East Leake Day Nursery

Animals and woodland gave East Leake Day Nursery a clear character in February 2022: children learnt about caring for farm animals, recognised birds and made insect houses. Nature supplied real things to investigate and talk about.

At its February 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The setting now accepts children from one month to five years and has capacity for 155 children in total. Its address is Castle Hill, East Leake, Loughborough, LE12 6LU.

In February 2022, children visited sheep, deer and donkeys, exploring what they ate and the care they needed. Woodland forest school sessions, involving practical exploration of nature, extended that learning: children discussed hibernation and migration as well as identifying wildlife. These were experiences with substance, giving children something concrete to explain.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the February 2022 examples included staff naming objects for babies and connecting them with songs, helping early language grow through play.

Weekly music activities in February 2022 included guitar playing, movement and changes of vocal tone to hold children's attention. Story sessions also gave children choices: they voted for a book and joined familiar phrases. Participation was less consistent in some group activities, however, where quieter children needed more help to contribute.

Woodland learning in February 2022 also involved thinking about other children and the surroundings. Children could explain the need to look after friends and avoid colliding with trees. This brought consideration for others into an activity they enjoyed, alongside learning about wildlife.

Staff development in February 2022 included individual meetings, appraisals and training linked to engaging children and supporting literacy. The book choices and shared phrases described above gave that training a practical expression: children had opportunities both to influence a story session and to speak within it.

In February 2022, babies received comfort through being held and gently soothed, while younger children shared stories close to staff. Settling sessions allowed children to get to know the adults and surroundings before spending longer periods away from their parents. That made familiarity part of the starting process.

At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children learning English as an additional language were supported through pictures and words from their home languages. Communication had a practical purpose: helping children understand instructions and feel included.

Parents and staff discussed what children should learn next in February 2022, connecting learning at home with nursery activities. Daily routines were a weaker point for two-year-olds: staff did not consistently encourage the independence intended by management, including during meals.

In February 2022, safeguarding routines included questions and quizzes to refresh staff knowledge, environmental risk assessments and keypad access with doors and gates kept locked. These were concrete arrangements behind the dated safeguarding judgement, covering staff awareness as well as access to the building.

Everyday relationships in February 2022 included playful exchanges such as peek-a-boo. Staff also demonstrated polite behaviour, and children thanked others when receiving objects. Care therefore included small social exchanges as well as comfort: humour, manners and conversation formed part of ordinary interactions.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas and one week in August. Those closures matter when arranging childcare across working weeks and holidays.

In February 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation statement rather than a promise of a funded place for a particular family.

• Joining in groups. In February 2022, less-confident children sometimes struggled to contribute during group activities. On a visit, ask how practitioners help a quieter child take part.
• Independence at two. February 2022 improvement work included making everyday opportunities for independence more consistent. Ask how mealtimes now help children practise doing things for themselves.
• Planning attendance. The weekday opening window sits alongside Christmas and August closures. What booking pattern and written charge breakdown would apply to your child, including funded hours, meals and consumables?

East Leake Day Nursery merits consideration for families who value learning connected to animals and woodland. Its February 2022 account combines affectionate care with concrete experiences in nature, music and language. The same account gives parents useful points to probe: quieter children's participation and toddlers' independence. For families arranging weekday childcare across the year, the opening hours and holiday closures are practical deciding factors.