Nature Trail Nursery

Sensory play, imaginative fish-making and connections beyond the nursery gave Nature Trail Nursery its character in March 2024. Based at 1 Botany Brow in Chorley, it has capacity for 69 children.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support. Children attending then were aged 1 to 4. The strongest examples combined children's interests with practical exploration; the improvement priorities concerned participation in group activities and accurate spoken language.

In March 2024, babies investigated sensory materials, toddlers experimented with rice and pineapple leaves, and preschool children fashioned fish from dough before adding collage decorations. These were different routes into discovery, conversation and imagination, rather than identical tasks across the ages.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the March 2024 examples showed learning through play, stories and hands-on exploration. Children selected materials themselves, while opportunities to revisit experiences helped them practise what they were learning.

Songs supported the baby room's language activities, familiar stories featured for toddlers, and questions encouraged preschool children to speak. Dinosaur play gave older children another outlet for imaginative storytelling. There was a clear limitation: some group activities did not account sufficiently for individual learning needs, leaving some children distracted.

In March 2024, staff comforted children who had recently joined and adapted their care to individual needs. Emotional support also extended to changes at home, including the birth of a sibling. Families could use recordings of bedtime stories read by staff, connecting familiar nursery voices with home routines.

A lending collection of books, sessions where dads stayed to play, and afternoon tea gatherings for mums provided different ways for families to participate. Children also met residents of a local care home and explored foods through cooking activities led by the nursery cook.

Teachers visited as children prepared to move to school, and staff worked with health visitors and local authority advisers. These connections brought other professionals into children's support. Staff induction, coaching and team training were also part of the March 2024 arrangements.

The address is 1 Botany Brow, Chorley, PR6 0JN. In March 2024, the nursery operated throughout the year on weekdays, with session times of 7.30am to 6pm.

At that time, funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of the nursery's arrangements, rather than a current booking offer.

• Group participation. In March 2024, some children became distracted when activities did not accommodate their individual learning needs. On a visit, ask how group activities now keep children involved.
• Spoken language. Staff sometimes shortened words or used inaccurate language in March 2024. Consistent pronunciation was an improvement priority because children need clear examples to copy.
• Attendance planning. The March 2024 session window covered much of the working day. Which current attendance pattern and funded-hours arrangements would fit your family's routine?

Nature Trail Nursery suits families who value imaginative play and practical links between nursery, home and other professionals. Its March 2024 examples give those strengths substance, from sensory exploration to bedtime-story recordings. The balanced judgement is Good, with group engagement and spoken-language modelling the specific areas requiring improvement at that visit.