Kids in Bloom West Derby Nursery

A separate sleep room for babies, age-grouped play spaces and Croxteth Park nearby give Kids in Bloom West Derby Nursery a clear practical character. Its appeal rests on the way space is organised: younger children have their own rooms, outdoor areas are designed for different ages, and a breakout space allows targeted support away from the main activity.

At its October 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That judgement is dated; it should sit alongside the current room arrangements and attendance options when families weigh their choice.

Based at 19a Almonds Green in West Derby Village, Liverpool, L12 5HJ, the nursery accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. Flexible attendance for parents working shifts sits alongside breakfast, afterschool and holiday provision for school-age children. Those are different services, with different practical uses.

Rooms and Ages

The early-years accommodation is divided by age, with three rooms for children under two, two for ages two to three and two for ages three to four. Resources are selected for each room's age group. This gives families a concrete distinction to consider: the provision is organised into stages rather than one shared early-years room.

Babies have a sleep room of their own, separating rest from the spaces used for play. A multi-function room and breakout space provide somewhere for targeted support, while school-age children have an out-of-school club room. These spaces serve different purposes; the club room belongs to the older children's provision.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, learning includes play, communication and developing physical skills.

In October 2021, activities included manipulating dough to exercise the hands and using tweezers to pick up autumn leaves. Younger children explored rain outdoors, with staff introducing the difference between wet and dry. These examples show how an ordinary material or experience can become a learning activity: hand movements support later writing, while a conversation about rain introduces language linked to something a child can feel.

Story sessions needed more careful planning in October 2021. Some books were too word-heavy for the children listening, and attention drifted. Staff development also needed sharper feedback, including help to extend an activity and pose more demanding questions. These were specific improvement points, rather than a reason to reduce the nursery's educational picture to its overall grade.

Outdoor and Community Life

Age-appropriate gardens give children outdoor space at the nursery itself. Croxteth Park adds a nearby setting for woodland exploration and forest school activities, meaning activities based on learning outdoors. Minibuses are accessible daily for outings; that describes access to transport, rather than a promise of a trip every day.

In October 2021, community experiences included forest searches, physical play in a park and visits to a greengrocer. Children also took part in litter collection. The practical value lay in linking learning with real surroundings: shops, green spaces and caring for the environment became part of children's experience beyond the nursery rooms.

A dedicated baby sleep room is an important physical provision for families considering care for a very young child. Alongside the age-grouped rooms, it makes rest a separate part of the accommodation rather than simply another activity in the play space.

In October 2021, settling sessions followed children's responses, and the key-person system supported relationships as children moved between rooms. Staff exchanged information with parents to help continue learning at home. These are useful examples of how care and communication worked at that time, rather than a description of today's settling timetable.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, made good progress, with monitoring helping staff identify learning gaps. Additional funding supported communication work, including sign language taught by a visiting professional in October 2021. That was a specific intervention for children needing help with communication, rather than a general language programme for everyone.

Food and health were also part of the October 2021 picture: children received nutritious meals and discussed vegetables with staff, but handwashing messages were inconsistent. The improvement required both more dependable hygiene routines and explanations that helped children understand their purpose.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 5.50pm, and operates throughout the year except bank holidays. Flexible hours accommodate parental shift patterns. The opening window describes when the nursery operates; flexible attendance is the booking pattern.

For school-age children, KIB West Derby Breakfast Club starts at 7.50am, while the Afterschool Club ends at 5.50pm. KIB West Derby Holiday Club runs from 7.50am to 5.50pm during school holidays. These arrangements extend the offer beyond early-years childcare and may be useful to households organising care for siblings at different stages.

Transport to and from St Pauls & St Timothy’s Infant School and St Pauls Junior School forms part of the wraparound service. This is a childcare transport arrangement, not an admissions benefit or a promise of progression from nursery to either school.

Getting There

The address is 19a Almonds Green, West Derby Village, Liverpool, L12 5HJ. Direct enquiries can be made on 0151 272 1085 or by email to kidsinbloom@hotmail.com, and a contact form supports viewing bookings.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded provision includes both 15 & 30 hour funded places for eligible children aged nine months, two, three and four. Eligibility remains a condition of the offer. The nursery also participates in Tax Free Childcare, giving families another payment arrangement to consider alongside funded entitlement.

• Books and hygiene. In October 2021, story sessions sometimes lost children's attention and hygiene teaching lacked consistency. During a visit, ask how staff now match books to different ages and explain handwashing.
• Babies' daily routine. Babies have their own sleep room and three rooms serve children under two. Ask how rest and settling are organised for your child's age and usual routine.
• Shift patterns and school care. Flexible early-years hours and school-age clubs serve different needs. Discuss the proposed attendance pattern against the 5.50pm closing time and the schools covered by transport.
• Funded attendance costs. Both 15 & 30 hour funded places are offered subject to eligibility. Ask for a written quotation explaining how entitlement fits your attendance pattern and how meals and non-food consumables are handled.

Kids in Bloom West Derby Nursery suits families seeking flexible early-years attendance, as well as households needing KIB West Derby Breakfast Club, Afterschool Club or KIB West Derby Holiday Club for older children. The separate baby sleep room, age-grouped accommodation and access to Croxteth Park give the choice substance beyond an inspection label.

The October 2021 Good judgement offers a dated assessment, with clear improvement points around stories, hygiene and staff feedback. Families should weigh those points alongside the practical fit of the rooms, working hours and school transport arrangements.