Pendle Nursery

Books, garden fruit and play that involves manageable risks give Pendle Nursery's August 2023 account its character. Children added water to sand, handled snails carefully and helped gather food from the garden. These were practical opportunities to experiment, care for living things and contribute to everyday life.

At its 9 August 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Pendle Nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The nursery is on Fountain Street in Barnoldswick, BB18 6AQ, with capacity for 115 children and an age range of 12 to 84 months. The dated experiences below describe nursery life in August 2023.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday routines support learning together. In August 2023, books connected these experiences. After hearing Goldilocks and the Three Bears, children used puppets and props to act out the story and discuss Baby Bear's feelings. Reading became something to explore through language and imaginative play.

During that month, staff extended children's comments through conversation. Larger discussions were less successful: some children became distracted when groups were too big, reducing what they gained from the activity. Group organisation mattered as much as the activity itself.

Outdoor experiences in August 2023 included tree swinging and learning about fire safety. Children also collected apples, plums and rhubarb from the garden for mealtimes. These examples connected physical exploration with responsibility and practical tasks.

In August 2023, practitioners gathered information about children before they started, while babies received comfort through singing and gentle rocking. Staff also encouraged children to share experiences from home, including holiday photographs. Familiar interests gave adults a starting point for conversation.

At the August 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator acted promptly on developmental gaps and coordinated support for children's progress involving families, external agencies and key people. That month's transition work included collaboration with local teachers and agencies to plan around individual children's needs.

Independence featured in August 2023 routines: babies attempted their own bibs and face wiping, while older children used cutlery and spread cheese on crackers. Staff development needed greater precision, however. Feedback did not consistently help individual practitioners improve, and occasional lapses in following nursery procedures remained a concern.

Pendle Nursery's address is Fountain Street, Barnoldswick, BB18 6AQ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays excluded.

In August 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise about a family's current funding arrangement.

• Group activities. In August 2023, larger discussions sometimes lost children's attention. At a visit, ask how group activities now keep each child involved.
• Staff development. More precise individual feedback was an August 2023 improvement priority, alongside consistent use of nursery procedures. Ask how these changes have been put into practice.
• Funded attendance. Funded early education formed part of the August 2023 offer. What funded attendance arrangements and additional charges would apply to your child now?

Pendle Nursery suits families who value learning through stories, outdoor exploration and growing independence. Its August 2023 examples offer a concrete picture of those experiences, supported by a Good judgement. The balance is clear: engaging individual interactions sat alongside weaker large-group organisation and a need for more targeted staff development. Those are useful points to explore alongside the current weekday opening hours.