The Mericourt Nursery

The Plough, Dara & Daisy and The Elf House give The Mericourt Nursery a recognisable character: growing plants, sheltered outdoor activities and small-group play among trees. Outdoor space shapes the offer here. It gives children different places to make things, explore materials and spend time together, rather than relying on a single play area.

At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that its ambitious curriculum supported good progress. There are 58 places in total, at Mericourt on Sandyforth Lane in Lightfoot Green, Preston. Babies, Toddlers and Pre-School organise the nursery experience into stages, with different activities as children develop.

Flexible hours and term-time attendance broaden the practical choices. The strongest reason to consider Mericourt, though, is the combination of its outdoor spaces and hands-on learning, balanced against a specific inspection concern about communication support for babies and children with SEND.

Rooms and Ages

Babies (0-2 years) combines rest with books, rhymes, music and opportunities to investigate light and textures, giving the youngest children experiences they can engage with at their own pace. Toddlers (2-3 Years) emphasises making, building and exploration, with activities taking place outdoors as well as inside. Pre-School (3-5 Years) brings more structured learning and attention to social, physical and emotional development as children prepare for school.

These are developmental groups, while other spaces serve particular activities. Dara & Daisy provides sheltered outdoor rooms for handling wood, clay and other materials, alongside storytelling and songs. The Sensory Room offers a calmer setting for exploring sound, sight and touch. That variety gives the day different textures: active exploration has a place, and so does quieter time.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the foundation for learning through play, including language, physical development, relationships, early literacy and mathematics. Mericourt also uses the Birth-to-Five-Matters Framework alongside it. Activities are planned around children's interests and needs, with small-group work and individual attention connecting the framework to the child rather than treating everyone as ready for the same task.

The daily routine makes that approach concrete. Children recognise their own names during self-registration, discuss the weather and use the Mood Chart to express how they feel. A key worker plans an activity around individual interests and needs; reading, themed activities and child-chosen play occupy other parts of the day. This mixes opportunities to talk and think with time to pursue an idea independently.

The Workshop connects texture, colour, design and measurement with practical making, giving early thinking skills something tangible to work on.

In July 2024, bug hunts and painting introduced counting and number recognition, alongside work on shape, space and mathematical vocabulary.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Turf has all-weather surfaces, blackboards and opportunities for chalk games and hopscotch. The Green provides space for physical play and practising turn-taking. At The Plough, children care for plants and have access to a Green House, making growing something an ongoing responsibility rather than a single planting activity.

Among the trees, The Elf House gives small groups another place to play and learn. Outdoor construction and kitchen areas, alongside bikes, tricycles and slides, add opportunities for movement and imaginative play. Messy Play uses materials such as paint, mud and dough; food is excluded from these activities to avoid waste.

In July 2024, children grew fruit and vegetables in an allotment, followed safety rules around a campfire during forest school sessions and took part in regular dance sessions. Cultural experiences included trying saris and exploring henna patterns. Trips are planned ahead for each term, while walks sometimes form part of the nursery day. Outdoor learning therefore includes both the nursery grounds and experiences beyond them.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person, introduced when attendance begins. Dojo and Famly connect families with children's experiences and progress through updates parents can respond to.

In July 2024, familiar staff comforted babies, predictable routines helped children anticipate the day, and gradual room transitions supported continuity.

School preparation involves parents and schools, with one-to-one preschool support where needed. In July 2024, sandwich-making, serving food and personal care helped older children practise independence.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A SENDCO provides targeted support when monitoring identifies a need, and the nursery subscribes to the Lancashire SEND Partnership, which connects services with children and families. Regular safeguarding training forms part of staff arrangements. These are concrete mechanisms for support, rather than a blanket promise about every child's experience.

At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with outside agencies and trained for children's physical and medical needs, helping children with SEND make progress, but identified weaker opportunities for babies and children with SEND to hear language and practise communicating. That limitation matters alongside the positive findings: families whose children need additional language support should give it particular attention.

Meals include vegetarian, vegan and halal options, and dietary preferences, allergies and health requirements are gathered before a child starts. Naps can be taken during the day when needed. Food and rest are therefore part of the planned routine, alongside active play and quieter activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Mericourt is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm. Flexible hours can be arranged around requests. Term-time attendance follows the nursery's half-term dates; different half-term calendars cannot be accommodated. Opening hours describe the working day; flexible attendance gives families a different way to organise their child's time within the offer.

Half-term and summer holiday clubs are booked in advance through the office, with at least four weeks' notice required for holiday-club enrolment. Leaving the nursery also requires four weeks' notice. These notice periods matter for families planning school holidays or a change of childcare.

Applications begin with an enquiry form returned to the office or reception team. Mid-term starts are possible, with advance notice for transition planning and learning-record transfer.

Getting There

The address is Mericourt, Sandyforth Lane, Lightfoot Green, Preston PR4 0AL. The nursery is on the Preston Guildwheel, with access to the M55, M6 and A6, useful reference points for families weighing childcare against their regular journey.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible two-year-olds can receive up to 15 funded hours weekly, capped at 570 annually, from the term after their second birthday. Universal funding for three- and four-year-olds starts the term after their third birthday, with up to 15 hours weekly and 570 annually; eligible working families can receive up to 30 hours weekly and 1140 annually. These entitlements do not guarantee a place or attendance arrangement.

Sibling discounts are offered, while Special discounts are offered for NHS employees and Armed Forces personnel on production of valid employment ID. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The funding arrangements and any private childcare should be considered together when assessing the proposed booking.

• Language support for the youngest children. The July 2024 improvement point concerned babies and children with SEND. During a visit, ask how staff now build communication into play and routines, including support tailored to your child.
• Attendance and holiday planning. Flexible hours, term-time attendance and holiday clubs serve different needs, with four weeks' notice for holiday-club enrolment. Establish how your intended weekly pattern fits the nursery calendar.
• The complete booking cost. Funded provision and conditional discounts are part of the offer. Ask for a written breakdown covering private hours, food and non-food consumables for your proposed arrangement.
• Dietary needs. Meal choices include halal, vegetarian and vegan options, and allergy information is collected before children start. Families managing allergies should confirm the current arrangements for preparation and serving.

Mericourt suits families choosing between flexible hours and term-time attendance who value outdoor activity, practical making and a day with both individual and group experiences. The Plough and The Workshop give that preference concrete substance; key-person relationships and digital updates provide a link with home.

The July 2024 Good judgement comes with a concern about language opportunities for babies and children with SEND. Current communication support deserves close attention alongside Mericourt's outdoor spaces and practical activities.