Kidzrus Private Day Nursery, The Lodge

Individual baby routines and moves between rooms based on readiness give The Lodge its clearest character. This Swinton nursery combines open-plan space across two storeys with outdoor play and a purpose-built preschool facility. The practical appeal is continuity: children can progress through different stages of care while their readiness, interests and routines remain part of the decision.

At its 6 June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with teaching consistency the main improvement point. The concern was specific: during group activities, more outspoken children sometimes took attention away from quieter children. That matters when judging how well a nursery day accommodates different personalities.

The Lodge cares for children from birth to four and has 75 places in total. Its address is 45 Hospital Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 4EX.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Rooms serve children aged 0–12 months, with sensory resources and support for early movement and feeding, while individual sleep and feeding routines follow those used at home. For parents of babies, that continuity is a useful starting point: the nursery routine takes account of the child rather than expecting every baby to follow the same timetable.

The Tots Room covers 12–24 months, combining a larger space for mobile children with construction, imaginative play and a bathroom within the room to support toilet learning. The room brings physical exploration and growing independence together. Resources are accessible so that children can make choices about their play.

The Toddler Room caters for 24–36 months, emphasising relationships, confidence and independence alongside opportunities to run, jump and climb inside and outside. Movement remains part of learning at this stage, rather than something confined to an occasional activity.

Pre-School serves children aged three and over in a purpose-built facility, introducing phonics, technology and further mathematical activities as children prepare for school. Independence and choosing activities remain part of that preparation. Room moves depend on readiness rather than age alone, so the age bands describe the stages of provision rather than an automatic moving date.

Learning and Activities

The nursery follows the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's learning, development and care: play provides opportunities to practise communication, movement, social skills and new understanding. The framework is the foundation of provision, while the activities and staff interactions give it substance.

In June 2023, babies investigated paint and bubble wrap through touch. Older children worked with play dough, matching quantities to numerals before using their creations in imaginative play. These examples connect physical exploration with early mathematics: the learning happens through handling, making and talking rather than through an isolated exercise.

Dear Zoo also shaped play in June 2023. Animals and masks gave children ways to return to the story and use it in their own games. Elsewhere, children listened to a violin, discussed the instrument and tried to identify tunes; Cantonese songs extended their experience of language. These were examples of the nursery day at that time, rather than a fixed timetable of specialist sessions.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor areas support physical play across the nursery's age groups. In June 2023, an art studio and forest-school area provided space for creative exploration outside, including investigating tree bark and making chalk marks on different surfaces. Outdoor learning here included noticing texture and experimenting with materials, as well as movement.

A steep slope leading to a slide gave children a physical challenge in June 2023. Learning to manage the climb connected coordination with independence. The outdoor space therefore contributed something different from the indoor play resources.

One earlier outing gives a concrete example of learning beyond the nursery: in October 2018, preschool children visited Trattoria, a local Italian restaurant, to make pizzas and explore ingredients and flavours. It was a food-making experience in a real workplace, with instructions to follow and choices to make.

Relationships and Communication

Recognisable routines provide structure, but the day is not organised around a rigid sequence of activities. Alongside readiness-based room moves, that approach gives children familiarity while allowing their needs and interests to influence what happens next.

In June 2023, staff knew their key children, reviewed their development and used children's interests when planning activities. The practical value of a key person is that knowledge of an individual child can inform both care and learning. The Dear Zoo play was one example of an interest being carried into the nursery day.

Home-learning packs, parent information sessions and stay-and-play opportunities were part of family involvement in June 2023. They connected nursery experiences with things families could do at home. Older children also helped prepare the lunch table, while younger children practised washing their hands and pouring drinks: everyday care routines doubled as opportunities to become more independent.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including the coordinator's work with families and professionals and timely referrals. These are dated judgements, with concrete mechanisms beneath them: recognising a concern, involving parents and bringing in additional expertise.

The nursery liaises with local schools to support children as they move on. Within Pre-School, phonics, mathematical activities and opportunities to make choices contribute to preparation for that next stage. The emphasis is on familiarising children with new learning and developing independence.

For babies, sleep and feeding are planned around individual patterns. That is a different care emphasis from the preschool preparation, and an important reason to consider the room relevant to your child's stage rather than judging the whole nursery through its older children's activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. This opening window gives families a practical frame for comparing care with their working day and arranging cover during closures.

Getting There

The Lodge is at 45 Hospital Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 4EX, in a residential area on a direct route towards Manchester and Bolton. Branch enquiries can be made through its contact form or by calling 0161 728 6886.

Funding and Paid Extras

In June 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices should come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Quieter children in groups. In June 2023, confident children sometimes dominated group activities, and teaching consistency needed attention. At a visit, ask how practitioners now ensure that less vocal children participate and receive attention.
• Room moves and baby routines. Children move rooms according to readiness, and baby sleep and feeding follow individual patterns. Discuss how staff decide on a move and carry familiar routines into the next room.
• Your care pattern and quotation. The nursery opens from 7.45am to 6pm across the working week and closes for bank holidays and Christmas. Ask for a written quotation for your intended attendance, including how funded hours, meals and consumables are handled.

The Lodge suits families who value individual baby routines, readiness-based room moves and outdoor play alongside preschool preparation. Its strongest practical details sit within those stages: a bathroom in The Tots Room, physical activity for toddlers and a purpose-built preschool space.

The June 2023 Good judgement supports consideration, but the group-learning concern deserves weight. For a quieter child, participation and attention during shared activities are central to deciding whether this nursery is the right fit.