Selwyn Nursery

A mud kitchen for toddlers, an artificial lawn for babies and teacher visits before school give Selwyn Nursery a recognisable progression from early exploration to greater independence. This small Liverpool setting has 20 places in total and caters for children from three months to five years. Its appeal lies in concrete arrangements: home routines carried into baby care, individual planning and opportunities to become familiar with the next room before moving into it.

At its November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Selwyn Good and found safeguarding effective, with children, including those with SEND, making good progress through support involving external professionals. That is a dated judgement. Two teaching priorities accompanied it: giving children more room to answer questions and improving the learning offered outdoors.

Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings provide different ways to use the nursery. The room descriptions also give families something useful to compare beyond hours: quiet book exploration for babies, open-plan play for toddlers and games that introduce preschool children to letters, names and numbers.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room serves the youngest stage, covered by the nursery’s birth-to-two room description, with a quiet space for books, soft play for movement and an outdoor artificial lawn; its activities include musical instruments, painting and exploration of water and sand. Those contrasting spaces give babies opportunities for both energetic play and quieter attention. Following home routines is part of the care arrangement, so moving into nursery need not mean replacing familiar patterns with a wholly different day.

For children aged two to three, the Toddler Room combines open-plan access to play resources with nearby bathroom facilities, while outdoor experiences include digging in the mud kitchen, growing things and climbing. Choosing resources is part of the day alongside activities led by adults. The bathroom access has a practical purpose too: toileting can be supported within the room’s everyday routine rather than treated as a separate stage of learning.

Children aged three to five use the Pre-School Room, where self-registration in the morning and afternoon, puppet stories and repeated educational games support independence, fine motor skills and familiarity with letters and numbers. School preparation takes the form of achievable daily tasks. It is grounded in play rather than a description of formal lessons.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care: here, play, conversation, movement and individual planning give those requirements a practical shape. Activities are planned around each child’s interests and stage of development. That matters because a shared activity need not mean every child is working towards the same next step.

In November 2022, books were woven into activities across the age groups, and animated storytelling held children’s attention while introducing vocabulary. Painting and experimenting with materials gave children opportunities to test ideas and solve problems. Activities became more challenging as children moved through the setting.

The same November 2022 findings give an important qualification to that picture. Adults asked questions frequently, but sometimes changed the subject before children could answer or develop a conversation. Outdoor learning also offered less support for children who preferred being outside. The issue was the quality of the learning opportunities, rather than simply whether an outdoor area existed.

Relationships and Communication

Continuity begins with information from home. The all about me booklet gathers routines, likes, dislikes, comforts and individual needs, giving staff practical details to use when caring for a child. Familiar sleep or toilet routines and a favourite comforter can therefore inform care rather than being incidental information on an enrolment form.

For children under two, a daily diary records eating, sleep and significant moments. That gives parents a concrete account of the day and a basis for conversations about changing routines. The key person is available for discussion, and parents can look through their child’s learning journey. Termly parents’ evenings add a more structured opportunity to discuss development alongside informal conversations.

Parents may telephone or call in during the day under the nursery’s open-door arrangement. This is useful for families who want communication to extend beyond a brief handover. In November 2022, staff also shared information verbally and through online updates; children were settled with the adults caring for them, and colleagues helped one another meet children’s needs.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SEND Co-ordinator role and safeguarding lead roles sit within the staff structure, and all staff have paediatric first aid training. These are practical arrangements for identifying who handles additional needs and safeguarding matters. The dated inspection judgement above provides the assessment of effectiveness.

In November 2022, staff worked with health visitors and quality improvement officers to tailor care and learning. Different languages and cultural and religious celebrations were part of nursery life. Conversations about feelings also helped children consider how their behaviour affected others, while returning resources after play made looking after the environment an everyday responsibility.

Meals and snacks are made on site, with children’s different needs taken into account. In November 2022, mealtimes allowed children to eat at an unhurried pace and enjoy being together.

Room changes are prepared for. As toddlers approach three, their key person arranges short visits to the preschool room. Before children leave for school, their future teachers are invited to play visits at nursery, allowing introductions in a setting the children already know.

Sessions and Attendance

Selwyn Nursery is at 108 Selwyn Street, Liverpool, L4 3TW. Its opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. A full-day session runs from 8am to 6pm; morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm, and afternoon sessions from 1pm to 6pm. A half-day booking therefore offers a substantial period of care rather than a short activity session.

Extra time before 8am or after 6pm requires advance booking. Bookings must be agreed with management before a place is guaranteed. Those conditions matter when planning work around care: the standard day and an arrangement outside it are separate booking decisions.

The nursery operates throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email.

Funding and Paid Extras

Private sessions and additional hours are charged separately, with current prices supplied in the nursery’s written quotation. In November 2022, funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four. That historical provision should be kept separate from a decision about a child’s current funding arrangement.

The session and prices page sets out the booking options and the advance-booking condition for care outside standard hours. The practical comparison is between the session needed and any extra time around it, rather than the nursery’s opening window alone.

Community connections include Sure Start centres and Liverpool City Council through the nursery’s childcare network. Teacher play visits support the move to school by introducing the receiving adult before the child leaves nursery; they are a transition arrangement rather than a claim about school admissions.

• Conversation and outdoor learning. In November 2022, staff needed to leave more time for children’s answers and develop learning outdoors. On a visit, ask how those two priorities now shape activities, especially if your child learns best outside.
• Funding and the complete quotation. Funded education for two-, three- and four-year-olds formed part of the November 2022 provision. Ask which current entitlement and attendance arrangement would apply to your child, and request written terms covering meals, consumables and additional hours.
• Care beyond the standard day. Time before 8am or after 6pm needs advance booking, and bookings require management agreement. Families whose working hours extend beyond the standard sessions should discuss the specific pattern they need before committing.

Selwyn suits families choosing between morning, afternoon and full-day care who value familiar routines, individual planning and a gradual move towards independence. The daily diary for younger children and short visits before room changes make that approach tangible. Its November 2022 Good judgement offers a useful assessment of quality at that point, balanced by clear priorities for adult conversation and outdoor learning. The strongest fit is a family that values a small setting and wants its child’s home routines and developing interests to inform the nursery day.