The Park Day Nursery

Children's interests shaped the learning at The Park Day Nursery in February 2023: Parent Planning brought ideas from home into nursery activities, while outdoor exploration gave children natural materials to investigate. These are useful clues to its character: learning connected to children's own lives.

At its 23 February 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The setting has capacity for 43 children, accepting ages from 3 to 60 months, at 86 Moughland Lane, Runcorn.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. For children, this means developing communication, physical skills and independence alongside learning about other people and the world around them.

In February 2023, Parent Planning let parents contribute their children's interests, which staff then incorporated into activities. Preschool children also explored a word of the week linked to planned learning. This gave vocabulary a specific place in the day, alongside songs, rhymes and stories.

Babies joined actions during familiar songs, while toddlers investigated water by filling and emptying containers, with added smells and flavours extending the sensory experience. Physical activity included organised sessions, climbing equipment and using tweezers to handle small objects. Different movements served different purposes, from climbing confidence to careful hand control.

Community experiences in February 2023 included the local church, park and woods. Visits from paramedics and firefighters introduced children to people whose work involves keeping others safe. Outdoor learning also used natural materials to help children investigate their surroundings.

In February 2023, parents contributed information about development when their children started, and staff discussed children's needs at team meetings. Staff shared achievements and next steps with families, making communication about learning part of the relationship.

Emotional understanding had practical examples. Children talked about feelings, considered how someone else might feel and discussed ways to help. Staff used golden rules and consistent boundaries to encourage consideration for others.

Independence was built through ordinary tasks: younger children tended planted bulbs, while older children learnt to cut food with knives and understand the associated risks. Safety work in February 2023 included reviewing accidents, updating risk assessments and teaching children about hygiene, oral health and outdoor hazards.

The address is 86 Moughland Lane, Runcorn, WA7 4SQ. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year, with bank holidays closed.

In February 2023, session times ran from 8am until 6pm, and the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated account of its funding provision, rather than a promise of entitlement for an individual family.

• Time to think. In February 2023, staff sometimes asked questions too rapidly for children to develop their answers fully. Giving children longer to consider questions was the identified improvement priority.
• Funding arrangements. Funded early education covered two-, three- and four-year-olds in February 2023. What would the current funded attendance and additional-charge arrangement be for your child?

The Park Day Nursery suits families who value activities informed by children's interests, practical independence and connections with the local community. Its February 2023 picture combines Parent Planning, vocabulary work and outdoor exploration with a clear teaching priority: allowing children more thinking time. The Good judgement provides the overall inspection position; the concrete examples make that position useful.