Ashleigh Nursery School

Three gardens, two outdoor classrooms and outings inspired by Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve and Longton Library give Ashleigh Nursery School a clear connection to its surroundings. Outdoor clothing is supplied for changing weather, so exploring outside is built into the nursery day rather than reserved for sunny afternoons. Inside, the Poppy Room, Sunshine Room and Star Room organise children's experiences by age.

At its December 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged behaviour, attitudes and routines to be a Strong standard, with Achievement, Children's welfare and wellbeing, Curriculum and teaching, Inclusion, and Leadership and governance at the Expected standard, and safeguarding standards met. These are separate judgements, rather than a single overall grade.

On Marsh Lane in Longton, Ashleigh has capacity for 72 children aged one to five. Its room descriptions span six months to four years, with quiet spaces for younger children and increasing independence for preschool children. Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings serve different family routines, while funded childcare is stretched across the year.

Rooms and Ages

The Poppy Room caters for children from six months to two years, combining natural play resources with quiet corners and changing facilities within the room; exploration and periods of calm can therefore happen in the same familiar space.

For children aged two to three, the Sunshine Room brings together art, construction, music and physical play, with storytelling in small groups giving children opportunities to practise speaking and listening.

The Star Room serves three- to four-year-olds in an open layout where children move between activity areas, combining choices such as painting and building with activities led by adults.

The progression is easy for parents to understand: younger children have spaces for comfort and exploration, toddlers have opportunities to communicate through shared play, and preschool children exercise more choice. Each room has a room leader. Staff in the Poppy Room also work with their Sunshine Room colleagues to maintain familiarity as children move on.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards for children's learning, development and care. Here, that means learning through play, observing each child's development and using those observations to plan next steps; it is the shared early-years framework, rather than an extra programme unique to Ashleigh. Written updates and conversations with parents connect those next steps with home life.

Dance classes are offered across the age groups without an additional activity charge. Yoga is also offered without an activity charge for children aged three to four, and settled Star Room children can join sessions with an in-house teacher. Each participant has a mat and blanket. This gives preschool children a separate activity involving movement, balance and moments of stillness alongside their classroom play.

In December 2025, staff used number vocabulary during activities, supported children's home languages and combined physical movement with yoga. Further development of mathematics teaching was underway. Those examples show how activities incorporated language, number vocabulary and movement.

Outdoor and Community Life

The three gardens and two outdoor classrooms provide several spaces for outdoor learning. Fleeces, waterproof thermal suits and wellies are supplied for cold or wet conditions, with protective sun hats for brighter days. For families, that reduces the clothing needed from home and supports outdoor activity through the seasons.

Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve and Longton Library inspire local outings. Trips stay within the local area, are assessed for risk and accessibility, and require parental consent at enrolment. These experiences extend children's world beyond their classroom while keeping visits rooted in places families may already know.

Community activity also has a practical character. Christmas collections have supported Penwortham Food Bank and TippyToes BabyBank in Lostock Hall, while the annual BCRT Stamp Appeal gathers used stamped envelopes. These are concrete ways for families to contribute useful items, rather than every contribution taking the form of a cash donation.

Relationships and Communication

The nursery recommends two separate hour-long taster sessions for settling and uses an All About Me form covering a child's preferences, family and routines. The key person can use that information to understand the child before attendance becomes familiar. Parents can also speak with the room leader about concerns ahead of a taster session.

Communication has several routes. Written reports and informal conversations sit alongside a Learning Journey containing observations, photographs and comments about development. An annual parents' evening provides time with the key person, and longer conversations can be arranged by telephone or email at other times. Parents therefore have opportunities to discuss both everyday routines and the next stage of learning.

In December 2025, children practised everyday independence by washing their hands, using the toilet and serving food. Staff responded to signs of hunger and tiredness and helped children work through disagreements. These routines made care tasks and social experiences part of the day, rather than treating learning as something that happened only during planned activities.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that staff adapted teaching for children's needs and worked with parents and other professionals, but identified inconsistent communication with other early-years settings as a weakness that could affect continuity of care and learning. That concern matters especially when a child attends more than one setting or has recently moved nursery.

