The Nursery School Worthing

An Edwardian villa with stained glass, fireplaces and a garden wrapping around the building gives The Nursery School Worthing a recognisable character. The central Worthing setting combines those retained features with an outdoor classroom and sensory garden. For children, that means outdoor space forms part of the nursery environment rather than being confined to an occasional trip.

At its 22 November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found effective support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including specialist advice and a sensory room. Those findings give families a positive inspection baseline, alongside two specific improvements concerning babies’ care information and preparation for sleep.

The nursery accepts children from 3 to 60 months. Full-day attendance runs from 7.30am to 6pm, with a minimum booking of three full days that includes a Monday or Friday.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children’s learning, development and care: learning and everyday care belong together, with play providing opportunities to explore, communicate and practise new skills. The strongest examples here show how an interest can become something children investigate for themselves.

In November 2023, an interest in the sea led to a fishmonger visit, followed by opportunities at nursery to examine real fish through touch, sight and smell. The experience connected something encountered outside with further exploration indoors. It gave children actual objects to investigate, rather than relying solely on pictures or adult explanation.

Play dough also served several purposes in November 2023. Children selected herbs and spices, poured ingredients and considered whether the mixture needed flour or water. In November 2023, some children were falling short of expected progress in communication and language, prompting a stronger curriculum emphasis on these skills. Adults encouraged conversation about the changes children noticed. One activity therefore offered opportunities to make choices, solve a practical problem and put observations into words.

Outdoor and Community Life

The wrap-around garden has an all-weather design, complemented by the outdoor classroom and sensory garden. These are useful physical features for families who value an outdoor element within the nursery’s own grounds. They also sit alongside the villa’s more domestic architectural character: stained glass, picture rails and fireplaces remain part of the building.

Beach School and Forest School are part of the Worthing offer. Their delivery is a useful topic for a visit, especially for parents weighing the nursery’s own garden against experiences further afield.

In November 2023, key staff gathered information from parents about children’s home circumstances and used it to plan care. When circumstances changed, staff considered how to help children adjust. That makes the exchange with parents more than an administrative handover: information from home can shape the response during the nursery day.

The November 2023 inspection also identified two improvements: parents needed more precise explanations of babies’ care arrangements, and staff needed to prepare children more effectively for sleep. The sleep concern was specific. In November 2023, lively singing immediately before rest left tired children unable to participate and did not help them settle. Families of babies should give both communication and the transition to sleep close attention.

Behaviour support in November 2023 included sand timers for taking turns and conversations about sharing. Activities about emotions gave children opportunities to describe their feelings and consider other people’s. These examples show the practical tools used to help children manage situations that arise during play.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 12 Manor Road, Worthing, BN11 3RT. Full days run from 7.30am to 6pm. The three-full-day minimum, including a Monday or Friday, is a substantial attendance commitment; it suits a regular weekly routine better than an occasional booking.

Worthing operates a September intake. Its booking priorities include children already attending, siblings and children transferring from another Nursery School Company setting, followed by waiting-list order and September starters. Full-time bookings take priority over requests for individual full days. These are durable allocation rules, rather than an indication of how many places are free.

The nursery opens for 51 weeks, with closures for bank holidays, one staff training day and a week between Christmas and New Year. Enquiries can be made directly by telephone or email, or through the Worthing contact form.

A registration charge applies, and a deposit is required after an offer; the deposit is refunded on leaving. If a family decides against starting, neither payment is refundable. Changing sessions or cancelling a place requires two months’ written notice. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds from the term after their third birthday. Parents who meet the eligibility conditions may access an additional 15 hours. Funding and private attendance need to be considered together with Worthing’s minimum booking pattern, rather than treating the entitlement as a complete description of the booking.

• Three full days. The minimum includes a Monday or Friday. Consider whether that fixed weekly commitment matches your working pattern before pursuing a place.
• Baby care and sleep. The November 2023 improvements concerned precise care information and preparation for rest. During a visit, ask how babies’ routines are communicated and how the day becomes calmer before sleep.
• Outdoor programmes. Worthing offers Beach School and Forest School alongside its garden and outdoor classroom. Ask what participation involves for your child’s age.
• Funded attendance. The additional funded hours depend on eligibility. Ask for a written breakdown of how funding fits your booking, including the treatment of meals and consumables.

Worthing suits families seeking a regular full-day routine, whether booking the minimum three days or full-time attendance. Its villa, wrap-around garden and outdoor classroom give the offer a clear physical character, while the November 2023 examples show learning connected to children’s interests. For parents of babies, the practical test is how clearly care routines are shared and how thoughtfully sleep is prepared for. Those points deserve as much attention as the outdoor offer.