Tudor House Day Nursery, Hancock St

Child-led learning and close attention to children's routines shaped the Hancock Street nursery's October 2021 inspection picture. At its 6 October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found that children made good progress through enjoyable learning planned around their interests.

Tudor House Day Nursery, Hancock St has capacity for 60 children aged 3 to 60 months. Its base is Hancock Street Children's Centre in Blackburn. The inspection account gives families concrete examples of learning and care, alongside two teaching points to weigh carefully.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: education and everyday wellbeing belong together. In October 2021, practitioners planned around what individual children needed to learn next, giving them repeated opportunities to practise.

The home corner provided an example of learning through pretend play. In October 2021, toddlers made an imaginary cake while adults prompted conversation about ingredients, who it was for and safe cooking. Younger children heard words repeated and objects named; preschool children answered questions that encouraged them to explain their ideas.

Physical activity also had a regular place in that October 2021 account. A sports coach visited weekly, and children took part in energetic outdoor play across different weather conditions. Mindfulness sessions gave another way to explore feelings. At mealtimes, children practised practical independence by pouring drinks and cutting fruit.

There were weaknesses alongside those examples. In October 2021, the organisation of some group activities disrupted learning, while adults sometimes demonstrated inaccurate pronunciation. These were specific teaching improvements, affecting both children's concentration and the language they heard.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and SEND support good, describing cooperation with family support workers and therapists specialising in speech and language to help children progress from their starting points.

In October 2021, staff gathered information about children's preferences and familiar routines, then used it to help them settle, especially in the baby room. That made individual knowledge useful in everyday care. Practitioners also helped children practise sharing, taking turns and handling feelings, with comfort and reassurance when needed.

The address is Hancock Street Children's Centre, Hancock Street, Blackburn, BB2 2LZ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round opening and closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In October 2021, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a dated participation statement rather than a promise about a family's entitlement today.

• Language and group learning. The October 2021 improvement points concerned interruptions during group activities and inaccurate pronunciation. During a visit, ask how practitioners now organise group learning and model spoken language.
• Your child's attendance. The nursery opens across the year but closes for bank holidays and Christmas. What booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement would fit your child's age and your working week?

This nursery suits families seeking year-round childcare in Blackburn who value learning through play and care informed by children's familiar routines. The October 2021 examples make that approach tangible: pretend cooking, movement and practical independence. Its two teaching improvement points deserve attention when assessing how the nursery works now.