Home from Home Nursery

Story-inspired cooking, musical exploration and investigating living things characterised children's experiences at Home from Home Nursery in Carlisle in October 2022. In October 2022, children made fruit crumble linked to a favourite story, explored instruments and collected natural materials for an insect shelter. These were practical ways to connect imaginative play with real experiences.

At its 18 October 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. The nursery has 47 places in total and accepts children from birth to five years.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical exploration contribute to their education alongside everyday routines.

In October 2022, babies experimented with instrument sounds and recreated familiar domestic activities through pretend play. Younger children searched sand for pirate treasure and remembered ingredients for making dough. Older children gathered leaves and conkers to build a shelter for ladybirds. These examples show different ages exploring through sound, touch, imagination and discussion.

Books also prompted hands-on activities in October 2022. Making Gruffalo crumble gave older children a reason to revisit a story, combine ingredients and explain their ideas. Daily outdoor time extended the opportunities for discovery beyond indoor play.

There were teaching weaknesses too. In October 2022, adults did not consistently extend children's reasoning or demonstrate accurate pronunciation. Children needed more effective help to develop their speech and thinking, rather than conversation alone.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked effectively with families and other professionals to obtain timely support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, incorporating agreed strategies into learning plans. A communication board helped children understand familiar spoken instructions.

In October 2022, a take-home bear connected children's experiences outside nursery with conversations inside it. Parent play days provided opportunities to share ideas for learning at home. These arrangements gave families a part in their children's learning, beyond receiving progress updates.

Everyday independence was encouraged in October 2022 through responsibilities such as helping at lunchtime. However, younger children needed more consistent guidance about how their behaviour affected others. Staff resolved disagreements during play, but teaching younger children about their impact on others needed to be more consistent.

The address is Atlas Works, Nelson Street, Carlisle, CA2 5NB. Opening hours are 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and two weeks at Christmas. Families planning regular childcare need to allow for those breaks.

In October 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise of a particular funded booking today.

• Language teaching. The October 2022 improvement priorities included pronunciation and reasoning. On a visit, ask how practitioners now extend children's answers and model new words.
• Learning to consider others. Younger children's understanding of their effect on friends needed strengthening in October 2022. Ask how staff help children recognise feelings and repair disagreements.
• Holiday cover. Bank holidays and a two-week Christmas closure interrupt the year-round opening pattern. Families needing continuous childcare should factor these breaks into their arrangements.

Home from Home Nursery suits families seeking year-round weekday childcare whose interests align with practical play, books and outdoor exploration. In October 2022, practical learning experiences sat alongside clear weaknesses in language teaching and younger children's social understanding. Those specific teaching questions deserve attention alongside the practical fit of its opening hours.