The Old Barn Day Nursery

A garden divided by a small fence gave younger children a useful connection with their next room in May 2024: they could get acquainted with older children and the adults who would later care for them. That practical detail captures the appeal of The Old Barn Day Nursery in Narborough. At its May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective.

The nursery has capacity for 45 children aged from 2 to 60 months. Its address is The Old Barn, 5 Copt Oak Court, Leicester, LE19 3WY. For families, the strongest inspection-era details concern settling, conversation and physical play.

In May 2024, the early years foundation stage took concrete form through language and movement: children copied animal noises, discussed imaginative questions and practised balancing. These examples show how learning fitted into interactions with staff and active experiences.

The under-twos' room emphasised early speech through sounds children could imitate, while the pre-school room used questions to draw out ideas. A discussion about sleeping on a cloud encouraged children to imagine an experience and explain their thoughts. Conversation had a clear purpose.

Outdoor equipment offered different physical challenges in May 2024. New walkers practised steps and a small slide; preschool children crossed a low rope while holding a higher one. Staff prompted children to wait their turn. For parents weighing outdoor provision, these are concrete examples of opportunities to practise movement alongside instructions about safety.

Settling sessions in May 2024 involved staff learning children's interests, joining their play and offering comfort. The garden fence also helped make future room changes more familiar by allowing contact across the age groups.

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received support for their learning, including small-group memory games to practise communication and social interaction, with individual targeted plans guiding staff. These mechanisms give families useful detail about how support worked at that time.

Parents received photographs and activity updates in May 2024, and staff passed developmental information to teachers when children moved to school. However, guidance on continuing learning at home did not reach every parent, and information exchange with other early years settings children attended needed attention. Healthy food and drinks were offered by staff and a cook, but teaching about dental care also needed development.

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, across the year. It closes on bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year. Families needing care through school holidays can weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.

In May 2024, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a guarantee of an individual child's entitlement.

• Learning beyond nursery. In May 2024, home-learning guidance did not reach all parents. Ask how staff now turn activity updates into practical ideas for your child at home.
• Care across two settings. Information exchange with other early years providers needed attention in May 2024. Families using another setting should discuss how care and learning information is shared.
• Daily routines and attendance. Dental-health teaching needed development in May 2024. During a visit, discuss how this fits into the day and which booking pattern would suit your family within the weekday opening hours.

The Old Barn suits families seeking weekday, year-round care who value conversation, physical play and support with settling. Its May 2024 examples give those priorities substance: animal sounds for early speech, rope balancing and familiarisation across the garden fence. The decision points concern links between nursery and home, coordination across settings and dental-health learning.