Pumpkin Patch Nursery Steyning

Pumpkin Patch Nursery Steyning
Unique reference number (URN): 2844273
Address: Unit 1, Chanctonfold, Horsham Road, Steyning, BN44 3AA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 23/06/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Pumpkin Patch Nurseries Ltd
Inspection report: 21 January 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's perseverance and resilience when learning new tasks are impressive. They
repeatedly practise new skills and keep trying until they succeed. In addition, children
encourage other children to have a go and to keep trying. For example, they coach each
other as they melt ice with small amounts of water, motivating each other to keep going.
Children confidently communicate with each other. They explain the intent of activities and
what they are trying to achieve. Even the youngest children use Makaton independently to
communicate with their friends.
Children's achievements are celebrated throughout the whole setting and their efforts are
respected and valued. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those facing barriers to their learning, are very well prepared for transitions
within the setting and their future move to school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. All children, including the
youngest children, learn the importance of respecting and valuing each other. For example,
staff encourage children to listen to each other when they share their experiences and
encourage babies to wait and take turns.
Children recite songs they have learned about using 'kind hands' and respecting each
other's personal space and boundaries. Children demonstrate this in their play as they
remind each other when they are not happy about something their friends have done. They
are respectful towards each other and staff reinforce this, helping to develop strong
relationships. Staff consistently use Makaton with all children to support their understanding
of the rules. Children independently sign please and thank you when asking their friends to
share resources.
All children are extremely engaged in their learning and motivated to learn. For example,
babies show increasing curiosity as they explore a range of tools and brushes used to
spread glue. Older children use their imaginations as they intricately place different media in
clay models to replicate forests and shells.
Leaders ensure that parents and carers understand the importance of children's attendance.
All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, such as who are new to the
setting, are happy and settled in their environment.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders prioritise when children may need more time to support their emotional wellbeing
and provide a calm sensory area for all children to access. Staff support children to
recognise when they feel sad and use Makaton consistently to reinforce this. This helps

children, particularly those who face barriers to their learning, when they feel overwhelmed
to reengage back into their learning.
During forest school sessions, staff teach children how to stay safe. For example, children
are involved in risk assessing the forest area to ensure that it is safe to use. When using
tools, such as hammers, children learn they need 2 hands and to move their faces away.
Children have time to practise these skills and show pride when they succeed. Staff provide
a variety of protective equipment, such as different-sized goggles, so that children who
might wear glasses can take part safely.
All children build secure relationships with staff and are extremely settled, including those
who are new to the setting. Children are encouraged to be independent. At mealtimes, they
learn to put their plates and cups in the bowl, use mirrors when wiping their face and put
their tissues in the bin. Even the youngest children can do this independently.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders have developed a very ambitious curriculum for all children, including for children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which is well sequenced throughout the
setting. For example, staff focus on promoting children's communication and language and
provide a narrative to their play. They comment on what children do and use Makaton
consistently.
Staff know children extremely well and use assessment effectively to check what children
know to tailor their teaching. They quickly identify where they need to adapt their practice to
fully support all children and ensure that the curriculum is inclusive to all. Staff provide
experiences for all children that builds on their skills as they move through the setting. For
example, babies receive the time and space to build their confidence and explore tools to
build on the skills required for their future learning.
As children move through the setting they gain knowledge across all areas of development.
For example, staff create awe-inspiring activities that promote older children's mathematical
development and thinking skills. Children demonstrate excellent perseverance as they fill
pipettes with water to slowly melt ice and reveal hidden penguins. Staff encourage children
to estimate how many penguins are hidden in total and introduce mathematical concepts,
such as addition, subtraction, floating and sinking.
Inclusion Strong standard
Staff regularly assess children's progress and quickly identify when children may be facing
barriers to their learning. For example, they monitor how well children settle into the setting,
acknowledge when children feel anxious and provide spaces for them to feel secure.
Leaders have high expectations for all children, including children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to their learning. Staff have the necessary
skills to assess children's progress to ensure they are achieving. They use their knowledge
of each individual child's needs to inform practice so that they can address barriers to
children's learning very carefully. This includes ensuring adequate protective clothing for all

children to access all experiences and working with parents and carers to ensure all children
have the same opportunities.
Leaders use additional funding effectively so that all children are fully included and can
access the whole provision. Leaders have a secure understanding of every child's needs
and family circumstances. They work effectively with other professionals to ensure that
children are fully supported.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders have recently reviewed the procedure for when children transition outside to ensure
that all staff understand this process and all children are accounted for. Leaders regularly
evaluate the whole provision. They understand their strengths and identify areas to improve
further. For example, they plan to develop their forest school offer and involve children in
designing an allotment so that they can grow their own vegetables. This will support the
development of a cooking programme to promote children's awareness of healthy eating
and teach them where their food comes from.
Staff wellbeing is a high priority. Staff surveys inform their offer, such as providing more
regular feedback on their practice and providing mental health support that is accessible at
all times. Professional development programmes are high quality and provide rich learning
opportunities to help staff fully understand the ethos behind the curriculum. Staff report they
feel very well supported in their roles.
Leaders know their families exceptionally well. They organise parent workshops and provide
resources to support children's learning further at home. Leaders use additional funding to
enable children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers
to learning, to access the full curriculum and experiences on offer.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive at this setting. They are happy and confident learners, who lead and
influence their own curriculum. For example, projects and activities are based on what
interests children, and what they want to learn more about. Older children explore using
different tools and media to create clay sculptures that replicate their interpretation of where
dragons live. They confidently describe their creations and concentrate intently on the detail
of their design. Children demonstrate great curiosity and engagement in their learning.

Inspector:
Pippa Clark
Children are extremely settled and have secure relationships with staff. For example,
children who have recently started at the setting already independently explore the
environment and move confidently around their room. Staff know all the children's individual
needs very well. They provide a calm and welcoming environment, and adapt their approach
appropriately to each child. For example, staff recognise when children might be feeling
overwhelmed and provide a calm and sensory space to help them to regulate their
emotions. Staff talk to children of all ages about how they feel and promote their awareness
of how others feel. They create a highly respectful culture that shows children how to value
and celebrate each other's differences. For example, staff encourage children to invite
others to join their play and to consider if they need to adapt their play to ensure that all
children are included.
Leaders strive to support and work with families, to ensure that children can attend the
setting. They recognise when there may be barriers to children's attendance and address
these with parents and carers so that all children have access to the learning experiences
they offer. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate
levels of support to flourish. For example, children who face barriers to their physical
development show great pride as they independently use hammers and mallets alongside
their friends.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their
learning.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and the special educational needs coordinator 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.

About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2844273
Address:
Unit 1, Chanctonfold, Horsham Road
Steyning
BN44 3AA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 23/06/2025
Registered person: Pumpkin Patch Nurseries Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: West Sussex
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 21 January 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
120
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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