Lilys Little Gems

A soundproof baby room, an open-plan toddler space and an outdoor space with a bug house give Lilys Little Gems a clear emphasis on exploration at different stages of childhood. At its 22 July 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and identified communication and language as a strength. That dated assessment sits alongside a practical current offer built around creative play, changing room layouts and growing independence.

The nursery is at 99 King Street, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 7AX, and has capacity for 120 children aged one month to five years. This is the whole nursery's capacity, rather than the number sharing an individual room. Its three room descriptions distinguish baby care, toddler exploration and preparation for school.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. For families comparing care arrangements, those hours provide the operating window; the room environments and the child's stage of development are the more useful starting points for understanding the experience.

Rooms and Ages

BABY ROOM covers newborn to 18 months: its soundproof space combines sensory and creative activities with an emphasis on movement, communication and personal, social and emotional development. The physical separation matters for babies whose activities and pace differ from those of older children.

TODDLER ROOM spans 18 months to three years: an open-plan layout gives children continuing access to water, sand and creative activities, with areas rearranged around stories, topics and their interests. Changing the room around a story gives children another way to explore its ideas through play.

PRESCHOOL ROOM covers three to four years: a more structured day includes opportunities across the areas of learning and encourages children to do things independently as they prepare for school. The emphasis shifts towards managing more for themselves, rather than simply moving into a larger version of the toddler room.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, that means opportunities to practise communication, movement and social skills through play, alongside activities that introduce ideas such as counting.

In July 2022, toddlers counted sand measures while playing with diggers, and children explored how to release toy animals frozen inside ice. These were concrete ways to investigate number and change: children could handle materials, try an idea and talk about what happened.

During the same month, practitioners used questions suited to children's ages, demonstrated clear speech and allowed time for answers. Older children also played board games together, taking turns and supporting one another. Conversation and cooperation were part of ordinary activities, rather than confined to a separate lesson.

There were limits to the group format in July 2022. Lengthy discussion during larger story sessions interrupted the narrative, leaving some older children disengaged. Toddler opportunities for climbing and balancing indoors also needed attention. These findings matter because an engaging activity for one child can become a waiting exercise for another, and toddler exploration needs room for whole-body movement as well as table-level play.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor space uses natural materials and includes a sandpit, mud kitchen and bug house. These give children different reasons to explore outdoors: manipulating materials, using imagination and looking closely at the natural environment. The equipment supports the nursery's play-led character through specific resources rather than a general promise of outdoor learning.

In July 2022, staff gathered information with parents about children's preferences and starting points, then shared achievements through an online journal. This connected what families knew about their child with the activities staff planned, while giving parents a way to follow learning beyond collection-time conversations.

Relationships were visible in everyday interactions that month. Babies approached staff to share discoveries, and children sought adults out for dancing and games. Staff also helped children settle and reinforced routines such as handwashing and considerate behaviour. For a young child, familiar adults and recognisable routines make the day easier to understand.

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff recognising concerns, using recording and referral procedures, and taking children's allergies into account when handling food. This is a dated safeguarding judgement, rather than an assurance about present practice.

Mealtimes offered practice in independence in July 2022: babies used spoons, toddlers tried cups and cutlery, and older children served food and poured drinks. Preschool children practised spreading and cutting with knives, supported by adult demonstrations when needed.

Health learning also had a practical form that month. A pretend dental practice introduced tooth care, while conversations about germs helped explain why hands needed washing. These examples linked familiar routines to reasons children could begin to understand.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 99 King Street, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 7AX. The nursery opens throughout the year, excluding bank holidays, with weekday opening hours of 7.30am to 6pm; it is closed at weekends.

Families can use the Register Your Interest route or contact the nursery on 01204 866496. The opening window is useful when comparing nursery hours with work commitments, while the room descriptions help families understand the provision for their child's age.

• Hygiene procedures. Following the 11 November 2024 regulatory visit, Ofsted required staff to follow hygiene procedures consistently to prevent infection. The 13 November 2024 response recorded a review of hygiene procedures, staff training and new monitoring systems. Ask how these procedures are maintained today.
• Toddler movement. In July 2022, indoor opportunities for toddlers to climb and balance needed improvement. On a visit, ask how the current layout supports those activities alongside the room's sand, water and creative areas.
• Group storytelling. Larger story sessions lost some children's attention in July 2022 when discussion repeatedly interrupted the story. Ask how group times now accommodate children who want to discuss every page and those who benefit from hearing the story flow.
• Age and attendance planning. The nursery's overall age range extends to five years, while PRESCHOOL ROOM is described for three- to four-year-olds. Ask how care is arranged at the upper end of that range and which booking pattern fits your family's routine.

Lilys Little Gems suits families seeking creative, play-led care with separate environments for babies, toddlers and preschool children. The soundproof baby space, adaptable toddler layout and natural outdoor resources give that offer substance. For older children, the emphasis on independence provides a clear direction towards school preparation.

The Good judgement from July 2022 is useful context, but the two improvement points deserve attention when assessing the nursery today. Families whose routines fit the weekday opening window should weigh the room appropriate to their child, especially its opportunities for movement and the organisation of group activities.