Ladybird Childcare

A private allotment with weekly visits gives Ladybird Childcare a clear outdoor thread, alongside a sheltered learning area and a handwritten record of each child's development. This Hazel Grove setting has capacity for 30 children and operates from the Scout and Guide Hut on School Street. Its character comes from practical experiences and close links between home and nursery.

Ofsted rated Ladybird Childcare Good at its 6 October 2022 inspection. The detail behind that judgement included children making choices about their play, staff bringing number language into everyday conversations, and outdoor challenges involving balance and movement. There was also an improvement priority: sharing children's next learning steps consistently across staff and making planned activities sufficiently challenging.

Flexible sessions run within a term-time opening pattern, with weekday opening hours of 8am to 4.30pm.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation and practical activity give children opportunities to develop those skills. Children can choose experiences with support from practitioners, rather than spending the whole day following adult-selected tasks. That makes their interests part of the day.

In October 2022, learning included number songs, comparisons of length and conversations about position. A clock helped children explore numbers and time, while an imaginary dinosaur expedition prompted them to invent a story aloud. These examples connect early mathematics and language to things children can do, describe and imagine.

During that same month, staff used stories, singing and work in small groups to encourage speech, and brought familiar words from children's home languages into conversations. Children also took books home to share with their families. Learning could continue beyond the setting through a concrete, shared activity.

The improvement priority matters alongside those examples. In October 2022, group activities did not consistently stretch children's thinking as far as they could, and staff needed a more consistent understanding of individual learning goals. A busy programme alone was not enough; activities needed to build deliberately on each child's development.

Outdoor and Community Life

Weekly visits to the private allotment give growing a regular place in the routine. The outdoor sheltered learning area adds another space for activity, while children can investigate their natural surroundings in different weather. Outdoor provision is part of the setting's everyday identity.

In October 2022, children grew produce in the pre-school allotment and explored where food comes from. Physical play included balancing along wooden edges of the sandpit and steering trikes around obstacles. Staff supported children to attempt manageable challenges, linking movement with decisions about risk.

In October 2022, children formed close relationships with their key person, and staff gathered information from parents about what children could already do. Families and practitioners then worked together on the next learning steps. Conversations about home life helped staff understand the child beyond the nursery day.

The Personalised learning journey brings together handwritten observations, photographs and children's artwork. For parents, this creates a tangible account of experiences and development, rather than relying only on conversations or recollection.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding arrangements effective and children well supported through settling and their move to school. Staff understood how to respond to safeguarding concerns and organised supervision around children's safety.

During October 2022, gentle reminders helped children understand expectations, including sharing resources and helping put them away. Health learning included handwashing and toothbrushing activities. These were practical routines children could take part in themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

Ladybird opens during term time, Monday to Friday, from 8am until 4.30pm. Flexible sessions are offered, with arrangements tailored to individual children through discussion with parents. The term-time calendar is a central consideration for families organising care around working hours and holidays.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 07910301022.

Getting There

The address is the Scout and Guide Hut, School Street, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK7 4RA, beside the A6; disabled access is available. The 192 bus route serves Manchester, and the setting is a 3 minute walk to Hazel Grove train Station.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 or 30 hours, within the term-time offer. There is no top-up fee or registration fee. Families should obtain a current written quotation for their proposed arrangement so that the attendance plan and any privately paid hours are clear.

• Term-time attendance. The weekday opening window ends at 4.30pm and care follows a term-time calendar. Compare that pattern with working hours and holiday arrangements before choosing sessions.
• Challenge in learning. The October 2022 improvement priority concerned shared learning goals and the effectiveness of planned activities. On a visit, ask how practitioners now communicate those goals and adapt group activities for different children.
• Starting age and funded arrangements. The age heading gives 1 to 5 years, while the funding offer extends from 9 months. For a younger child, ask which starting age applies and how meals and consumables fit into the proposed funded arrangement.

Ladybird suits families seeking flexible, term-time attendance with regular growing experiences and an outdoor element to the day. The allotment and Personalised learning journey give parents concrete features to weigh alongside the Good October 2022 judgement. Its practical limits are equally clear: the term-time calendar and 4.30pm finish need to match family routines, while the learning improvement priority deserves a focused conversation during a visit.