Growing Places Havant

Growing Places Havant
Unique reference number (URN): 2815478
Address: Havant Borough Council, Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 10/10/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Community Childcare Centres
Inspection report: 21 July 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
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing is consistently prioritised by practitioners and leaders.
Children demonstrate a secure sense of belonging and have secure attachments with the
warm and nurturing practitioners. Practitioners take pride in children's achievements and
proudly tell others, which enhances children's wellbeing.
All practitioners have an in-depth understanding of children's individual needs, any
adaptations they may need and their next steps in learning and development. Practitioners
respond quickly and effectively to any changes in children's needs or family circumstances.
They are quick to introduce strategies to support children with these changes. For example,
they introduce children to social stories to aid with transitions.
Practitioners ensure that routines meet the individual needs of the children. For example,
babies sleep when they need, to rather than at specific times, which helps to prioritise their
wellbeing.
Children know the routines of the day well. Practitioners help children as they learn to
regulate their own emotions, which helps to develop children's emotional resilience. Children
learn to make their own healthy choices and decisions. For example, children serve
themselves lunch and learn to recognise whether they are hungry or full. Children learn to
recognise when they are in need of a drink and then confidently pour their own drinks.
Mealtimes are social occasions for children in their family groups. They talk about their day
and things they have enjoyed, which also enhances their communication skills alongside
their personal, social and emotional development.
Inclusion Strong standard
This provision is highly inclusive. There is a clear focus on the environment, and teaching is
adapted to meet the needs of children, rather than expecting children to adapt to the
provision. For example, children who need to use their physical skills as soon as they arrive,
such as climbing or jumping, can go straight into a physical development space which
provides that opportunity.
Practitioners work extensively with leaders and parents to ensure that any emerging needs
children may face are quickly identified and assessed. Practitioners quickly put strategies in
place to support children, such as choosing boards and visual timetables. They frequently
assess, review and adapt these strategies to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the
children. Practitioners and leaders work very closely with external agencies to ensure a
joined-up and consistent approach to children's learning. For example, they work closely
with specialists, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure that all children can fully
access the provision and make steady progress in their development.
Leaders ensure that additional funding is used effectively to support the individual child
based on their needs. This includes using funding to provide additional staff and specific
resources, such as fidget and chew toys.

Expected standard
Practitioners and leaders ensure they are inclusive and welcoming to families, as well as the
children. They skilfully and quickly recognise when further support may be needed. For
example, they perceptively know when to welcome parents into a quiet space and provide a
listening ear.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders are highly reflective, and have a secure understanding of the provision's strengths
and areas for development. For example, leaders are aware of the inconsistencies in
curriculum knowledge and have put extensive support in place to raise the quality of
teaching even further. They are highly focused on being adaptive and responsive to the
changing needs of children and the nursery environment, to ensure they continue to provide
high-quality teaching and learning for all the children.
Leaders have developed a culture of high expectations across the provision. Practitioners
demonstrate a drive to continuously improve their practice and teaching. They regularly
reflect with leaders and use this to develop their practice further. Leaders ensure that every
view is listened to and included in the reflections. This includes encouraging practitioners to
try new things, reflect and adapt as necessary. Leaders have developed a wellbeing
programme that focuses on practitioners to ensure they are being effectively supported. This
includes leaders ensuring that practitioners feel valued and their workloads remain
manageable. Leaders demonstrate they know their practitioners very well and offer support
as needed.
Leaders work hard to develop partnerships with parents, and this helps children to thrive,
particularly at times of transition. Parents note that practitioners and leaders 'go above and
beyond for them'. This effective partnership between leaders, practitioners and parents
means that parents feel able to share personal details that may impact upon the child, so
that leaders and practitioners can be pre-emptive about any support that may be needed.
Achievement Expected standard
Overall, children make typical progress in their learning and development, and children who
face barriers to learning often make more progress than expected. Children are confident
learners and are curious about the world around them. For example, they experiment with
the different sounds they can make, such as banging on a frying pan.
Children develop the skills they need for their next stage of learning. For example, children
going to school develop their independence skills so they are able to take care of their own
self-care needs, such as blowing their nose.

