Playtots St Margaret Marys

A small nurture base alongside a baby room, a room for two-year-olds and a larger preschool gives Playtots St Margaret Marys its character. Personal, social and emotional development is the stated emphasis, with children’s wellbeing and participation receiving particular attention. For parents, that makes the emotional side of nursery life a useful starting point when considering this setting.

Behind St Margaret Marys Infant School on Pilch Lane, the nursery accepts children from six months to five years and has 53 places in total. At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective. That judgement is dated; the practical offer includes weekday opening from 8am to 5.30pm.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room covers the nursery’s youngest stage, with its room description extending to 18 months; the Two year old room serves the next named age group, while preschool provides a larger space for older children. A small nurture base room adds another setting within the nursery. The emphasis across these spaces is on emotional development, wellbeing and involvement.

That layout gives families more to consider than an age label alone. The nurture base is especially relevant to a discussion about how the nursery uses smaller spaces and supports children’s participation. Its role in an individual child’s day is a useful visit question.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care. In everyday language, this brings learning and care together: play, communication and increasing independence belong in the same day.

In April 2022, learning drew on children’s interests. A pretend hairdressing activity prompted conversation about hair washing, while books encouraged children to anticipate events and join in familiar language. These examples show how ordinary play could become an opportunity to practise speaking, listening and understanding personal care.

At that time, older children also used brushes and cotton brushes with paint to develop control for early writing. Babies explored sensory activities, and staff had created quiet sensory spaces following training. Those are concrete examples of the nursery day at the time, rather than a promise of today’s activity timetable.

In April 2022, babies turned to familiar practitioners for comfort, and staff understood children’s interests and preferred ways of learning. Adults demonstrated clear pronunciation and encouraged children to use words during play. The practical value was the combination of reassurance and opportunities to communicate, rather than treating care and learning as separate tasks.

Independence was visible in everyday routines that month. Children aged two could pour water for themselves; younger children served food, and older children carried their plates from a trolley as preparation for school routines. Meals and snacks therefore also provided opportunities to practise managing small tasks.

Communication with families in April 2022 included guidance on sleep routines, toilet training and dummy use. Parents’ meetings had taken place by telephone during the pandemic. This was practical support for the routines that continue between nursery and home, not simply an account of activities completed during the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Margaret Marys Infant School, Pilch Lane, Liverpool, L14 0JG. Opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates throughout the year and closes on bank holidays, making its calendar relevant to families whose childcare needs continue beyond school terms.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0151 290 2360. The nursery’s position behind the infant school is a useful location detail, but its childcare arrangements and the school’s admissions decision are separate matters.

Attending here does not guarantee a Reception place at St Margaret Marys Infant School. The school setting should therefore be considered as a practical location, rather than an admissions advantage.

• Group activities. In April 2022, some larger gatherings made sustained attention difficult for some children. Ask how group activities are organised now and how children who lose concentration are supported.
• Time to answer. An April 2022 improvement point concerned adults moving to another question before children had enough thinking time. Discuss how practitioners now use children’s responses to decide the next step in learning.
• The nurture base. A small nurture base room sits alongside the main age-based spaces. Ask how it is used and how its role would relate to your child’s everyday care.

Playtots St Margaret Marys suits families seeking care for babies through to preschool age, with year-round weekday opening and an explicit emphasis on emotional development. Its small nurture base gives the room arrangement a recognisable feature.

The April 2022 examples of sensory exploration, conversation, books and independent routines offer a concrete picture of its nursery day then. Balance those strengths against the two teaching points raised at that time: keeping group activities manageable and giving children enough time to answer.