Welbourn Gardens Day Nursery and Pre School

A single-level, purpose-built nursery inside Lincoln North Sure Start and Young People’s Centre gives Welbourn Gardens a clear physical identity. Its offer centres on play and the years before school, with term-time attendance shaping the practical choice for families.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 12 December 2022. In December 2022, children showed confidence in their relationships with staff, shared their artwork and practised doing everyday tasks for themselves. Those small details matter: the picture was of children taking part, rather than simply being looked after.

The current age range is 27 to 60 months. Full-day and half-day bookings sit within an opening window of 8am to 4pm.

Play is the starting point for learning here. The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care; in everyday terms, this brings communication, practical skills and learning through play into the same day. It is the framework all registered early-years providers must follow, rather than an extra programme unique to Welbourn Gardens.

In December 2022, staff connected activities with familiar stories. Younger children shaped play dough into a person and completed a phrase from the Gingerbread man story, while older children recalled passages from favourite books. Making and storytelling worked together. The activity gave children something concrete to handle and something familiar to talk about.

Number learning also grew out of ordinary play in December 2022. Dice games connected counting with written numbers, and differently sized envelopes introduced comparison words. Dressing up as police officers brought occupations into imaginative play. These examples show learning taking place through objects, conversation and games rather than a succession of formal exercises.

The building occupies one level, and its decoration is intended to create a calm atmosphere. For families considering the physical setting, the layout is a useful starting point for understanding how their child would use the nursery’s spaces.

At its December 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities good, with activities adapted to their interests and targets developed alongside other professionals. One practical example involved offering different paper textures to children who enjoyed tearing materials: support began with what interested the child.

Settling had a concrete structure in December 2022. Children were invited to attend at least three introductory sessions before starting, and familiar comfort items remained within reach. Blankets and drinking containers were part of that approach. For a child adjusting to unfamiliar adults, keeping something recognisable nearby can make the change less abrupt.

Independence was visible in December 2022 too. Children helped themselves to food and poured drinks, giving them opportunities to practise managing everyday needs. Staff used songs, stories and simple language with younger children, while additional funding supported speaking through books and games.

Oral health received practical attention in December 2022. Activities covered cleaning teeth, parents were encouraged to send water in drinking containers, and families struggling to find a dentist could receive help identifying one. This brought health advice into ordinary nursery routines.

A cooked lunch is provided, and meals are freshly prepared each day. That gives lunch a place within the nursery day alongside play and care.

Sessions and Attendance

Welbourn Gardens operates during term time, Monday to Friday, opening at 8am and closing at 4pm. Bank holidays and school holidays are closures. The calendar therefore matters as much as the daily finish time for parents arranging care around work.

The booking choices include Full Day and Half Day. These give families a choice between a longer nursery day and a shorter attendance pattern within the term-time offer.

Getting There

The address is Welbourn House Childrens Centre, Welbourn Gardens, Ermine East, LN2 2DD. Nursery enquiries can go directly to welbourn@forunderfives.co.uk or 01522 244409.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded nursery education includes 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds and some eligible two-year-olds, across 38 weeks each year. Some children may qualify for another 15 hours. Eligibility remains a condition of those additional hours and the two-year-old offer.

Private childcare is also offered through the full-day and half-day booking choices. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation. Families weighing funded and paid attendance should consider the actual pattern they need, alongside the term-time calendar.

• The term-time calendar. Closure during school holidays and on bank holidays makes this a better practical match for families whose childcare needs follow school terms. Year-round work schedules require a separate holiday arrangement.
• Older children’s group times. In December 2022, staff sometimes needed to give older children more help with conversational turn-taking and listening to others. Some children also became restless while lunch tables were prepared. At a visit, ask how those parts of the day now keep older children involved.
• Your child’s first weeks and costs. The December 2022 settling approach included at least three introductory sessions. When discussing a start, ask how settling would work for your child and request a written breakdown covering their attendance pattern, lunch and consumables, including any funded hours.

Welbourn Gardens suits families seeking either full-day or half-day nursery attendance during term time. Its single-level setting and play-led approach give the offer a straightforward character, while the December 2022 examples of storytelling, practical number work and self-care show what learning looked like in action.

The decision turns on the calendar and the fit for the individual child. For older preschool children, conversation in groups and the quieter intervals between activities deserve attention alongside the more engaging parts of the day.