Cliffe House Day Nursery Featherbank & Out of School Club

Books carried home, visits to a local care home and litter-picking gave this Horsforth nursery a connection between children's learning and the world around them in November 2023. Everyday independence mattered too, from managing emotions to learning personal care routines.

At its 7 November 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised good progress for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities through individual plans and coordinated support. The current nursery age range is three months to five years.

The early years foundation stage brings together children's learning, development and care: communication, physical development and growing independence belong alongside play. In November 2023, staff emphasised language by making key words clear, using some signing and introducing vocabulary through books. Children could borrow books to share at home, extending that experience beyond nursery.

Physical learning was tangible. In November 2023, children practised balance on equipment, used tweezers to lift toy dinosaurs and made finger marks in paint. These activities gave them different ways to practise coordination and hand control. Drawing one another on white boards encouraged children to notice similarities and differences.

Community experiences included a local care home and litter-picking in November 2023. These brought encounters with other people and shared surroundings into children's learning. At that time, developing outdoor provision for children under two was a management priority.

In November 2023, staff helped children name their feelings, settled small disagreements and demonstrated considerate behaviour. Personal care was part of daily learning: children were encouraged to handle tissues hygienically and use the toilet independently, with parents involved in toilet training. Staff joined children at meals and encouraged them to taste unfamiliar foods.

Individual support in November 2023 involved the special educational needs coordinator working with practitioners, families and other professionals on children's plans. Parents received spoken and electronic updates, including accident and incident information, alongside ideas for supporting learning at home. Regular training and meetings helped staff develop their practice, while management evaluation identified further training needs.

The nursery is on Back Featherbank Terrace, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4SZ. It operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. This suits families whose childcare needs extend beyond school terms, subject to the holiday closures.

In November 2023, session times ran from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Those details describe attendance and funding at that date.

• Shared responsibility. In November 2023, expectations about tidying toys were inconsistent. Children did not all receive the same encouragement to look after resources, an important part of becoming independent.
• Group participation. Some large-group activities in November 2023 lost children's attention because their organisation did not meet everyone's needs. How practitioners adapt these activities matters as much as their content.
• Your attendance pattern. The nursery operates across the year but closes for bank holidays and Christmas. At a visit, ask which booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement would fit your child's routine.

For families seeking care beyond school terms, the operating calendar is a useful starting point. The November 2023 picture combines practical learning, community experiences and communication with parents, with clear weaknesses around group participation and consistent expectations about resources. It suits parents who value everyday independence and want to understand how those improvement points have been addressed.