The Grange Nursery

A pet chicken, home-grown food and hands-on learning give The Grange Nursery's June 2024 account its character. This Castleford setting has capacity for 24 children, accepting ages from two months to five years. Its small overall capacity is a useful starting point for families weighing the scale of their childcare setting.

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children made good progress, with strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There were also clear improvements to make: settling, teaching practice and information for parents.

In June 2024, learning connected practical activities with stories and observation. Children explored insects through dough modelling and watched a butterfly's development, giving them several ways to revisit the same idea. Conversations about food textures helped develop vocabulary; older children also recalled language about life cycles.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the June 2024 examples included play, conversation, movement and everyday tasks, showing how learning could run through the day rather than sit apart from it.

Physical activity took different forms. In June 2024, toddlers climbed soft blocks, while older children used a balance bike and wooden climbing pyramid. Growing produce, cooking it and gathering eggs from the pet chicken connected food with its origins. These were concrete experiences children could take part in.

In June 2024, staff comforted upset children and helped younger children handle disagreements over toys. Everyday independence included serving food, pouring drinks and managing outdoor clothing. Songs, books and signing provided further ways to communicate.

Settling needed more attention. In June 2024, information about new children was collected when attendance formally began, rather than informing introductory visits, and some younger children's visits were too brief to give sufficient emotional support. That matters most for families planning a baby's or toddler's first separation.

Teaching also needed greater consistency: during June 2024 activities, opportunities to extend knowledge about insects were sometimes missed, as were moments when children needed extra help with dough tools. In June 2024, systems used to monitor staff practice also needed strengthening to improve teaching strategies. Communication took place electronically and in person, but information about children's next learning steps and support at home needed more detail.

The address is The Grange, Doctors Lane, Castleford, WF10 2HJ. Opening hours are 7.45am to 6pm on weekdays, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

In June 2024, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Homemade hotpot featured in the meals children enjoyed at that time.

• Settling arrangements. June 2024 identified late collection of introductory information and visits that were too short for some younger children. Ask how settling visits now use information about your child and adapt to their response.
• Teaching and home learning. June 2024 identified missed teaching opportunities and insufficient detail for parents about next steps. Ask how staff review their practice and explain what families can support at home.
• Attendance and charges. The nursery opens across the year and closes for bank holidays and a Christmas week. What booking patterns fit your routine, and how do a written quotation's funded hours, meals and consumables charges work?

The Grange suits families seeking a setting with a small overall capacity and an inspection-era picture of practical, hands-on learning. Its June 2024 account has memorable substance: food growing, egg collecting and connected insect activities. Settling arrangements and communication deserve close attention when weighing that appeal against the improvements identified at the same visit.