Casson Fold Day Nursery

Building confidence through small, everyday tasks gives Casson Fold Day Nursery its clearest character: recognising a name, taking turns and serving lunch were all part of children's learning in January 2023. At its 12 January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, alongside positive support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Based in Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, the nursery has 45 places in total and accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. The strongest examples from January 2023 combine independence with language and social development. The important qualification concerns younger children's outdoor learning.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the January 2023 examples show counting, conversation and self-care woven into play and routines.

In January 2023, children in the pre-school room recognised their names and identified initial sounds, linking something personally meaningful with early literacy. Elsewhere, bricks and balance scales turned construction play into opportunities to compare weight and practise counting. Staff extended an existing interest rather than switching children to an unrelated task.

Stories and songs supplied another route into language that January. The Three Little Pigs became a rap with repeated lines for children to join in, while babies named body parts through Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Puppets at circle time supported attention and listening. These were concrete ways to bring words, rhythm and social expectations into shared activities.

Daily outdoor access was part of the January 2023 routine. However, younger children had fewer opportunities outside to develop movement skills and investigate nature. This was the improvement priority, and matters especially for families choosing care for a baby or toddler.

In January 2023, familiar key persons helped children settle and build attachments, while staff modelled politeness, sharing and consideration. At that inspection, Ofsted found that an experienced SEND coordinator worked with families, practitioners and other professionals to support children's progress.

Two-way communication through an electronic app helped staff take family circumstances into account in January 2023. The same month's care routines included attention to allergies, food preferences and dietary needs, with nutritious meals and snacks, handwashing before eating and opportunities for children to serve themselves. Independence extended beyond the play activities.

The address is 1 Lower Leigh Road, Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, Bolton BL5 2EH. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round opening except bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

In January 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation statement rather than a promise of eligibility or a funded place today.

• Outdoor learning for younger children. The January 2023 improvement priority concerned movement and exploring nature. On a visit, ask how the youngest children now use the outdoor environment.
• Settling and family communication. Familiar key persons and an electronic app supported care in January 2023. Ask how those arrangements would work during your child's settling period.

Casson Fold suits families looking for care across the working week, with a year-round opening pattern. Its January 2023 examples give a useful picture of learning through ordinary tasks, songs and play. For parents of younger children, the outdoor curriculum deserves the closest attention when deciding whether the setting fits their child.