Little Cheeky Monkeys 2006

A separate sleep room for babies and outdoor space for each age group give Little Cheeky Monkeys 2006 its character. Great Harwood Lodge is the setting: a nursery where the youngest children have their own spaces and older children move towards a more structured day. The practical detail matters as much as the educational ambition.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding at its 17 February 2022 inspection, finding enthusiastic learners, strong communication and thoughtful behaviour. That judgement belongs to 2022. The current nursery has capacity for 90 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months.

Baby care follows family routines, room changes happen gradually, and learning journals travel with children as they move on. Full-day and half-day prices sit alongside a minimum booking requirement of three full days a week, an important consideration for families planning attendance.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room is divided between younger and older babies, with sensory exploration, messy play and physical activity alongside a connected sleep room and a dedicated outdoor area used when the weather is suitable. This separates rest from the activity of the main room. A kitchen within the baby space allows bottles and food to be prepared around individual routines rather than requiring children to follow a single timetable.

For children aged 2–3, the Toddler Room combines turn-taking and small-group play with sand, water and imaginative activities, while free-flow outdoor access lets children choose to continue their play outside. Rest remains part of the arrangement. The routine becomes more recognisable at this stage, but it stays flexible around individual needs.

The Pre-School Room serves children aged 3–4, introducing self-registration, writing, pronunciation and topic activities while encouraging children to manage their own personal care with support. These are concrete steps towards school routines. They sit alongside play, rather than replacing it with a day of table work.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides areas of learning through play, active exploration and creative thinking indoors and outdoors. It is the common early-years framework, rather than an extra programme unique to this nursery. Here, practitioners use observations, photographs and children's artwork to decide what a child can already do and what to introduce next. Children's interests help shape the activities.

In February 2022, preschool children discussed astronomy and used pipettes and test tubes to explore material changes and learn new vocabulary. Toddlers searched soapy water for different-sized toy sharks. Investigation gave children concrete things to discuss.

Books were distributed through the play spaces in February 2022, and storytelling included character voices and anticipation. Familiar rhymes also became physical role play. Babies explored baskets and small climbing equipment, while older children made choices about their activities. The balance was between adult involvement and children's own decisions.

In April 2017, Frog spawn to Frogs involved preschool children observing frogspawn develop over time. This was a historical activity.

Outdoor and Community Life

Each room has its own outdoor space, with soft tarmac and artificial turf surfaces, planting areas for herbs and vegetables, wheeled toys and sand play. Indoor resources can be taken outside to extend an activity. For children who enjoy movement, the outdoor arrangement gives play a different scale; planting also brings growing things into everyday experience.

The outdoor surfaces are even and suitable for children using wheelchairs or frames. That is a useful physical detail for families considering access, although the child's individual requirements still need to shape the arrangements.

Relationships and Communication

Free settling sessions are offered before babies start, giving families time to share routines and get to know staff. A key person takes responsibility for the relationship with the child and family. Parents can contribute to the learning journey, so information about development does not flow in only one direction.

Daily books record babies' food, sleep, nappies and activities. Learning journals follow children through nursery; parents can read and contribute to them. Termly key-person meetings allow fuller discussions of progress and concerns.

Room changes are gradual: daily half-hour Toddler Room visits take place with the existing key person until children bond with the new team. Preschool transitions also involve half-hour visits and transfer of the learning journal, connecting care across stages.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Parents help develop targeted learning plans. With parental consent, support can include speech and language therapy referrals and guidance from a local authority inclusion teacher. Provision mapping distinguishes universal support from targeted intervention, clarifying next steps.

At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised SEND promptly, worked successfully with specialists and supported children's progress; safeguarding arrangements were effective. Current security arrangements include controlled entry, a collection password and CCTV. These are specific procedures, rather than a substitute for the dated safeguarding judgement.

The building has wheelchair access, an accessible toilet, wide corridors and movable furniture that can make room for specialist equipment. An outdoor shed can store prams, car seats and equipment such as standing frames. These arrangements are useful starting points for an individual access discussion.

An on-site cook prepares meals and snacks, with seasonal menus rotating over three weeks; the Smiles 4 Life scheme connects food planning with Lancashire's work to reduce tooth decay and support oral health. Dietary discussions include allergies before a child starts, and halal and vegetarian requirements are catered for.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Great Harwood Lodge, Edward Street, Great Harwood, Blackburn, BB6 7JB. Opening hours are 7.30am–6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. These hours describe the operating window, rather than the clock times of individual bookings.

Both full-day and half-day charges are offered, but the minimum booking is three full days each week. That requirement deserves attention before a family builds a working week around shorter sessions. The Great Harwood telephone number is 01254 882777, and enquiries can also be made through the contact form.

Children need manageable clothing, spare changes and suitable outdoor clothes for messy play and independence. Uniform is optional; clothing and accessories should be named and packed in a named bag.

Funding and Paid Extras

Meals, fruit, snacks and nappies are included in the childcare fee. A deposit equivalent to one week's fees is required to secure a booking, and fees must be paid in advance. Sickness and holiday absences remain payable in full, so the cost of a regular booking continues when a child misses a session.

The pricing plan sets out the charge structure; families should obtain current prices in a written quotation. In February 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a dated participation statement, rather than a promise about a family's entitlement or present funded booking.

Preparation for school includes practising independence and more structured routines in preschool. A transition policy also covers children moving to school or another setting, with additional considerations for children with SEND. This concerns continuity of care and learning, rather than an admissions advantage.

• Half days and the minimum booking. Half-day charges accompany a three-full-day weekly minimum. Ask how shorter bookings fit that requirement before choosing an attendance pattern.
• Baby routines and room changes. Free settling sessions, a separate sleep room and accompanied room visits are central to the arrangements. During a visit, discuss how these would work around your child's sleep and readiness to move.
• Dietary needs. Allergy discussions take place before children start, and the cook caters for dietary and cultural requirements. Families managing allergies should confirm the current preparation and serving arrangements for their child.
• Funding and the total bill. Funded education was provided in February 2022, while private fees include meals and nappies and absences are payable. Ask for one written explanation of the funded booking, additional hours and any associated charges.

Little Cheeky Monkeys 2006 suits families who value individual baby routines, gradual room changes and outdoor access alongside increasingly structured preschool learning. Its Outstanding judgement dates to February 2022, with memorable examples of science, storytelling and conversation behind it.

The attendance offer includes full days and half days, but the three-full-day weekly minimum is a substantial practical condition. For families whose routine fits that commitment, the separate baby sleep space, parent contributions to learning journals and specific SEND support mechanisms provide clear reasons to consider Great Harwood Lodge.