them down a slope while exploring speed. Physical play therefore also created opportunities for cooperation and discussion. The equipment was part of the learning, rather than simply a break from it.

During the same month, children explored cultural differences through food, including baking Australian Anzac cookies and tasting Scottish haggis. Conversations also covered different family backgrounds. Those examples made unfamiliar traditions tangible through making, tasting and talking.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities that included specialist referrals with parental permission and consistent signing to assist communication. For a family considering additional support, the practical significance lies in those mechanisms: communication strategies and access to specialist advice, rather than a broad promise that every need will be met.

In February 2023, staff shared information about children's interests and learning with parents, including ideas about healthy eating that could be used at home. This connected nursery experiences with family life and gave parents something practical to follow up. Staff also used listening and speaking games, pairing visual signs with spoken language to help children communicate their ideas.

Health routines were part of daily learning in February 2023. Children brushed their teeth after lunch and discussed food choices and oral health. Peer relationships were visible in small acts of care, including children comforting others who were briefly upset. These are dated examples of the nursery day, useful alongside the current room and activity offer.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm and operates across the year. Closures include bank holidays, training days and the week between Christmas and New Year. Families planning annual leave need to account for those breaks as well as their usual working week.

Getting There

The address is Centenary Hall, Wheelers Lane, Smallfield, RH6 9PT. Branch enquiries can be made on 01342 393786, and a nursery tour can be booked.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted. The funding options include 15-Hour Funding for three- and four-year-olds and 30-Hour Funding for eligible working families, including eligible younger children from nine months. There is also a 15-hour entitlement for eligible two-year-olds.

Both 15- and 30-hour funding can be stretched across the year. For parents whose care needs continue beyond school terms, that option matters: the annual entitlement can support attendance across the year rather than being concentrated into term weeks. Eligibility conditions still apply. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Independent writing. In February 2023, adults sometimes wrote children's names for them when children wanted to try themselves. During a visit, ask how Butterflies now gives children time to attempt their own writing.
• Explaining behaviour. The February 2023 improvement priority concerned helping children understand why an action should stop. Look for explanations that help children connect a rule with its consequences.
• Funding and the family budget. Stretched funding is offered here. Ask for one written breakdown covering your intended attendance pattern, additional hours, meals and non-food consumables so the whole arrangement can be considered together.

The Gingerbread House suits families seeking baby care through to the older Butterflies group, with language and movement lessons alongside play-based learning. Its weekday opening hours and stretched funding option also make it relevant to parents whose childcare needs extend across the year.

The February 2023 judgement gives a positive foundation, while independent writing and explanations of behaviour remain useful subjects for a visit. The appeal is specific: named rooms, French, Yoga and Dance, with practical learning illustrated by construction, natural materials and physical play.