Nursery @ Itchen College

Nursery @ Itchen College
Unique reference number (URN): 131604
Address: Middle Road, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 7TB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 12/02/2001
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Itchen College
Inspection report: 29 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children, including those who face barriers to learning, make typical and steady progress in
their learning and development. They demonstrate that their physical skills are prioritised.
For example, younger children learn to use climbing equipment and show increasing
confidence as they climb up and over the frame.
Children develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills to progress to the next
stage of learning. Children develop their personal, social and emotional skills as they
progress from playing individually to playing collaboratively. This then develops further as
older children learn to independently solve minor conflicts, such as over favourite toys.
Overall, children typically make progress in their communication development. For example,
children learn to communicate in a range of ways, such as through nonverbal cues including
pointing.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff. They demonstrate that they feel
safe and secure with staff. For example, when they arrive younger babies settle quickly with
a cuddle from their key person. Children play games collaboratively with each other and are
kind and respectful. For example, children set up their own group time where they play
charades together. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they work together to
guess which animals are being acted out. They take turns with one another with minimal
adult support.
Overall, there are high expectations for the children and their behaviour. Typically, children
behave well. Staff act as positive role models as they model taking turns, even with the
youngest children. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts who beam in delight.
However, at times, inconsistencies in routines during transition periods, such as from play
into a mealtime, lead to children becoming restless, which impacts on their behaviour and
engagement.
Leaders are aware of every child's home life and are understanding in regard to attendance
and punctuality, while promoting the importance to parents of regular attendance for
children's learning and development.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children, including those who face barriers to learning, have secure attachments with their
key person and staff. All staff know children well, including their personal preferences as well
as their age and stage of development. Children are keen to involve staff in their play. For
example, children invite staff to join them as they play with a favourite toy. Children learn to
manage their own personal hygiene needs. For example, older children take pride in
independently washing their hands ready for snack and younger children start to practise
using face cloths after lunch.

Staff teach children about healthy habits and provide support as they start to manage these
for themselves. For example, staff encourage older children to think about whether they
need a rest during the afternoon. Older children learn to take care of their teeth as they
brush their teeth after lunch every day.
Staff adapt routines and care practices to meet the needs of children. For example, they
provide a change of environment and cuddles to help young children feel safe and settled as
they fall asleep. However, some routines are inconsistent, for example the transitions into
lunchtime, which means children occasionally become restless as they wait for their lunch.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have been developing staff's curriculum knowledge and have an accurate
understanding of strengths and areas for development. Leaders have developed a
curriculum with a sharp focus on developing communication and language skills, but not all
staff are as consistent in their implementation of this yet. For example, at times, staff do not
maximise teaching to enhance children's vocabulary further. However, leaders have already
identified that staff's understanding of the curriculum, in particular the curriculum for
communication and language, could be enhanced further and have put training plans into
place.
Overall, staff typically understand the aims for learning and what they want children to be
able to do at each stage of learning. For example, children develop their ability to drink from
an open cup as they progress through the nursery. Staff ensure that all children can access
the curriculum. They use regular assessment to check what children know and can do. Any
potential gaps in development are quickly addressed and teaching is tailored to meet this
need.
There is a key focus on children's personal, social and emotional development throughout
the provision. Staff ensure children feel safe and secure first and foremost. Staff teach
mathematics through play. For example, younger children learn about circles as they paint
and older children count lemons and limes for their potions.
Inclusion Expected standard
There are high expectations for children, including those that face barriers to learning. Staff
typically use assessment effectively to quickly identify any emerging needs. Leaders then
work closely with staff, external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, parents
and children to ensure that any emerging needs for a child are quickly identified and
appropriate strategies put in place. This ensures that children continue to make progress in
their learning and development. Overall, leaders and staff use a cycle of assess, review and
do to evaluate the provision and the strategies used to support children, ensuring it
continues to meet each child's needs.
Leaders use funding appropriately to further develop children's learning and development.
For example, leaders have purchased climbing equipment to strengthen children's gross
motor skills after a gap in physical development had been identified.

Leaders and staff are mindful that some of their families speak English as an additional
language. They take action to ensure these families are well supported. For example, they
provide notices in a range of languages to ensure all parents are aware of important
communications, and support families by helping to translate forms.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are passionate about their provision. They have a secure understanding of
strengths and where development is needed, they take action. For example, leaders have
planned a training day to support staff member's understanding of the curriculum. Leaders
ensure staff benefit from regular training and that this training is cascaded back to the staff
team so that all can enhance and strengthen their practice.
Leaders engage with parents and professionals well. This helps children transition to their
next stage of learning. For example, leaders and staff have introduced the same core
literacy texts as Reception to help children with this transition. Parents speak highly of the
levels of communication and support they receive. For example, staff offer support through
clothes swaps, food bank vouchers and the community pantry as needed by families.
Prior to the inspection, a breach of early years foundation stage requirements was identified
in relation to risk assessment. Leaders had not identified a possible hazard and had not
taken action to mitigate the risk. However, the provider has further developed their
knowledge, policies and procedures relating to risk assessment. They are able to
demonstrate a secure understanding of potential risks in the provision and how to mitigate
against these. Therefore, no further action is required.
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

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children happily arrive and settle quickly into the provision. Staff are quick to offer
reassurance if needed. They know the children and their families well and tailor support for
each individual. Staff are kind and patient and validate children's emotions. For example,
staff recognise that toys from home are important to children and support them in leaving
these in the special basket for safekeeping on arrival.
Children hear songs and rhymes throughout their day and have developed favourite songs.
They eagerly explore musical instruments and enjoy the sounds they make. Children begin
to learn independence through everyday routines. For example, young children delight in
using a spoon to feed themselves during snack time and older children eagerly collect more
herbs from the garden for their potions. Children grow in confidence and self-esteem
because they receive regular praise and encouragement from staff. They learn to keep
trying when things feel tricky. For example, children persevere when learning a new skill,
such as walking.
Children enjoy sharing things of importance with staff. For example, they enjoy looking at
photos of their home life together. Children show a love for learning and are curious about
the world around them. For example, they explore the different smells and textures of herbs,
such as curry plant. Children develop their physical skills in a range of ways. For example,
young children practise walking while holding onto a member of staff, while older children
strengthen their fine motor skills by inserting coloured pegs into boards to make pictures and
patterns.

Inspector:
Natasha Jarvis
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 131604
Address:
Middle Road
Bitterne
Southampton
Hampshire
SO19 7TB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 12/02/2001
Registered person: Itchen College
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen routines and transitions to enhance teaching and learning.
Leaders should develop further staff knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, in
particular the communication and language curriculum to enable all staff to extend
children's learning further.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we
received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information
about this.
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 : 08:00 - 17:30,Friday : 08:00 -
17:00
Local authority: Southampton
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 29 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
47
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.
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