St Wilfrid's Nursery

Large tyres, child-built obstacle courses and outings beyond the nursery give St Wilfrid's Nursery a practical, exploratory character in its September 2024 account. This Longridge setting has capacity for 25 children. Small scale is part of its appeal, but that total is not a measure of how many children share an activity.

At the 10 September 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The priorities for further work were precise: staff understanding of the steps within learning, and giving every child distraction-free time with books.

In September 2024, children chose their own activities for substantial stretches of the day, alongside learning such as counting. The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the account included learning through play, conversation and practical tasks.

Walk Out Wednesdays and Forest Fridays were named opportunities to explore the community and wider surroundings. Together, these experiences introduced children to places of worship, cafés and parks. They brought learning beyond the nursery's immediate setting; the names alone do not establish how often each ran.

Outside, children moved large tyres and arranged blocks into obstacle courses. There was physical effort as well as invention. A book of the week supplied vocabulary and pictures to explore, although some children lacked a quiet opportunity to hear a story.

At its September 2024 inspection, Ofsted found strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including work with other agencies, speech and language assessment, and activities addressing communication delays.

In September 2024, everyday interactions also made consideration for others concrete. Staff explained sharing when children wanted magnifying glasses, encouraged gentle handling of garden creatures and discussed why friends might need different yoghurts. Handwashing, putting equipment away and displaying their drawings gave children responsibilities of their own.

Staff shared developmental information with parents. Relevant festivals and events also recognised children's cultural backgrounds, making differences part of everyday discussion.

The address is St. Wilfrids School, St. Wilfrids Terrace, Longridge, PRESTON PR3 3WQ.

In September 2024, the nursery opened on weekdays during term time, from 7.45am to 5.45pm. Children attending were aged two to four, and funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds. These are the arrangements at that date, rather than a current attendance offer.

• Learning in small steps. In September 2024, staff needed a clearer understanding of which building blocks children should learn and in what sequence. This matters for tailoring activities to each child's next step.
• Time with books. Some children experienced distractions during stories in September 2024. On a visit, ask how quieter shared reading now fits into the day.
• Attendance arrangements. The September 2024 offer combined term-time opening with funded early education. How do today's hours, accepted ages and funding arrangements compare with that position?

St Wilfrid's suits families drawn to the practical outdoor play and community exploration described in September 2024. Its September 2024 account gives those interests substance, from building obstacle courses to visiting places beyond the nursery. The Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, while the curriculum sequencing and shared-reading priorities deserve attention.