Clive Vale Nursery School

Clive Vale Nursery School
Unique reference number (URN): 2601012
Address: Elphinstone Family Centre, 211 Elphinstone Road, Hastings, TN34 2AX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 04/08/2020
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: CVNS Hastings Limited
Inspection report: 27 February 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
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Staff are kind, gentle and respectful. They are very strong role models, which positively
influences the way children treat each other, resources and the environment. Children
demonstrate that they feel very safe and secure, and they eagerly take advantage of every
learning opportunity offered. They are comfortable and confident with daily routines, and
their behaviour is respectful and consistently positive. Parents fully understand the
importance of children's punctuality and regular attendance. As a result, children do not miss
valuable learning experiences, and they develop positive habits for the future.
Children demonstrate high levels of maturity. They care for each other and are happy to
share and take turns. They care for living things in the environment and show an excellent
understanding of why this is important. For example, when looking for worms in the garden,
they remind each other to be kind and stand back 'so we don't squash them'.
Children develop an understanding of the impact that their behaviour has on others and
increasingly find ways in which to manage this, requiring less adult support over time. Well-
established routines help them to practise waiting, listening and participating in collaborative
activities. Children who require additional support have strategies in place to help them to
feel safe and regulated throughout the day.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders work hard to establish a very inclusive culture in which children's individual learning
needs are met through early identification. Staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to
enable them to remove barriers to children's learning and to help all children to achieve well
from their starting points. They work in close partnership with external agencies and families
to understand how to tailor and adapt the provision to precisely target children's specific
needs. Staff work with children in small intervention groups and provide more sensory
experiences and language sessions for those children who need it most. They regularly
review and assess the impact of additional support and adapt where needed. Parents
describe the provision as being very inclusive and supportive and where their children thrive.
Leaders have a full understanding of how to use any additional funding effectively to ensure
that children are swiftly provided with the support that they need. Strong inclusive practice is
provided across all the provision and is consistently and expertly implemented by all staff. All
children, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are
made to feel welcomed and valued. They are regularly included in decision-making, such as
choosing stories, and are supported to express their feelings. Consequently, children are
very happy, settled and acquire the skills needed for future learning and life.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Typically, all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities,
make sound progress through the curriculum from their starting points. They build the
knowledge and skills they need for the next stage in their education, such as moving to a
different room or going to school. Children benefit from a language-rich environment, and
they have endless opportunities to develop their language skills through music and singing
and 'reading' stories out loud to their friends. Children are given plenty of time to respond
with their own thoughts during discussions, which builds on their confidence when speaking
in front of others. They are articulate and are becoming increasingly confident
communicators.
Children are independent in everyday routines. For example, older children take
responsibility for their own toileting and dressing, getting ready to go outside. Babies use
cutlery to feed themselves with and independently choose what they want to play with.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children develop respectful, caring and warm relationships with staff. They develop a sense
of belonging and are supported to express themselves, including children who face barriers
to their learning. Staff know each child's age and stage of development and ensure that care
practices are suitably effective. For example, staff are aware of each baby's milk needs and
unique weaning stage. They fully understand that sleeping children must be checked
regularly and in line with safer sleeping guidance. There are effective procedures in place to
support children who have dietary and medical needs, and staff have an understanding of
their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe.
Children have access to daily outside play. Staff help children to build on their resilience by
taking all children outside, regardless of the weather. This approach helps children to enjoy
experiences that they may not have previously had and contributes to children's enjoyment
and understanding of what is involved in being healthy.
Children are provided with nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day. For those who
prefer to bring food from home, parents are given information and ideas on how to provide
healthy meals for children. Leaders have introduced regular toothbrushing throughout the
day to support children to understand how to care for their teeth and why this is important.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders spend time in the rooms, which generally provides them with an accurate view of
the curriculum. This allows them to reflect and establish any areas for improvement. For
example, leaders are aware that some staff need further support to enable them to more
precisely target learning for children's individual goals and recognise opportunities to extend
on children's existing knowledge. The curriculum supports all areas of learning, and children
make sound progress in all aspects, particularly in mathematics. Staff use every opportunity
for children to count and recognise patterns and shapes. Babies hear new vocabulary as

they enjoy a sensory activity with their key person. They build muscle strength in their hands
as they squeeze malleable dough between their fingers. Older children enjoy music and
singing groups, which helps them to build on their language and social development. Staff
regularly observe and assess children to establish existing knowledge and what needs to be
learned next. They ensure that all activities are adapted and fully inclusive for all children
who face barriers to their learning, such as children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities.
However, there are occasions when some staff do not fully extend children's learning or plan
learning that is more specific to individual children. This impacts on some children's learning
as the teaching on those occasions can be not as purposeful as it could be. Despite this,
children's engagement and enjoyment during activities and experiences is high.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have made significant changes since their last inspection. They have worked hard
to ensure that staff have a full understanding of their roles and responsibilities, including
how to maintain children's safety. Leaders have secure knowledge of the nursery context
and of the families who attend. They are reflective and passionate about providing a high
level of education and care for all children, including those children who face barriers to their
learning. Leaders and staff regularly meet with parents and outside agencies to ensure that
children who need it receive a targeted approach, which enables them to make progress in
their development and learning. Parents are highly complimentary and feed back that
leaders and staff work tirelessly to support them and their children. They report that their
children make progress, which they attribute to their child's attendance at the nursery.
Staff comment that the nursery is a lovely place to work, and leaders make them feel valued
and encourage their contributions. They maintain that their workloads are manageable, and
they appreciate that leaders regularly work alongside them in the rooms.
Staff have opportunities to develop their skills through a variety of training that is offered.
There are still some differences in the quality of teaching that is delivered by some staff.
Leaders have identified this as an area for improvement in order to raise the confidence and
knowledge of some staff, to raise the quality of education across the nursery to a higher
level.

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 are very happy and settled, and they make good relationships with the other
children and the staff. They play cooperatively as they explore a large range of well-planned
activities and demonstrate a high level of engagement in their learning. All children,
including those who face barriers to their learning, settle quickly. Staff plan activities well,
taking into account the age and stage of development of each child so that children make
progress in their learning and are successfully prepared for the next stage in their learning,
such as going to school.

Inspector:
Tina Lambert
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2601012
Staff establish positive and warm relationships with children. This helps children to feel safe
and secure and to develop a sense of belonging as they move between rooms throughout
the nursery. Children form good meaningful relationships with other children. They are
collaborative in their play and are eager to invite others to join them. For instance, children
work together to make a farm to put toy animals in. They ask each other questions and are
keen to share. Children who face barriers to their learning, such as children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, are provided with an adapted approach to more
precisely meet their needs. As a result, they make progress and are ready for future
learning.
Leaders and staff have worked hard and fully addressed areas for improvement since the
last inspection. Consequently, children are learning in an environment that is safe and
secure, and staff have a full awareness of their role in maintaining children's safety, such as
when they are eating. Leaders monitor children's attendance effectively and work closely
with parents to maintain punctual and regular attendance. This ensures that children's future
outcomes are enhanced and establishes a strong routine for going to school.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to develop staff's skills and understanding of the curriculum so
that it is embedded across the curriculum.
Leaders should support staff to adapt adult-led learning to meet children's individual
learning needs.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and children during the inspection and took account
of the written views of parents.
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.

Address:
Elphinstone Family Centre
211 Elphinstone Road
Hastings
TN34 2AX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 04/08/2020
Registered person: CVNS Hastings Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: East Sussex
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 27 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
73
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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