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Riverside Nursery in Bath

Ofsted: Expected standard·
3.5(2 parent reviews) ·Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath, BA1 3NG · Bath and North East Somerset
Number of places
54 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
May 2026
Local authority
Bath and North East Somerset

About this day nursery

Riverside Nursery, registered in 2023, operates from the Royal United Hospital in Bath, providing care for children aged 1 to 4 years. The nursery is open weekdays from 7:30 am to 6 pm, all year round, closing only for one week at Christmas and bank holidays.

It accommodates children of staff from the Royal United Hospital, opening earlier at 7:15 am for them. The setting has a capacity for 54 children and currently has 64 children on its roll.

The leader ensures that the staff team provides a warm, safe, and nurturing environment, with a strong focus on children's happiness and well-being. The nursery offers government-funded places for childcare and maintains an effective safeguarding culture.

The team works closely with the hospital to address medical needs and provide interventions for developmental delays, such as involving occupational therapists for physical development. Children engage in daily affirmations, chanting that they are 'kind' and 'good friends', and enjoy nutritious meals provided by staff.

The nursery encourages independence, with older children scraping their own plates and tidying up. Riverside Nursery is committed to building strong bonds with children, supporting them in overcoming challenges, including in outdoor play where children balance on beams and problem-solve with staff encouragement.

Our ethos

Riverside Nursery focuses on quality early childhood education through a blend of play-based learning and structured activities, emphasising curiosity and exploration in stimulating environments. They also provide hands-on experiences with nature and promote healthy eating through activities like gardening.

What it's like

Children arrive happily and settle quickly, forming secure attachments with their key-persons. They are well cared for and feel safe, with staff prioritising their happiness and attentive to their needs, including creating a calm atmosphere for sleep. Leaders ensure their team provides warm, safe, and nurturing care, supporting children's hygiene routines, but there are weaknesses in the quality of education and staff coaching.

Strong parent partnershipsSupports staff well-beingFocus on language developmentNutritious mealsOutdoor play

Pricing & funding

Charges are based on a daily rate, with separate daily fees applied for food, consumables, and activities. Additional hours attended outside of funded entitlement are charged at an hourly rate, and all fees are reviewed annually.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-oldsTax-Free Childcare

Good to know

  • Food, consumables, and activities are charged as a separate daily fee.
  • Hours attended outside of funded entitlement are charged at an hourly rate.
  • Fees are reviewed and increased annually in April.

Key facts

Food

All meals and snacks are included in the daily charge. Parents can opt-out and provide their own food/consumables after discussing with the Nursery Manager and reading the Opt-Out Policy.

Opening hours

8am-6pm weekdays, 7:15am for RUH staff. Closed for one week at Christmas and bank holidays.

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2023

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected May 2026

Headline: Expected standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
1 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Riverside Nursery

Last inspected 20 May 2026 · Rebecca Lihou

Actions the provider must take

  • Improve the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that staff build succinctly on what children already know and can do.
  • Provide staff with effective coaching and training to support their professional development, with a specific focus on their teaching skills, to ensure the curriculum has the intended impact on children's progress.
  • Develop a consistent approach to supporting the development of children's emotional literacy, so they can share how they feel with others and regulate their own behaviour.

What it's like to attend

Children arrive happily and settle quickly, forming secure attachments with their key-persons. They are well cared for and feel safe, with staff prioritising their happiness and attentive to their needs, including creating a calm atmosphere for sleep. Leaders ensure their team provides warm, safe, and nurturing care, supporting children's hygiene routines, but there are weaknesses in the quality of education and staff coaching.

Inspector highlights

  • Leaders work well with staff to support their well-being and workload.
  • Leaders plan language activities to help develop children's listening and attention skills.
  • Leaders work closely in partnership with the on-site hospital to meet children's medical needs and provide any intervention children may need.
  • Children practise daily affirmations and chant that they are 'kind' and 'good friends'.
  • Staff provide nutritious meals and cater for all diets.
  • Staff build strong bonds with children and encourage them to keep trying when a challenge occurs.

Areas to develop

  • 1Improve curriculum implementation to build on children's existing knowledge.
  • 2Provide effective coaching and training for staff focusing on teaching skills and curriculum impact.
  • 3Develop a consistent approach to supporting children's emotional literacy and self-regulation.
  • 4Improve the organisation of transitions and routines to reduce waiting times and enhance children's engagement in learning.
Inspection #10410748 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders work closely in partnership with the on-site hospital to meet children's medical needs and provide any intervention children may need. For example, when staff or parents notice a physical delay in children's development, such as learning to walk, leaders organise support from occupational therapists. They work closely with staff and parents to provide targeted support for children to build their muscles, balance and coordination. This swift action and effective partnership helps to support children's physical skills.

Outdoor space

Children spend time balancing on beams outside and staff help them to problem solve when they find parts of the obstacle tricky. Staff hold their hand or give them words of encouragement to think differently about what they are trying to achieve. The attention and care staff provide ensures children develop secure relationships with adults.

Parent Reviews of Riverside Nursery

3.5
(2)

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

Inspection history

Date: July 2025

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Requires improvement). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • August 2025Requires improvement
  • July 2025Requires improvement

Frequently asked about Riverside Nursery

About the setting

Riverside Nursery registered in 2023 and is situated on the site of the Royal United Hospital in Bath. The nursery opens on weekdays from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. There are 24 members of childcare staff, with qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6. The nursery provides government funded places for childcare.

URN
2774480
Registered person
Riverside Nursery Bath Ltd
Day care type
Full day care
Register
Early Years Register
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises

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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