New Longton Under 5s

Woodland, village walks and bus trips give New Longton Under 5s a character that extends well beyond its rooms. Based at The Village Hall in New Longton, it makes use of the surrounding fields, brook and park, with younger children exploring locally and preschool children travelling to the library. The outdoor setting shapes the day.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good progress from their starting points. Two improvements were needed: more accurate modelling of speech sounds and words, and better organisation when children moved between activities. Those are useful points to weigh alongside the outdoor experiences and attention to independence.

Babies enrol from six months, while the overall age range extends to five years. Children move into the Tweenies at two and begin their preschool stage in the September after their third birthday. Full-day, term-time and flexible attendance give families different ways to use the setting.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Room offers songs, circle time, physical activity, pram outings around the village and woodland excursions, with surroundings adjusted to babies' developing abilities. This gives the youngest children experiences beyond indoor play while retaining activities suited to what they can manage. Sleep and bottles follow individual needs and parents' preferences.

At two, children move into 2/3 Room (Tweenies), where independence, circle time, science, literacy and maths sit alongside outings to the woodland and local play area. The emphasis shifts towards doing more for themselves and exploring the world around them. Outdoor excursions continue rather than ending when children leave the baby stage.

Pre-school begins in the September following a child's third birthday and combines preparation for school with library bus trips, village walks, forest school and a regular sports teacher. The September entry rule matters: this move follows a stage in the nursery year rather than happening immediately on a birthday. Its activities also give children reasons to practise listening, participation and independence beyond a single room.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation and everyday routines provide opportunities to practise language, early maths and social skills. The concrete experiences matter more than the framework's name. Stories can lead into making things, and objects collected outdoors can become material for counting.

In September 2025, toddlers collected leaves during a walk and used them afterwards to make a character from Stick Man. Babies explored blocks of different sizes and shapes, while older children compared quantities using toy frogs. These examples show learning connected to things children could handle and investigate, rather than confined to an adult-led explanation.

The same month's daily routines gave children opportunities to pour their own drinks and choose their play. Staff supported them when necessary while encouraging them to attempt tasks themselves. For parents, that is a practical picture of independence: small actions repeated through the day, alongside the more visible activities and outings.

Forest school is part of the preschool offer, alongside the nursery's wider use of woodland. Yoga and sports-leader activities are also offered without an extra activity charge. These additions broaden the experiences children encounter; they sit alongside the early-years framework rather than replacing it.

Outdoor and Community Life

Local surroundings are a working resource here. Children explore the brook and woods, use the park, and travel by bus to neighbouring villages. Sports day uses the surrounding fields. The benefit is variety in where learning happens, with opportunities to encounter places beyond the nursery's immediate rooms.

In September 2025, outdoor experiences included woodland paths among wild garlic, the large field and the nursery garden. That combination offered different spaces for movement and exploration. It also gives parents a more specific picture than a general promise of outdoor play.

For preschool children, community walks and library journeys sit alongside pizza parties and swing-park visits. The nursery year also includes a Christmas Show and a Graduation Ceremony in July. These occasions give the older children shared experiences and a way to mark the end of their preschool stage.

In September 2025, staff met parents before children started and gathered information about their needs. At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that staff used this information effectively, knew children well and helped them settle into close relationships with their key person. The important detail is the connection between the initial conversation and the care a child receives afterwards.

In September 2025, adults helped children practise sharing, taking turns and interacting with each other. When behaviour needed redirecting, explanations were calm and clear. These were everyday teaching moments, helping children understand what to do rather than simply stopping an unwanted action.

For babies, the stated approach to sleep and bottles allows individual routines to shape care. Nappies and wipes come from parents. That makes the initial discussion about a baby's habits useful for both comfort and practical preparation, particularly when home routines need to carry into the nursery day.

Famly provides two-way communication, with observations, progress information and photographs alongside invoices, permission forms and accident or incident reports. Bringing these together gives parents a route to follow their child's day and handle its administration. Daily conversations also formed part of parent communication in September 2025.

Staff have training in food safety, safeguarding and paediatric first aid. Nursery policies can be read on request. These are arrangements families can discuss when considering care; the dated safeguarding judgement belongs to the inspection position above.

Meals are cooked fresh each day, with dietary requirements and preferences taken into account; breakfast, snacks and lunch are offered, with fruit, milk and water also provided. Breakfast runs from opening at 7.30am until 8.30am; children and staff spend the early morning together before moving into their rooms and areas.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Village Hall, Boundary Close, New Longton, Preston, PR4 4BD. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.

Full-day care is offered across the room stages, alongside full-time, part-time and term-time attendance. Flexible hours can accommodate parents working shifts.

Enquiries are by telephone or email.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 15/30 hour funding from nine months, subject to eligibility. Funded attendance and extra private hours should be considered separately when arranging a child's pattern.

Yoga, sports-leader activities and forest school carry no additional activity charge. Bank holidays are not charged, and personal holidays are not charged when two weeks' notice is given.

Parents supply babies' nappies and wipes. That sits separately from the meals offered during the day and from the policy on activity charges. Families can therefore plan the supplies they need to bring while considering their preferred attendance pattern.

• Speech and changes between activities. In September 2025, staff needed to model words and letter sounds more accurately and organise changes in routine more effectively. During a visit, ask how these points have been addressed, especially around group activities and mealtimes.
• The preschool entry point. Children begin their preschool stage in the September after turning three. Consider how that timing fits your child's next stage, rather than expecting a move on their birthday.
• Funding and the total bill. Funding starts from nine months for eligible children, and named additional activities carry no extra charge. Ask for a written breakdown of your chosen pattern, including the treatment of meals, before committing.
• Personal holidays. The no-charge policy requires two weeks' notice. Families with changing work schedules should factor that condition into their holiday planning.

New Longton Under 5s suits families who want outdoor exploration woven into nursery life, with the woods, brook, park and library supplying concrete experiences beyond the rooms. It serves both full-day and term-time attendance, while flexible hours give shift-working parents another option.

The September 2025 picture combines a Good judgement with practical strengths in relationships, independence and learning through everyday activity. Its two improvement points deserve attention, especially the flow between routines. For families drawn to village outings and a staged move from babies through Tweenies to preschool, this is a nursery with a clear, recognisable character.