Children build on what they know and can do as they progress through the nursery. For
example, children progress from closed cups for drinking to being able to access water
dispensers and pour their own drinks independently.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Practitioners have warm and nurturing bonds with the children. Children happily come into
the provision and settle quickly into activities. They learn to play collaboratively with their
peers and eagerly invite them into their play. For example, children work together as they
explore water and drainpipes out in the garden. Practitioners frequently praise children for
their efforts, which helps to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem. Children and
practitioners demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and are curious about the world
around them. For example, while out in the garden, they use books to help identify different
types of insects.
Practitioners have high expectations for children and their behaviour, including children who
face barriers to learning. Practitioners work hard in supporting children to understand these
expectations, and children who face barriers to learning have made significant progress in
their behaviour and understanding of the expectations in recent months. However,
occasionally, behaviour is not managed consistently by practitioners, and children's
behaviour begins to escalate before being managed effectively. Leaders are supporting
practitioners with strategies for managing behaviour to ensure there is a consistent
approach.
Leaders work closely with families in regards to attendance and punctuality. They explain
the importance of attending regularly to parents, and will follow up on unexplained
absences.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have created a curriculum that is ambitious and has high expectations for children.
The foundations of the curriculum are based on teaching children to be kind, respectful and
responsible. This includes a focus on learning about their community and how to take care
of it. For example, when water accidently spills in pre-school, children explain that they need
to wipe it up to ensure people do not slip.
Overall, practitioners understand the curriculum and the aims for learning. However, on
occasion, this is not consistently applied in practitioners' teaching. For example, at times,
practitioners do not extend and challenge children's learning further. Leaders have already
identified this as an area for improvement, and are working closely with their team to expand
and develop their knowledge of the curriculum, and how to apply this to teaching practice.
Practitioners develop children's communication and language skills well. For example, they
model vocabulary and introduce new words, such as 'squelch' to children, as they play in the
mud kitchen.
Overall, practitioners challenge and extend children's learning. Practitioners use assessment
well to highlight where children are making above-expected progress, and adapt their
provision to continue to challenge them further. For example, practitioners introduce more

complex mathematical concepts. Practitioners also use assessment effectively to identify
gaps in learning and to put appropriate strategies in place. For example, they provide
opportunities for children to extensively use their physical skills, before taking part in an
activity designed to develop their listening and attention skills.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive and flourish at this provision. They eagerly arrive and settle quickly. Skilled
practitioners develop upon children's interests and expand these further. For example,
practitioners project pictures of children's own work on to the wall for children to use as
inspiration, as they continue to play and build ramps with magnetic tiles. Children eagerly try
out new ways of building the ramps and take pride in their creations. Children develop their
perseverance skills as practitioners encourage them to have another go. For example, when
their ramps collapse, practitioners encourage them to rebuild them and children beam as
they succeed.
Children build secure relationships with practitioners and are keen to include them in their
play. For example, they show practitioners the toys they are curious about. Practitioners
demonstrate that they know children's likes, dislikes and next steps really well as they plan
activities based on these that captivate children's interests. Children learn to give things a go
as they are skilfully supported by practitioners. For example, young children learn to blow
into a bubble wand as they delight in blowing bubbles. Children develop their language
skills, as they excitedly choose stories to read and nursery rhymes to sing.
Children learn about the community around them in a variety of ways. For example, they
enjoy weekly visits to the provider's woodland and farm space. They also take part in regular
visits to the local care home, which develops their personal, social and emotional skills, as
well as their understanding of the world.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to ensure that strategies for managing behaviour are consistent.
Leaders should continue to build on staff's knowledge of curriculum and skills so that all
staff offer consistent high-quality teaching.

Inspector:
Natasha Jarvis
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2815478
Address:
Havant Borough Council
Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road
Havant
PO9 2AX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 10/10/2024
Registered person: Community Childcare Centres
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Hampshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 21 July 2026
About this inspection
There has been a change in leadership since the last inspection.
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents and children.
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.

Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
67
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.
You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium,
under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy
Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information
and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn.
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
T: 0300 123 1231
Textphone: 0161 618 8524
E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
© Crown copyright 2026
© Crown copyright