Wind in the Willows Childcare, Sefton

Growing vegetables, making soup and sharing it with a food bank gave this Bootle nursery's learning a practical community purpose in June 2023. At its 15 June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found that teaching adapted to individual needs helped children make excellent developmental progress.

Wind in the Willows Childcare, Sefton takes children from three months to five years. Its strongest inspection-era features were communication, independence and learning that extended into family life.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care: here, the June 2023 activities connected language, sensory exploration and everyday independence.

In June 2023, babies explored cereal while learning words, toddlers practised expressing choices through simple sentences, and preschool children held conversations during play. Signing across the rooms supported communication, including for children with hearing impairments. Children also chose a flag linked to a peer's home country before joining a welcome song in that language.

The Royal Horticultural Society level 5 award recognised growing skills in June 2023. The nursery had made soup with vegetables it grew and donated it to a local food bank, connecting growing activities with support for local families. At that time, children also served lunch, poured drinks and helped younger friends with hats and shoes. Ordinary routines became opportunities to practise doing things themselves.

Planning in June 2023 began with what interested each child. Practitioners understood the purpose of activities and adjusted the challenge, extending learning or making a task simpler according to the child's needs. This matters because an activity's value depends on how staff help a child take part, rather than simply on the materials offered.

Language practice also continued beyond group songs. In June 2023, staff used phrases from children's home languages during the day, helping connect familiar words with English. Songs and nursery rhymes involved adults singing alongside children. Together with the flags and welcome songs, these examples gave home languages a place in everyday nursery life.

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and SEND provision excellent, with early identification of developmental concerns and additional individual support helping children progress.

In June 2023, the key-person relationship began during settling sessions involving parents. Home learning packs extended activities beyond nursery, while the donate and rotate lending library let families borrow resources. Parent cooking classes addressed shopping for and preparing affordable meals. These were practical connections between nursery and home.

Parents' June 2023 feedback described receiving updates about their children's development. They had also recently attended a pamper night, adding a social opportunity to the learning resources and cooking support. For families, these examples show different ways of participating: discussing development, using resources at home and joining an event.

The June 2023 SEND arrangements included a coordinator and additional one-to-one help for children. The local authority had also drawn on examples of the nursery's practice for training in the area. These are concrete mechanisms to discuss alongside a child's individual needs, rather than treating a general description of support as a plan for every child.

June 2023 security arrangements included fingerprint access for staff. Practitioners had paediatric first-aid training, and safeguarding training incorporated local procedures.

In June 2023, staff knew the steps to take when they identified possible harm, including concerns involving colleagues. Recruitment included a company induction. These arrangements concerned both recognising a concern and knowing how to respond.

The address is Ronald Ross Avenue, Bootle, L30 5RH. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

In June 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise about an individual family's entitlement.

• Settling and communication. Parent involvement and signing were central to the June 2023 approach. On a visit, ask how these would support your child's first weeks and communication needs today.
• Attendance and costs. The weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Ask for a written quotation covering your intended attendance, funded hours and any meal or consumables charges.

This nursery merits consideration for families who value language development, growing activities and practical links with home. Its June 2023 examples make those priorities tangible, from signing to borrowing learning resources. The weekday opening window also suits families needing care across the working day. The learning and care examples describe practice in June 2023.