Emma's Angels Day Nursery

Real joinery tools and a hammock gave outdoor learning a practical edge at Emma's Angels Day Nursery in December 2023. Children made wooden Christmas decorations and considered where their friends were playing before swinging: concrete examples of learning to handle equipment and share space.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The current age range runs from 3 months to 60 months, with capacity for 94 children in total.

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care; here, December 2023 examples included language, counting and creative expression through play. Conversations, songs and stories accompanied activities, while babies copied words and toddlers began putting sentences together.

In December 2023, forest school involved outdoor practical learning, including working with wood and using a hammock thoughtfully. Indoors, toddlers searched for paper fish beneath powder paint, while older children expressed ideas through drawing. Books were chosen independently, and children discussed pictures and remembered story characters.

Mathematical language also ran through play that December. Comparing sticks introduced differences in length and thickness, while sand timers made time more tangible. These examples connect early learning to objects children can handle and describe.

In December 2023, baby care centred on the key-person relationship. Practitioners interpreted babies' gestures and other non-verbal signals, helping care respond to children who could not yet explain their needs in words.

That December, calm speech and encouragement supported children with their emotions, and sand timers helped them understand turn-taking. Parents received individual feedback alongside updates through an app; stay-and-play events were planned to include grandparents as well as parents.

Meals were cooked on the premises in December 2023, with children's allergies and individual dietary needs taken into account.

The address is Rawdon St. Peters C of E Primary School, Town Street, Leeds, LS19 6PP. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In December 2023, funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-old children. This is a dated participation statement, rather than a promise of a funded place today.

Attendance at the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at the primary school; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Time to respond. In December 2023, staff very occasionally gave information too quickly during activities for some children to develop and share their ideas. During a visit, look at how practitioners pause and allow children to answer.
• Attendance and costs. With an opening window spanning 7.30am to 6pm, which booking patterns suit your week, and how would funded hours, meals and consumables fit into a written quotation?

Emma's Angels suits families seeking care from babyhood onwards and those whose routines benefit from weekday opening across the year. Its December 2023 examples give substance to the educational offer: practical outdoor experiences, books and conversational play. The balance to examine is the pace of adult-led activities and how much thinking time children receive.