Little Rainbow Nursery at Durrington Infant School

Play moves between indoors and an enclosed outdoor area at Little Rainbow Nursery, giving children space to explore and be physically active as part of their learning. This is Durrington Infant School’s own nursery class in Worthing, with places offered from a child’s third birthday.

Children’s interests shape the activities. The nursery places equal importance on the different areas of early development, rather than treating learning as preparation for formal lessons alone. In February 2026, Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision to meet the Expected standard. That judgement covers early years within the school.

Adult-guided learning alternates with children choosing their own play. Carpet sessions and small-group work provide time for focused teaching; independent activity gives children opportunities to pursue an interest and make decisions about what to do next. The nursery plans around what interests its children, using challenges and problems to extend what they already know.

The Early Years Foundation Stage covers seven areas of development. Here, that means supporting movement, relationships and emotional development alongside communication, creative expression, understanding the world and mathematical learning. Play is the nursery’s chosen means of bringing those areas together. Learning happens outside as well as indoors, with children able to move freely between the two spaces. Outdoor exploration gives them opportunities to use their senses, practise language and move their bodies.

In February 2026, early years teaching included adults introducing vocabulary, asking questions and allowing children time to answer. Maths involved play using practical materials. Clear routines helped children concentrate and move calmly between activities, while cooperative play supported growing independence. The curriculum was adjusted to the needs of each intake, making children’s starting points relevant to what they learnt next.

Relationships provide the starting point for care. In February 2026, early years care combined attention to emotional security with learning planned around each child’s development. Conversations with families helped staff decide where to begin. For a child experiencing time away from home, that connection matters as much as the activities themselves. A support staff team works in the nursery.

Contact with parents includes everyday conversations, Learning Together sessions and clever at home slips. Across the schools, Reach More Parents by Weduc handles messages, absence reporting and digital forms, giving families another route for routine communication.

Support can begin in Nursery. In February 2026, staff identified concerns early and tracked children’s needs so that individual plans and adapted learning could follow. Within early years, additional help addressed speech and language gaps and physical development. The SEND team works across both schools, using Assess, Plan, Do and Review to organise support and reconsider it as a child’s needs change.

Attending Little Rainbow Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process. Admissions to Durrington Infant School are coordinated by the local education admissions department; parents can contact West Sussex admissions at admissions@westsussex.gov.uk. Treat choosing the nursery and applying for school as separate decisions.

The nursery offers 15 hours of funded education, with 30 hours for some families. Places are offered from the third birthday, and nursery enquiries go through the school.

Little Rainbow is based at Durrington Infant School on Salvington Road, Worthing. Contact enquiries@dfed.co.uk or telephone 01903 260138. The school office operates Monday to Friday, between 8am and 4:30pm, providing a direct contact point for nursery enquiries.