URN EY455746 · Inspected 2026-06-09 · Published 2026-07-27 · Inspector: Tina Lambert
Hopscotch Nursery Unique reference number (URN): EY455746 Address: 209 Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5JA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 05/12/2012 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: ACPH Limited Inspection report: 9 June 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard Children make significant and sustained progress as a result of attending the nursery. This includes children who face barriers to their learning and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children make excellent progress from their starting points. Children, including the very youngest, thrive in the language-rich environment. They engage in meaningful conversation with staff and their friends. Babies repeat back words to staff, who provide them with ample time to respond. They are carefully guided to develop their future walking skills, and staff encourage and create space for babies to practise. Babies squeal with delight when praised for doing something for the first time, such as using a spoon or taking a few steps. Older children's successes are consistently celebrated by staff and other children. They clap and cheer and shout 'you can do it!' when their friends successfully navigate obstacles during outdoor play. Children are extremely confident in their own abilities and are ready for the next learning stage, such as moving on to school. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders and staff consistently model high expectations for all children. The firm routines support children's understanding of what is happening next. This supports children's emotional wellbeing and transitions. Children thrive on the praise and encouragement that they receive from staff. This contributes significantly to their positive behaviour, confidence and self-esteem. Staff are kind and gentle and are excellent role models. They purposely create a calm and respectful environment. The warm and trusting relationships help children to care both for the environment and for each other. Children are thoughtful and kind. They are beginning to regulate their feelings and manage conflicts. Staff praise them for kindness shown towards each other. Children are very focused on their learning. They arrive at the nursery full of anticipation and expectation. Staff know children well and adapt activities and experiences to meet children's age and stage of development. Children who face barriers to their learning are provided with a targeted and enhanced package of support that contributes to their sustained progress across all areas of learning. Leaders work effectively with families to ensure that children attend regularly and on time. This helps parents to understand that their children benefit from their time at the nursery. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders and staff have a highly effective approach that supports children to successfully develop skills for the future. Staff swiftly identify and provide extra support for those children who face barriers to their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff consistently prioritise children's wellbeing. They ensure that children's dignity and privacy is considered during intimate care routines. Staff demonstrate a clear passion for working with younger children, and this contributes to children's high sense of belonging and wellbeing. Ongoing interactions between staff and children are purposeful and excellent. Children are learning how to think about their own safety, such as when on trips in the community. They understand basic road safety and know that they must keep within the boundaries when playing in the woodland. This helps children to fully benefit from all play and learning experiences and thoroughly enjoy participating in activities safely. Additional one-to-one support is provided for children with SEND so that they are fully included and benefit from all experiences. Children have access to daily exercise, including soft-play opportunities. They enjoy a nutritious diet that helps them to understand the importance of healthy foods. Staff are extremely vigilant to ensure children's safety at all times, particularly during mealtimes and when children are sleeping. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard One of the unique strengths of the nursery is the teaching of skills and attributes that cannot be measured in academic terms. There is a strong focus on children gathering the skills that are needed for beyond school and for future life. Children are taught the skills to enable them to play collaboratively, be resilient and have the ability to persevere. The curriculum is well sequenced and ambitious. Children make sustained progress in their mathematical, literacy and communication skills. Staff expertly and intentionally weave these academic aspects into everyday routines and play. Babies are learning to count on their fingers, and older children are encouraged to share and 'read' books to their friends. Children thrive in the outdoor play experiences and opportunities to develop their physical skills. They are taught about the natural world and current topics, such as how and why we must look after the planet. Children demonstrate a remarkable maturity in their approach to tasks. They persevere and do not easily give up when challenges occur. They work in teams with other children and listen intently when adults speak to them. Children who face barriers to their learning are able to fully participate and thrive. They enjoy friendships with other children and being able to contribute their own ideas. Staff's quality teaching and the time they invest in each child strongly support children's confidence, independence and social communication. Inclusion Strong standard Children consistently experience inclusive practice. Leaders and staff are committed to providing a welcoming and inviting environment for all