M & S Nurseries

Close comfort for babies and practical learning through play give M & S Nurseries its character in the April 2022 account: babies exchanged a ball with staff, while older children explored measuring and made imaginary animals with craft materials. Relationships mattered alongside activities.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 19 April 2022. At Century House in Halifax, the setting has capacity for 100 children; the children attending in April 2022 were aged 0 to 4, which is a dated age range rather than a current admissions promise.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines provide opportunities to build skills. In April 2022, staff extended children's play with suggestions and reminders of earlier learning. A water tray gave two-year-olds opportunities to explore measurement, while preschool children combined paint, glue and paper in animal creations.

Mathematics also ran through everyday activities in April 2022. Children explored parts of play food and counted scoops while filling a pot with sand. These were concrete ways to connect mathematical ideas with things children could handle.

There were teaching weaknesses too. In April 2022, some early-writing tasks demanded skills children had yet to develop. Fast, complicated speech sometimes reduced babies' opportunities to respond, and music playing across the rooms made staff harder to hear. Both the level of literacy activities and opportunities for clear conversation needed attention.

In April 2022, babies received close physical comfort during feeds, and toddlers had time with familiar adults after sleep before returning to play. Staff adjusted activities or allowed a pause when children needed help with their feelings. Preschool children also showed concern for newcomers, giving friendship a practical role in settling into the group.

At the April 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities very good, with parents and other professionals contributing to an understanding of each child's needs. That is a dated assessment of practice.

In April 2022, staff discussed safe sleep and followed procedures for children with allergies. They sought children's permission before actions such as cleaning their faces, and used children's views in activity planning. Independence developed through managing shoes and costume fastenings; handwashing and conversations about healthy eating formed part of daily care.

The address is Century House, West Parade, Halifax, HX1 2TE.

In April 2022, opening hours were Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, with bank-holiday closures and a week's closure between Christmas and New Year. Breakfast-club sessions ran from 7.30am to 8.45am, after-school club from 3.15pm to 6pm, and holiday club from 7.30am to 6pm during school holidays. Funded early education then covered children aged two, three and four.

• Conversation and early writing. The April 2022 findings identified background music, hurried speech to babies and writing tasks pitched too high. On a visit, ask how staff now make conversation easier to hear and match literacy activities to children's development.
• Attendance planning. The April 2022 pattern included breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs. Before arranging care around work or school, ask which of those patterns and times now applies to your child.

M & S Nurseries merits consideration for families who value close relationships, practical play and opportunities for children to become more independent. The April 2022 account also makes it relevant to families considering breakfast-club sessions, after-school club or holiday club. Its Good judgement provides a useful starting point, balanced by specific weaknesses in language interactions and early-writing activities.