Little Wonders Nursery and Educational Services

In November 2024, counting through movement and imaginative cooking in an outdoor mud area illustrated Little Wonders' practical, playful learning. At its November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective.

This Preston setting has capacity for 50 children aged 24 to 60 months. Its strongest inspection examples connect learning with things children can do themselves, from sharing books to helping a younger child fasten a coat.

In November 2024, children combined counting with hopping, jumping and ball play. Water, leaves and soil became ingredients for pretend cooking in the outdoor mud area. Steps and a slide offered opportunities to practise physical challenges with staff support.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the inspection examples included learning through play, stories and movement. In November 2024, children explored numbers and simple addition, while stories and rhymes introduced vocabulary. Books were also shared between children, giving them opportunities to look at pictures together.

Resources were within children's reach, supporting independent choices. However, some group activities lost children's attention, and staff questions sometimes left too little space for children to develop their own ideas. These are useful distinctions for parents: enjoyable activities and effective conversations are separate parts of the learning experience.

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the key-person approach supported emotional wellbeing and that staff supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively through family involvement, professional advice and achievable targets.

In November 2024, familiar words, signs and symbols helped children learning English communicate. A tidy-up song signalled the move outdoors, making the routine easier to follow. Older children invited less confident younger children into play and offered help with coats: everyday opportunities to practise kindness and independence.

Links with schools supported continuity when children moved on. This transition work concerned children's care and learning.

The nursery is at 50-54 Fishwick Parade, Preston, PR1 4XQ. It operates during term time, with opening hours of 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and closes for school holidays.

In November 2024, session times were also 9am to 3pm. That daytime window matters for families whose working hours extend beyond the nursery day.

• Group activities. In November 2024, some children disengaged during group learning. Ask how activities now accommodate different interests and learning needs.
• Thinking and conversation. The November 2024 improvement priorities included more purposeful questioning. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how staff encourage children to explain their ideas.
• Term-time attendance. The nursery closes for school holidays. What attendance pattern can you book within its daytime opening hours?

Little Wonders suits families seeking term-time daytime care, with a November 2024 Good judgement and concrete examples of practical learning, communication support and considerate behaviour. Outdoor play and independence-building routines were concrete strengths at the November 2024 inspection. The two teaching priorities, group organisation and questioning, deserve attention alongside those strengths.