Nursery and preschool proud to be among first in Mid Sussex graded under new Ofsted framework: report says all children ‘valued and included’
Hassocks Day Nursery and Preschool has said it is proud to be one of the first nurseries in Mid Sussex to be inspected under Ofsted’s new education inspection framework.
The nursery, based at Beacon Ground in Hassocks Football Club, is celebrating its latest inspection report from November 27, 2025, which was published on February 2 this year.
People can read the full report at reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2811746.
Directors Debbie and Georgina said: “We are incredibly proud to be one of the first nurseries in Mid Sussex to be inspected under the new Ofsted framework. As a local village setting, this report means so much to us. It recognises the dedication of our wonderful educators and their commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment where every child feels confident, valued and inspired to learn. We are truly grateful to the team, and to the local families that entrust us with their little ones’ care and education.”
The nursery and preschool received a ‘strong’ standard for the ‘inclusion’ category and ‘expected’ standards for the categories: ‘achievement’, ‘behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines’, ‘children’s welfare and wellbeing’, ‘curriculum and teaching’ and ‘leadership and governance’.
The Ofsted report said: “Leaders and staff consistently meet children’s individual needs well. They work collaboratively with parents and carers to ensure that they have a detailed knowledge of each child. Leaders and staff also swiftly identify any barriers to children’s learning and take prompt action.”
The report said leaders carefully consider how to make ‘meaningful adjustments that ensure all children are valued and included’. It said staff give careful consideration to how children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can take part in daily routines. It said: “Consequently, all children thrive and make progress from their starting points.”
The report also pointed out that staff incorporate discussions about healthy eating into daily routines, while staff successfully build on children’s understanding of how to look after their bodies.
It continued: “Leaders have oversight of staff’s practice. They ensure that staff complete appropriate training to strengthen their development and practice.”
The report said: “Children benefit from a broad and varied curriculum that supports them to gain the skills and knowledge that they need to move on to the next stage of their learning, including school.”
It also said: “Children enjoy the variety of learning opportunities. For instance, staff support older children to develop their imaginative skills as they build rockets with the construction resources. Staff introduce rich vocabulary to describe the rockets going into space. Children keenly engage in these back-and-forth conversations, which help them to strengthen their speaking skills.”
The report explained that children behave well overall while staff offer ‘lots of appropriate praise’ that the children respond positively to.
The nursery said it is pleased the report highlights the sensitive approach of staff and the fact that children are ‘warmly welcomed’ each day. The nursery said ‘strong bonds’ between staff and children are a ‘recurring theme’ throughout the inspection.
The report also highlighted that staff have ‘an effective knowledge’ of their key children, which allows them to plan their learning successfully.