Brave Church Nursery & Preschool

A six-baby base room, a Christian ethos and a key worker with a buddy give Brave Church Nursery & Preschool a clear identity. Based at Watson Street Works in Oswaldtwistle, it welcomes families with faith or none and caters for children from 6 months to 4 years. Faith shapes the setting’s everyday approach; belonging to a church is not a requirement for attending.

At its 7 February 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The practical strengths include a nursery laid out on one level, a wheelchair-accessible outdoor area and communication through FAMLY, an app used to share information with families.

There are 64 places in total, distinct from the individual room capacities. Attendance is term-time, with morning and afternoon sessions as well as full-time childcare.

Rooms and Ages

The baby base room accommodates six babies aged from 6 months to 2 years, giving parents of the youngest children a concrete room limit to weigh when choosing care. Toddlers, the provision for two-year-olds, caters for 15 children. Pre-School caters for children aged three and four before their Reception term. These are room capacities, rather than a statement about how many children attend on any particular day.

Children can choose resources from the provision in their base room, with materials adjusted around their interests and current themes. Open-ended resources allow different ways of playing rather than prescribing a single finished result.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework sets the basis for learning, development and care: here, children learn through play, exploration and activities planned around their interests. Planning also makes room for problem-solving and thinking critically. The Christian ethos sits alongside this framework and shapes relationships and daily practice; it does not replace the educational requirements.

In February 2025, children explored Goldilocks and the Three Bears by filling bowls of different sizes with porridge oats and emptying them again. Familiar words from traditional tales also became part of their games. Stories connected reading with practical play.

For babies, the February 2025 activities included picture books with tactile materials and objects concealed beneath covers. Adults paused while reading to give babies room to respond with sounds and words. Older children danced and used indoor climbing equipment.

Outdoor and Community Life

Children have daily access to an outdoor garden, and suitable clothing can be supplied. The outdoor play area is wheelchair accessible, making its physical layout relevant to families whose child uses mobility equipment.

Educational outings are planned with risk assessments and support matched to children’s additional needs. Within the nursery, a sensory area with interactive equipment and lights can also be made available, offering another way to adapt the environment around a child.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key worker and a buddy. This gives parents a first contact for learning and care, alongside another practitioner involved in supporting their child. Settling begins with parent and child together, and progresses according to the child’s needs and the parent’s judgement that they are ready for the next step.

An all about me account gathers information about interests and development during settling. Taster and transition sessions are tailored to the child, so the initial relationship can develop before separation from a parent.

FAMLY carries information between home and nursery, with translated information possible through the app. Families can also receive a paper learning journal and discuss it at the setting. Confidential appointments are possible when a conversation needs more privacy.

In February 2025, staff exchanged information with parents at the beginning and end of the day and used an app for care, development and accident notifications. Existing key persons also helped children through changes to their next stage of learning.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support has a defined process. WELLCOMM is used to assess children’s spoken language and understanding, while Makaton sign language, now/next boards and PECS choices boards can help some children communicate and understand routines. A SENDCO coordinates support, working with parents and other professionals where needed.

Targeted plans are agreed with parents and reviewed every 6 to 8 weeks. With parental permission, continuing concerns can lead to referrals, an early help assessment or work towards an EHCP. Specialist programmes are carried out by the key worker and other nursery staff, giving agreed targets a place in the child’s nursery day.

At the February 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified a need for staff to recognise individual learning needs sooner and adapt the curriculum more effectively. This matters alongside the detailed support procedures: having an assessment system is different from consistently acting promptly on what a child needs.

Physical access is concrete. The nursery occupies one level, with accessible toilets equipped with hand rails and emergency alarms, low toilets for children and a fire alarm with a flashing sensor. Emergency cots support evacuation of children who cannot move independently. Staff have paediatric first aid training.

School transition meetings take place for children moving to primary education. For children with SEND, additional summer-term meetings involve parents, the nursery SENDCO and a representative from the primary school. This provides a route for discussing support before the change of setting.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Morning sessions run from 9am to 12pm; afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Breakfast club covers 8am to 9am, while After School Club runs from 3.30pm to 5pm. Full-time childcare is also offered, giving families alternatives to booking only a morning or afternoon.

The 2026/2027 calendar includes half-term breaks and staff training closures. The autumn half-term closure is 23 October 2026, with reopening on 2 November. Families needing continuity through school holidays therefore need to weigh the term-time calendar against their working arrangements.

Enquiries use the nursery’s own number, 07958597551, or preschool@bravechurch.co.uk. An online interest form provides another route. Applications can be collected at the centre or sent by email, and an introductory meeting follows completion. Proof of parental responsibility and home address is required before an application is accepted.

The admissions criteria include children in care, adopted children, siblings and local residence, alongside other priorities. Time spent on the waiting list does not determine whether a place is offered. This is a criteria-based process rather than a simple queue.

Getting There

The address is The Hope Conference And Community Centre, Watson Street Works, Watson Street, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington, BB5 3HH. A large accessible parking area accompanies the single-level nursery layout.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered alongside private childcare. The nursery accepts both 15 and 30 hours, subject to eligibility, and operates during term time. Applications for funded two-year-old places and 30-hour childcare for three- and four-year-olds require proof of eligibility from Lancashire County Council; the admissions policy also conditions the latter offer on resources permitting.

• Christian daily life. The nursery welcomes families with faith or none, while Christian values shape its practice. During a visit, discuss how that ethos appears in activities and relationships, and whether it fits your family.
• Acting on individual needs. The February 2025 improvement point concerned recognising learning needs promptly and adapting activities. Ask how a concern now moves from an observation to a changed plan, alongside the scheduled reviews.
• Term-time attendance. Morning and afternoon sessions offer different patterns, with clubs extending the day, but the calendar includes holiday and training closures. Match the complete calendar to the care your family needs.
• The written cost breakdown. Funded and private childcare sit alongside each other. Request a current written quotation covering your chosen hours, meals and non-food consumables so that the whole arrangement is clear before booking.

Brave suits families comfortable with a Christian ethos who want term-time morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full-time childcare. The six-baby room cap, key worker and buddy system, and accessible layout are practical reasons to consider it. Its support procedures offer clear routes for communication and planning, while the February 2025 improvement point makes prompt action on individual learning needs the central issue to explore.