Blooming Kids The Wellington Centre

Garden play, imaginative conversations and practical experiments give this Andover nursery its character in the September 2023 account of daily life. Ofsted rated Blooming Kids The Wellington Centre Good at its September 2023 inspection. The detail behind that judgement matters: children explored materials, helped friends and learnt to recognise risks, while staff needed to improve hygiene teaching and allow more thinking time.

The nursery has capacity for 22 children aged 6 to 60 months. That is whole-setting capacity, rather than the size of a room or a daily group.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines support learning alongside physical and emotional needs.

In September 2023, children used the garden daily. Pretend ice-cream selling became an opportunity for conversation, with adults joining the play and encouraging exchanges between children. Outdoors served learning as well as movement.

Activities in September 2023 followed children's interests and the skills staff wanted them to develop. Mixing ingredients to create puffy paint prompted investigation and questions. However, adults sometimes moved conversations on too quickly, leaving children insufficient time to work out their answers or extend their ideas.

At the September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and positive support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with staff and the special educational needs coordinator working with parents on individual plans and adjusting activities to enable participation.

In September 2023, younger children sought comfort from staff, who responded sensitively. Adults encouraged kindness between children; helping a friend with shoes was one example of cooperation being recognised. These small interactions made relationships part of the daily learning.

Health routines needed more consistent teaching in September 2023. Children practised handwashing and some managed tissues independently, but staff did not reinforce these habits consistently. Risk awareness was more concrete: while building tall wooden-block towers, children discussed where to stand so they could move if the structure fell.

Staff received regular supervision and training opportunities in September 2023. Parents also contributed to discussions about children's care and learning, helping connect experiences at home and nursery.

The address is The Wellington Centre, Winchester Road, Andover, SP10 2EG. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

In September 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a statement of today's funding arrangements.

• Time to think. In September 2023, adults sometimes expected responses too quickly. During a visit, look for pauses that let children develop their own answers.
• Everyday hygiene. The September 2023 improvement point concerned inconsistent reinforcement of self-care. Discuss how handwashing and tissue use are now taught across the day.
• Planning attendance. The nursery opens across the year and closes for bank holidays and a Christmas week. Which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your intended attendance?

Blooming Kids The Wellington Centre suits families seeking an Andover setting with opening hours extending from morning into early evening. Its September 2023 account gives useful examples of exploratory play and attentive relationships. Thinking time and hygiene teaching remain the practical points to explore when assessing how the nursery works today.