Horwich Day Nursery

Woodlands behind the nursery give Horwich Day Nursery a recognisable outdoor setting, but the concerns identified in June 2026 must lead any decision about care here. At its 5 June 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership to require Urgent improvement, while safeguarding standards were met. Requirements of both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register were not met in June 2026. The safeguarding outcome does not cancel the concerns about children's everyday experiences.

Horwich Day Nursery occupies The Annex Building on Church Street in Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6AA. It has capacity for 95 children, with a current age range of 12 to 60 months. Outdoor play, stories and songs form part of its offer. The practical appeal is clear, but families need to weigh it against the detailed concerns below.

Rhymes, games, songs and stories give children opportunities to practise listening and speaking. The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care: it connects everyday experiences with the skills children need to develop. Having activities available is only part of that work; the adult's conversation and response matter too.

In June 2026, interactions in the baby and toddler rooms were limited, with staff often watching activities rather than taking part in children's learning. Children consequently missed opportunities for conversation and for developing mathematical ideas. One example was especially concrete: babies had crayons but no paper for making marks. Resources need to work together if an activity is to serve its purpose.

Assessment also failed to shape activities adequately in June 2026. Children at different developmental stages were given similar targets, including sharing and taking turns, and staff could not explain what planned activities were intended to teach. For parents, the useful distinction is between an occupied child and an activity adapted to what that child needs next.

Outdoor space includes play equipment and room for children to run or choose somewhere quieter. Children also regularly use the woodlands behind the nursery, bringing natural surroundings into their experiences. Equipment selection nevertheless needs attention: in June 2026, babies used an outdoor see-saw that did not suit their developmental stage.

At the June 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that care did not adequately match individual needs, SEND strategies were applied ineffectively, children's progress and preparation for future learning were insufficient, and communication with parents lacked consistency. These concerns reach beyond teaching into comfort, routines and the continuity of care.

Key-person cover was a specific weakness in June 2026. When the usual key person was away, other staff did not always know how to settle a distressed child. Dummies were also used for prolonged soothing instead of staff helping children join play and conversation. Families should give the arrangements for familiar care considerable weight.

Daily routines brought further concerns in June 2026. Babies were repeatedly lifted and moved between activities rather than helped to anticipate a change. Staff stopped children throwing toy vehicles but did not explain the danger or demonstrate a better way to play. These examples show why explanations and predictable routines matter alongside adult intervention.

In June 2026, hygiene procedures were not being implemented and health checks were inconsistent: damaged sleeping mats exposed their filling, and checks of play spaces were sometimes missed. Guidance to parents about suitable drinks was inconsistent too. The nursery provides meals and snacks and aims to accommodate dietary needs where possible; that wording requires an individual discussion for a child with dietary restrictions.

Support plans also need to translate into daily practice. In June 2026, now-and-next boards, identified as an agreed support strategy, were not used effectively. Leaders could not demonstrate how support changed as children's needs and progress changed. Brief portal messages and handovers did not ensure every parent understood their child's learning or knew their key person.

Opening hours run from 7am until 6pm on weekdays. The nursery operates across the year and closes on bank holidays. Its After School Club provides care after the school day, and before-school care is also offered. Enquiries can be made on 01204 667606.

Church Street is the nursery's address, with Horwich Parkway Train Station and local bus links identified as transport options. The woodland setting offers outdoor interest alongside these practical connections.

The June 2026 next steps set out intended enforcement through a Welfare Requirements Notice. Risk assessment and key-person actions carried deadlines of 19 June 2026; SEND arrangements and staff induction, training and monitoring carried deadlines of 26 June 2026. Further actions on teaching, planning and assessment were also due on 26 June 2026. In June 2026, staff induction was weak, supervision was ineffective, and observation of practice was insufficient to give staff useful feedback. Leaders had not demonstrated the capacity to improve provision. These dates are past, and the June publication establishes the position at that time, rather than the outcome of those actions.

• Actions following June 2026. The required changes covered risk checks, key-person care, SEND support and staff practice. At a visit, ask for the subsequent official outcome and concrete examples of how those arrangements now work.
• Continuity for younger children. June 2026 concerns included unfamiliar staff struggling to comfort children and babies being moved between activities without preparation. Ask how cover staff learn a child's routines and how changes in the day are explained.
• Outdoor equipment and rest. June 2026 examples included unsuitable equipment for babies and damaged sleeping mats. Ask to see how equipment is selected and how rest spaces are checked.

The location, woodland experiences and weekday opening window may suit families needing care across the working week, including those using before-school or after-school care. The decision, however, turns on the June 2026 findings. They describe substantial weaknesses across learning, individual support and everyday welfare. A choice here needs to rest on demonstrable changes to those specific practices, with particular attention to younger children and children needing additional support.