Mini Me's Nursery

Storytelling became a physical adventure at Mini Me's Nursery: children turned We're Going on a Bear Hunt into an obstacle course, combining imaginary rivers and forests with movement and conversation. That February 2023 example captures the Barnsley setting's approach at the time: practical experiences gave children something to do, discuss and explore.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 21 February 2023 inspection, with improvements needed in early number activities and the planning of stories and rhymes for younger children. The nursery has capacity for 126 children and accepts ages from 0 to 132 months.

The early years foundation stage combines learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday routines help children build skills. In February 2023, babies reached towards toys beneath activity centres, while older babies explored play dough and two-year-olds helped make it. These were different ways of practising movement and handling materials, matched to children's stage of development.

During that February 2023 visit, preschool children had daily group storytelling, and adults used questions to extend their conversations. The Bear Hunt obstacle course also brought spatial language into play, as children explored moving over and under obstacles. However, younger children's stories and rhymes depended more on their immediate interest, and some number tasks moved too quickly or introduced concepts beyond the children's understanding.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective following revised outdoor supervision procedures after a child had been left outside unsupervised, and found that targeted support, developed with parents and other professionals, helped children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress.

In February 2023, babies sought comfort from adults when unsettled, and non-mobile babies received close supervision. Feeding also involved direct care: adults held babies for bottles, then supported older babies learning to use spoons. Two-year-olds practised handling knives and forks with pancakes at snack time. The practical benefit was a gradual progression from adult help towards managing everyday tasks themselves.

Mini Me's Nursery is at The Eldon Centre, Eldon Street North, Barnsley, S71 1LQ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In February 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a statement about today's funding arrangements.

• Early language. In February 2023, stories and rhymes for children under three needed more purposeful planning. On a visit, ask how these now form part of the younger children's day.
• Number activities. Some February 2023 tasks exceeded children's understanding. Ask how practitioners choose counting activities that suit each child's development.
• Outdoor supervision. Following the incident described in February 2023, staff introduced checks when taking children outside and returning indoors, alongside more thorough outdoor searches. Ask how those procedures operate now.

For families seeking care across the working week, the opening window and year-round operation are useful practical strengths. The February 2023 picture combines affectionate care with hands-on learning, while identifying precise weaknesses in early language planning and number teaching. Families choosing care for younger children should give those two areas close attention.