Habla Bilingual Day Nursery

Spanish belongs in the everyday play at Habla Bilingual Day Nursery in Formby. Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 12 December 2023, finding that English and Spanish ran through children's learning and that children used both languages confidently. The examples were practical: asking for water, responding to picture books and choosing a language for familiar songs. Language learning had a purpose within the day.

Based at St Luke's Church Hall on Kirklake Road, the nursery accepts children from six months to 60 months. Its bilingual character is the strongest reason to consider it, but the December 2023 account also gives families concrete detail about independence, physical play and relationships with staff. There was an improvement point too: practitioners needed to follow handwashing procedures more consistently after wiping children's noses.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines help children build communication, physical and social skills. English and Spanish add a particular language dimension to that work here.

In December 2023, babies listened to Spanish picture books and responded by repeating animal sounds. Older children could choose which language to use for nursery rhymes. A book of the month gave children familiar phrases to join in with, while written words and conversation exposed them to both languages. These examples matter more than a promise of future fluency: they show how language entered activities children already understood and enjoyed.

Choice was another part of the day at that time. Children had a say in where and how they learnt, and everyday responsibilities included helping to clear up and prepare the lunch table. For parents, that gives a useful picture of independence being practised through ordinary tasks rather than reserved for a separate activity.

Outdoor and Physical Play

December 2023 activities included equipment for babies to practise climbing and walking, alongside mark-making for toddlers to exercise their hands. Outside, obstacle courses brought climbing, balance and movement around other children together. The physical provision therefore addressed different stages of development, from early movement to coordinating actions in a shared space.

The outdoor course also gave children something to tackle together. Cooperation was part of the activity itself, with children working alongside friends rather than simply taking turns with equipment. This is a useful complement to the language emphasis: the inspection-era day included movement and practical tasks as well as books and songs.

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, good progress and well-supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with close key-person relationships and assessment helping staff identify needs early. That combination matters: recognising a difficulty is useful only if it leads to a response suited to the child.

In December 2023, staff planned together around individual needs, and communication with parents helped connect children with early-intervention services. The key person was therefore part of both emotional care and the process of understanding a child's learning. Families considering bilingual care should weigh those relationships alongside the language offer.

Health routines at that time included drinking water, discussing toothbrushing and washing hands before food and after using the toilet. Consistency was the weakness: some practitioners did not wash their hands after wiping noses, creating a risk of spreading germs.

In December 2023, a nursery cook prepared meals and snacks. Food and conversations about dental care gave children practical examples of looking after their bodies.

Sessions and Attendance

Formby's opening hours are 7.30am to 5.45pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates throughout the year and closes for one week at Christmas. For working families, the closing time is an important practical boundary when planning collection; it belongs alongside the bilingual offer in the decision.

Getting There

The address is St Luke's Church Hall, Kirklake Road, Formby L37 2DB. The Formby contact number is 01704 833 039, and enquiries can be sent to hablaformby@outlook.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

In December 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. That is a dated funding position, distinct from the opening hours and the nursery's current accepted age range. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Hygiene consistency. The December 2023 improvement point concerned handwashing after wiping noses. Ask how staff now maintain that routine throughout a busy day.
• Bilingual care in practice. December 2023 examples included Spanish picture books and a choice of language for songs. On a visit, ask to see how staff bring both languages into play for your child's stage of development.
• Attendance and funding together. The Formby day ends at 5.45pm, while the December 2023 funding provision covered two-, three- and four-year-olds. What booking pattern and funded-hours charge arrangements would apply to your child?

Habla suits families who want English and Spanish to be part of early childhood activities, with books, songs and practical communication giving the bilingual idea substance. The December 2023 examples of physical play and everyday responsibilities broaden that picture beyond language alone.

Year-round opening will matter to families planning care around work. The handwashing improvement point deserves a direct conversation, and the attendance arrangement needs to fit the household as closely as the nursery's language approach fits the child.