Little Lambs

A visiting library bus and a field beside the nursery give Little Lambs’ May 2022 account its character: books to take home, space to run and opportunities to investigate nature. This Cockerham setting has capacity for 20 children. At its 27 May 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged it Good overall.

Children attending in May 2022 were aged one to four. That is the age range at the visit, rather than a statement of today’s intake.

In May 2022, children explored changing trees through binoculars and discussed insects and nesting birds. Nature provided material for conversation, rather than simply a backdrop to outdoor play. Walks around the locality and running in the adjoining field added opportunities for movement; babies had their own space to practise the skills needed for walking.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children’s learning, development and care. Here, the May 2022 examples included counting through songs and domino play, comparing bottle sizes and sharing stories. These brought language, number and physical learning into ordinary play.

The library bus visited regularly in May 2022, allowing children to borrow books and take them home. Reading could continue with their families. Older children also helped younger friends with coats and dressing-up clothes, giving everyday play a cooperative element.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children settled readily, developed close relationships with their key persons and benefited from support for emotional wellbeing; safeguarding arrangements were effective. Books and conversations about feelings helped children consider how their actions affected others.

In May 2022, children practised washing their hands, disposing of tissues and putting on coats independently. Parents received information about their children’s development and ways to support learning at home. These connections linked nursery experiences with family life.

Communication beyond the nursery was less consistent in May 2022. Information sharing during assessments needed strengthening, and links with other settings children attended were not established. Staff also missed opportunities to introduce vocabulary and ask questions that took children’s ideas further.

Little Lambs is based at The Village Hall, Main Street, Cockerham, Lancashire LA2 0EF.

In May 2022, it operated Monday to Friday throughout the year, with session times of 8am to 5.30pm. It also provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four at that time. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements.

• Attendance fit. The May 2022 session window ran from 8am to 5.30pm. What current attendance arrangements and accepted ages would fit your child?
• Language development. In May 2022, staff needed to extend conversations more consistently through vocabulary and questions. On a visit, listen for how practitioners develop children’s ideas during play.
• Shared care. Communication with professionals and other settings needed strengthening in May 2022. Families whose children receive support elsewhere should discuss how information is shared between those involved.

Little Lambs merits consideration for families drawn to a village-hall setting and the combination of outdoor exploration, shared reading and growing independence described in May 2022. The library bus and adjacent field give that account concrete substance. Families using more than one setting should give particular attention to communication, alongside the work on extending children’s language.