ABC Day Nursery Whitehaven

Counting through movement and borrowing books from the library give ABC Day Nursery Whitehaven a recognisable early-years character: in December 2022, children combined active mathematics with experiences beyond the nursery. Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 7 December 2022 and judged safeguarding effective.

At Derby Yard, Catherine Street, Whitehaven, the setting has 54 places in total and accepts children from birth to eight years. The learning and care examples below relate to December 2022, when the children attending were aged from birth to four.

In December 2022, older children chose movements and matched their repetitions to numbers, bringing counting into physical play. Foam offered another route into making marks, while younger children practised using scissors and explored hairdressing through pretend play. These examples connect learning with things children can do, handle and try for themselves.

The nursery follows the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's care, development and learning. In practice, the December 2022 activities brought together language, movement, early mathematics and imaginative play rather than treating learning as desk work.

In December 2022, outings connected children's imaginative play and reading with the local community. A harbour visit introduced younger children to boats and fishing; older children borrowed books during regular library outings and experimented with self-scanning technology. Books returned to the nursery, linking an outing with subsequent reading.

At the December 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff coordinated SEND support with families and other professionals, using gradual introductions to other children during routines to help social participation.

In December 2022, parents' evenings and books shared for use at home connected nursery learning with family life. Children also made a food hamper for elderly residents locally, giving kindness a practical purpose.

There were two clear development priorities in December 2022: staff needed to introduce new vocabulary more consistently for babies and help them speak without comforters, while newer practitioners needed broader professional development. For families with a baby, the communication point deserves particular attention.

The address is Derby Yard, Catherine Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7PG. Opening hours are 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with all-year opening.

In December 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a statement of today's funding arrangements.

• Baby communication. The December 2022 improvement priorities included vocabulary and pronunciation. During a visit, ask how practitioners now model words and manage comforters during conversation.
• Developing practitioners. Broader training for newer staff was another December 2022 priority. Ask how induction and continuing development support the adults caring for your child.
• Your attendance plan. The opening window runs from 7am to 6pm. Ask which booking pattern, funding arrangement and meal or consumables terms would apply to your proposed week.

For Whitehaven families seeking all-year childcare within a 7am to 6pm opening window, ABC offers a practical starting point. Its December 2022 picture combines active learning, library outings and communication with parents, alongside specific work needed on babies' language and newer staff development. Families choosing baby care should give those improvement priorities weight when assessing the setting today.