children, including children who face barriers to their learning. Staff are highly skilled in their interactions and have a detailed knowledge of child development. This results in children's individual needs being swiftly identified. Detailed assessments are shared with parents and external agencies to ensure that children receive the appropriate support. This has a positive impact on children's outcomes and supports them to reach their full potential. Targeted interventions take place throughout the nursery. Personalised routines help children to build their confidence, helping them to work and play alongside other children and begin to understand what is expected of them. Staff are highly effective in providing support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders ensure that staff receive the necessary training and knowledge to successfully fulfil their roles. Leaders work hard to include families in children's learning. High priority is given to ensure that there is an inclusive and consistent approach that helps to ensure continuity of care between staff at the nursery, families and any external agencies. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders are totally dedicated to their staff team. They value the contribution that staff make to the success of the nursery. Leaders ensure that they thoughtfully consider staff's wellbeing and workloads, which helps to provide the best possible outcomes for children. Staff feed back that the nursery is a wonderful place to work, and they appreciate that leaders are invested in them and their future careers. Staff are actively supported to progress through the company and engage in further training to increase their knowledge. They are motivated to explore further areas for professional development. Leaders are extremely reflective and have a robust knowledge of how to identify their strengths and any areas that they may need to develop further. They understand how to support staff to provide quality and purposeful teaching for all children. Leaders monitor staff practice, which allows them to identify further training to equip staff with the knowledge to meet children's unique needs, including the needs of children who face barriers to their learning. Leaders provide parents with flexibility to suit their needs and/or circumstances. They ensure that children and families are at the heart of all decisions. Leaders regularly meet with parents to establish a package of support. Families are invited into the setting, and leaders make sure that families are included in social events, such as a beach clean-up, information evenings and social events. This approach helps parents to meet and forge friendships with other parents. Leaders ensure that the nursery is very supportive for parents in the local community. They are committed to providing experiences that children may not have previously benefited from. Children take trips on buses to visit museums, visit the shops to buy fruits for snacks and contribute to community events. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive at the nursery eager to learn and excited to start their day. They leave their parents with ease as they are greeted by staff who genuinely care and are happy to see them. Children form caring and close bonds with staff and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They develop strong and meaningful friendships with other children. Staff model social and friendship skills to children. This helps children begin to learn how to consider the feelings and opinions of others. They routinely invite others to play, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children quickly engage in a range of exciting activities. Babies enjoy the feel of rice in their hands and hear new words, such as 'scoop' and 'drip'. Older children demonstrate their excitement as they contribute their thoughts during a daily 'Exploration' walk in a local wooded area. They delight in making dinosaurs and monsters with clay and sticks. Staff use these opportunities to encourage children to ask questions to develop their imaginations and build confidence in speaking in front of others. All children make sustained progress from their starting points, including children who face barriers to their learning. Staff work extremely hard to close any gaps in children's experiences, which strongly contributes to children's success in the next stage of learning, such as moving between rooms and going to school. All children make the progress that they are capable of and consistently achieve in their learning. Children benefit from an extremely ambitious and bespoke curriculum. Leaders have developed a curriculum that recognises the skills that cannot be easily measured but are skills that children will need for the future. Children are learning to listen to others, recognise and request help when needed and keep on trying through tricky situations. They work collaboratively with very little help from staff. Children have excellent concentration skills and Inspector: Tina Lambert About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY455746 Address: 209 Portland Road Hove East Sussex BN3 5JA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 05/12/2012 Registered person: ACPH Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR are beginning to be independent in everyday tasks, such as tidying away toys, clearing their own dinner plates and toileting. The importance of regular and timely attendance is promoted, and, consequently, children are ready for the daily routines and the eventual move on to school. Next steps Leaders should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, children and parents during the inspection. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30 Local authority: Brighton and Hove Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 9 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 92 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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