Mulberry Bush Nursery Tottington

A separate building for the youngest children, a cot room beside the baby room and outdoor access straight from it give Mulberry Bush Nursery Tottington a clear physical character. Older children use the Old Police House, with different layouts for toddlers and preschool children. The organisation of space matters here: rest, exploration and smaller-group activities each have somewhere to happen.

In August 2022, the nursery received an Outstanding overall judgement. That judgement is dated, rather than a description of a recent visit. The nursery cares for children from birth to five and has 98 places in total, so the whole-setting capacity should not be mistaken for the number sharing a room.

For families in Tottington, the combination is useful: care across the early years, separate spaces as children develop, and an inspection account containing concrete examples of children making decisions and practising independence.

Rooms and Ages

The Kindergarten Unit occupies its own building, with an adjoining cot room and direct outdoor access for babies; separating sleep from the main activity space gives rest a place of its own.

Children move into the Younger Kindergarten Room at 12 months, where exploration is the emphasis.

At about 18 months, the Older Kindergarten Room becomes their base, with activities indoors and a direct route to outdoor play.

The Toddler Unit occupies the ground floor of the Old Police House, spreading exploration across three connected rooms, with toilets accessible from both the indoor rooms and the outdoor space.

Preschool children have the Pre-school Unit, combining a spacious main room with a smaller activity room and an emphasis on conversation, experimentation, choice and perseverance.

These are meaningful differences in layout. A toddler can explore connected spaces, while a preschool activity can move into a smaller room. For parents comparing the stages, the progression is about how children use their surroundings as well as which room they attend.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and development together in the nursery day. It is the common framework, rather than an extra programme unique to this setting.

In August 2022, babies explored sand with bare feet while staff joined their sensory play; older children mixed ingredients outdoors to make pretend food. Books and conversation also featured: staff supplied animal names as children looked through pages, and older children invented stories that adults acted out with them. These examples connect physical exploration with language. Children had something tangible to investigate and something to talk about.

Independence had practical jobs attached to it in August 2022. Younger children attempted their shoes, while older children counted tableware, helped set tables and served food for themselves. Choosing stories by voting and selecting snack peppers after tasting them gave children decisions to make, rather than leaving choice as an abstract idea.

Outdoor and Community Life

All-weather surfacing, tunnels, shelters and climbing frames make the outdoor areas usable for different kinds of play. Mounds and slides add movement; activity panels offer something to investigate. There are also quieter places for children to pause. Outdoor time is part of the daily routine across the weather, so these spaces extend the day beyond the indoor rooms.

In August 2022, older children worked together on a den, carrying substantial tubes as part of the construction. That example adds a social dimension to physical play: children had to contribute to a shared task, as well as move materials around.

Relationships and Communication

In August 2022, personal care included asking children before carrying out a task and singing gently during it. Babies played peekaboo with staff, and children were involved in agreeing expectations for behaviour. The detail is useful for parents: care routines, play and boundaries were all opportunities for interaction.

The same month's account included children clearing spilled sand independently and using polite language with others. These were ordinary moments rather than special performances. They show how participation in nursery life extended to looking after shared resources and taking responsibility for small tasks.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements and strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with assessment helping staff identify concerns promptly and children making substantial progress from their starting points. For families needing additional support, the important detail beneath that judgement is the link between noticing a child's needs and acting on them.

In August 2022, staff received ongoing safeguarding training, knew the routes for raising welfare concerns and understood how to report concerns about a colleague. Recruitment included suitability checks. Children also practised safety through everyday routines, including carrying cutlery when helping with tables.

Preparation for school had a practical form in August 2022: staff accompanied children on school visits, and relationships with schools continued through the foundation stage. This was transition support, helping children become familiar with their next setting.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at Old Police House, Kirklees Street, Tottington, Bury, BL8 3NJ. Opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Parents can also choose an early session starting at 7.30am or a late session ending at 6pm when needed. Those extensions give families options at either end of the ordinary opening day.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. That closure pattern matters for families arranging continuous childcare: the Christmas break needs to sit alongside their own work and holiday plans.

Funding and Paid Extras

In August 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a historical participation statement, rather than a promise about a family's present entitlement or attendance arrangement.

• Moving between buildings and rooms. The youngest children use a separate building, with moves at 12 months and around 18 months. During a visit, discuss how familiar care relationships are maintained through those changes and how sleep routines work in the baby room.
• A dated inspection judgement. The Outstanding judgement comes from August 2022. Families needing SEND support should discuss how assessment and individual support work for their child now, using that inspection's findings as a starting point.
• Attendance and total cost. Early and late sessions can be used as needed, while bank holidays and a Christmas week are closures. Ask for a written quotation covering your intended attendance, funded hours, meals and consumables so the arrangement can be assessed as a whole.

Mulberry Bush Nursery Tottington suits families who value separate spaces for babies, a gradual progression through rooms and outdoor play built into the day. Its layouts are a strong reason to consider it, while the August 2022 judgement provides a dated quality reference.

The attendance offer also serves different schedules: families using the ordinary daytime opening, those needing an early session and those needing a late session. The best fit depends on how that arrangement, the room transitions and the child's care needs work together.