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Hilltop Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Sept 2023)
·
4.8(5 Google reviews) ·Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW · Brighton and Hove
Number of places
22 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Sept 2023
Local authority
Brighton and Hove

About this day nursery

Hilltop Nursery, located in Brighton, offers exceptional early years care and education for children from 9 months to school age. The day nursery is part of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and provides a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can learn and grow through a balanced approach of structured learning and free play.

They aim to offer flexibility for working parents, including extended hours for funded childcare and support for the transition back to work, breastfeeding parents, and guidance on tax-free childcare schemes. The day nursery gives priority for places to children of SCFT employees, followed by NHS staff and emergency service personnel, and then local community residents within five miles.

While there is no registration fee or deposit, fees are reviewed annually and must be paid monthly in advance. Hilltop Nursery also offers 'Play and Stay' settling sessions, with free options available.

What it's like

Managers have taken swift and effective action to make improvements to staff practice and promote children's safety and well-being. Staff offer a welcoming, friendly environment where children come in happily and settle quickly. Strong relationships help children feel safe and secure.

NHS NurseryFlexible hoursSupports working parents

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare

If you would like your child to attend nursery during the school holidays, or on a Monday or Friday please speak to the nursery for availability. These sessions are charged at normal nursery fee rate. If you are late, you will be charged in line with our penalty late fee charges for every 15 minutes.

Key facts

Session types

5-hour sessions (8:00am-1:00pm or 1:00pm-6:00pm)

Opening hours

8:00am to 6:00pm

Age range

9 months to school age

Term time / All Year

All Year

Waitlist

No registration fee for waiting lists.

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Hilltop Nursery

Last inspected 6 September 2023

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Managers have taken swift and effective action to make improvements to staff practice and promote children's safety and well-being. Staff offer a welcoming, friendly environment where children come in happily and settle quickly. Strong relationships help children feel safe and secure.

Inspector highlights

  • Managers have taken swift and effective action to make improvements to staff practice and promote children's safety and well-being.
  • Staff are particularly responsive to children's interests and ideas.
  • There are effective arrangements in place for staff to monitor children's progress and quickly identify any gaps in learning.
  • Following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff recognise that some children need extra support with their language skills.
  • Children receive sensitive support when they struggle with their emotions.

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen activity planning to focus more closely on what individual children are ready to learn next to build effectively on what they already know and can do
  • 2support staff to recognise when to give children more time to think and respond during conversations to further extend their language skills.
Inspection #10284038 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents speak highly of the nursery and value the friendly staff team.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from the support they receive to develop their independence. Staff offer well-planned support for children with SEND. Where needed, staff use agreed strategies to include children with SEND, such as simple sign language and picture cards.

Outdoor space

Children especially enjoy playing outside. Staff offer them exciting opportunities to practise their physical skills and to explore and investigate the natural world. Children dig and pour as they experiment with water and mud.

Google Reviews of Hilltop Nursery

4.8
(5 Google reviews)
Laura L
7 years ago

My son attended Hilltop for the last year until we moved out of the area, it is a lovely nursery. The staff are wonderful- so child focused, caring and enthusiastic. My son took quite a while settling in as he hadn’t had any childcare before and they were sensitive and patient. The smaller size also means it’s not overwhelming and he got to know everyone well. I cannot recommend Hilltop highly enough, we wish we could’ve brought the nursery and everyone in it with us when we moved!

Read on Google
Dan H
8 years ago

Excellent nursery with good facilities and wonderful, warm staff. My son has left now but still talks about his 'teachers' and the friends that he made there, and the experience has prepared him well for school.

Read on Google
LeeandLiz Rogers
8 years ago

A lovely little nursery with great staff and facilities. My children love it and have lots of fun there.

Read on Google
Laura G.G. Graham
2 years ago

This has been a safe space for my family! We love you all.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Hilltop Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: May 2007

  • October 2023Good
  • September 2023Good
  • April 2023Inadequate
  • March 2023Inadequate
  • August 2017Outstanding
  • July 2017Outstanding
  • December 2014Good
  • November 2014Good
  • January 2014Requires improvement
  • November 2013Requires improvement
  • July 2010Good
  • June 2010Good
  • May 2007Good

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more