The Warren Day Nursery & Pre-School

Sensory bottles for babies and papier-mâché volcanoes for older children give a concrete picture of The Warren's approach to early learning in September 2022: exploration, conversation and hands-on discovery. At its September 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall.

The Warren Day Nursery & Pre-School has capacity for 74 children, from birth to five, at The Post Barn in Crowborough. The inspection offers a detailed account of children's experiences, but its observations belong to September 2022.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the September 2022 examples included exploring materials, practising language and investigating how things work.

In September 2022, babies investigated colour, sound and size through sensory bottles, while older children made volcanoes and discussed eruptions. Staff built activities on children's interests and earlier learning. Water-collection experiments and making animals from play dough gave children practical problems to tackle together.

Cosy reading spaces were another feature that month. Adults used expressive storytelling, pictures and questions to draw children into books. Cooking food from different countries, then tasting it at snack time, brought cultural exploration into everyday activities; parents also translated stories into their home languages.

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including specialist outdoor equipment for mobility and staff training in sign language to support children with hearing impairments.

In September 2022, babies responded warmly to their key person, and parents helped shape children's learning goals. That connected the nursery day with family knowledge of each child. Emotional understanding had practical tools too: younger children explored feelings through picture cards, while older children discussed the emotions and behaviour of story characters.

Staff development that month included observations, support and training. Leaders also recognised staff achievements and prioritised their wellbeing, making support for practitioners part of the nursery's working arrangements.

The address is The Post Barn, Gillridge Lane, Crowborough, TN6 1UP. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

These opening hours describe the operating day. Families comparing care around work should distinguish that window from the attendance pattern they intend to book.

• Attendance arrangements. The weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your family's timetable?
• An older inspection snapshot. The Outstanding judgement dates to September 2022. On a visit, look for how the hands-on investigations, shared reading and emotional-learning activities described then work in children's day now.
• Individual support. Specialist mobility equipment and sign-language training featured in September 2022. Families whose child needs these forms of support should discuss how they would be incorporated into their child's care.

The Warren merits consideration by families seeking weekday care across the year who value practical exploration and close communication about children's learning. Its September 2022 inspection gives substantial detail behind the Outstanding judgement, from babies' sensory exploration to older children's collaborative experiments. The useful distinction is between that dated account of practice and the attendance arrangements a family needs today.