The SEND arrangements include a SENCO, discussion with parents when a need is identified, and Individual Targeted Learning Plans. Parents contribute to reviews, while the key person and SENCO oversee targets and next steps. Advice from an inclusion teacher can be sought with parental permission. This gives families a defined process for discussing support rather than a broad promise about meeting every need.

Ground-level wheelchair access and an accessible toilet are available in the two-level church building. Support beyond the nursery's ordinary provision depends on the child's needs, staffing and external funding; additional support is not guaranteed. Families with specific mobility or care requirements should use the visit discussion to explore the arrangements their child would need.

Rest is flexible: children can sleep when needed, with lunchtime a common rest period in the Poppy and Sunshine Rooms. Children have individual bedding, and staff record sleep duration. The Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme includes a comfortable place where parents can breastfeed during the day.

All team members hold full paediatric first-aid training, and four designated safeguarding lead officers are in place. Authorised collection uses a password system. These are practical arrangements for care and collection; the dated safeguarding judgement belongs to the inspection.

Sessions and Attendance

Ashleigh is at Marsh Lane, Longton, Preston, PR4 5ZJ. Enquiries can be made by phone, email or the contact form, and enrolment requires a completed form and a deposit credited against the first invoice.

Bookings include a full day from 7.45am to 5.30pm, a morning from 7.45am to 12.30pm, and an afternoon from 1.30pm to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas; term-time-only places are not offered. The gap between morning and afternoon sessions matters when planning a shorter day.

Changing or cancelling a booking requires one month's written notice. Ad hoc session swaps are not offered. These terms favour a regular attendance pattern, so families whose working days change frequently need to weigh the booking rules alongside the choice of shorter sessions.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15 hour offer and 30 hour offer. Eligible working parents can use the extended entitlement from nine months to school age, with Ashleigh stretching funding across its 51-week year: the two offers provide 11.17 and 22.35 funded hours per week respectively. Parents sign a funding agreement, and hours beyond the daily funded allocation are charged separately.

Breakfast, snacks and cooked lunch are charged separately, including alongside funded hours; water, cow's milk and specified dietary alternatives are free, while nappies, wipes and the listed sun cream and care consumables carry no separate charge. The in-house kitchen prepares food using a rotating monthly menu, and the dietary policy accommodates individual requirements, with packed lunches allowed only for a specific individual reason.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The funding and charges page sets out the funding arrangements and links to the charge structure. Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare payments are accepted.

School preparation includes work with local primary schools during the summer terms and transition reports shared with parents and the receiving school. That is preparation and information sharing, rather than an admissions benefit.

• Starting age and younger-child care. The Poppy Room description begins at six months, while the whole-setting age range is one to five. For a child under one, confirm the starting-age arrangements and discuss how their feeding and sleep routines would be accommodated.
• Star Room refurbishment. In May 2026, roofing and interior renovation work was announced, with a temporary move of the Star Room into the church planned during the work. During a visit, confirm which space preschool children are using and how its activity areas are arranged.
• Care across settings. December 2025 brought a recommendation to strengthen communication with other early-years providers. If your child splits attendance or is transferring, discuss who will exchange their routines, support plans and learning information.
• Food and booking costs. Meals and snacks have separate charges, and changes to bookings require a month's written notice. Allergy-affected families should confirm current meal arrangements; all families should obtain a written quotation covering their attendance pattern and the treatment of bank-holiday charges.

Ashleigh suits families looking for full-day attendance or a regular morning or afternoon pattern, with year-round provision rather than term-time-only care. Its appeal lies in the practical detail: outdoor classrooms and supplied weather clothing, local outings, room-by-room progression, and a key-person system with several routes for parent discussion.

The December 2025 judgements give behaviour and routines greater weight than a general claim of excellence would. The communication concern also deserves attention for children attending another setting. For families comfortable with the booking terms and separate food charges, Ashleigh offers a clearly organised combination of play, outdoor activity and preparation for the move to school.