Hearts and Minds

Water flowing through gutters, toddlers experimenting with pincers and children voting for their next book give Hearts and Minds a recognisable character in August 2021: learning through practical problems and small choices. At its August 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. That dated picture is the starting point for understanding its care and education.

Based at Billinge House in Euxton, Chorley, the nursery has capacity for 65 children. Children attending in August 2021 were aged 0 to 4; that age range belongs to the visit rather than a current admission promise.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing education and everyday care together. In August 2021, activities followed children's interests, with dinosaurs and messy play among the examples. Book baskets let children choose reading independently, while older children voted on a shared book. Those choices gave children a say in their day.

Outdoor play also involved thinking. In August 2021, older children adjusted water quantities and gutter angles to shift objects, practising estimation and comparison through a practical challenge. Toddlers tested pincers in sand activities, and tricycles gave children opportunities to practise coordination. The appeal was concrete: tools, movement and problems children could investigate for themselves.

At the August 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through individual plans, cooperation with parents and professionals, and applications for specialist funding. This combined work linked children's support at nursery with the adults involved elsewhere in their lives.

In August 2021, a key-person system helped staff build close relationships with children, and parents received frequent updates about learning. Preparation for school included conversations about routines and dressing up in school uniforms, making an unfamiliar change more tangible.

Food was prepared fresh on site each day in August 2021. Older children served themselves and poured drinks, making mealtimes opportunities to practise independence as well as eat.

The address is Billinge House, Euxton Lane, Euxton, Chorley, PR7 6DL. Its 65 places describe whole-setting capacity, rather than the size of an individual room or daily group.

In August 2021, the nursery operated Monday to Friday throughout the year, with bank-holiday and Christmas closures; session times were 7am to 6.30pm. Funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds at that time. These are historical arrangements, so they should not be treated as a current booking offer.

• Support for early speech. In August 2021, the youngest children were sometimes moved towards two-word speech before having enough practice with single words. The practical concern is how carefully adult conversation matches a child's stage of language development.
• Staff development. In August 2021, observations of staff practice did not consistently lead to further development, and staff needed clearer understanding of their development priorities and closer monitoring. Consistency between practitioners matters alongside appealing activities.
• Today's daily arrangements. How would the nursery organise attendance, settling and the daily routine for your child now, compared with the August 2021 arrangements?

The August 2021 picture will appeal to families who value practical play, children's choices and preparation for school routines. Water investigations and shared reading give that picture substance. The balance also matters: language support for the youngest children and the follow-through on staff development needed attention. Those priorities deserve as much weight as the activities when judging the fit for your child.