The Learning Mill

Pirate treasure, herb potions and water-soaked sponges give The Learning Mill's August 2024 nursery day its character: learning grew from children's interests and ordinary play. At its 13 August 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective.

Based at Newspaper House in Leek, the nursery accepts children aged 0 to 60 months. Its strongest inspection-era examples combine practical learning with growing independence, from recognising numbers on treasure coins to serving lunch.

In August 2024, children's interests helped shape activities: preschool children matched numbered coins with a treasure chest, while toddlers used pretend play to practise talking and playing together. Babies squeezed wet sponges, exercising their hands and coordination. These were concrete opportunities to learn through doing.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play supports language, movement, early mathematics and relationships. In August 2024, staff counted sand scoops alongside toddlers; preschool children experimented with herbs in water, exploring smells and using their imagination.

Books were another route into learning. During that month, children chose fiction and factual books independently or brought them to adults to share. Babies explored pages and pictures, linking animals with their sounds. Reading was something children could initiate themselves.

In August 2024, settling sessions gave staff time to learn about children before they moved into nursery life. Children sought adults for comfort as well as companionship in play. Parents contributed information about their child's interests and starting points, giving staff a basis for planning activities.

At the August 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children made good progress and that staff adjusted learning steps for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them participate.

Daily conversations and an online system connected families with staff in August 2024, including discussions about changing rooms and moving on to school. Independence also featured at meals: older children served themselves, while babies practised using spoons and cups. Home-cooked meals catered for individual needs at that time.

The address is Newspaper House, Joliffe Street, Leek, ST13 5LJ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round opening.

In August 2024, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That describes its participation at that date rather than establishing a current entitlement or attendance arrangement.

• Challenge and language. In August 2024, activities did not consistently stretch children's learning, and adults sometimes modelled vocabulary inaccurately. Staff development and more accurate language modelling were the improvement priorities; families should weigh these alongside the Good judgement.
• Your child's attendance and costs. For a place at The Learning Mill, ask how your proposed attendance would fit its year-round opening and request a written quotation separating funded hours, paid hours, meals and consumables.

The Learning Mill suits families seeking year-round childcare in Leek who value learning through play and opportunities for children to do things independently. Its August 2024 examples make those strengths tangible, especially the treasure activity, shared books and self-service meals. The balance is clear: a Good inspection judgement, with further work needed on challenge and the language adults model.