Nurture Childcare

Shoes, serving food and washing dishes made independence a practical part of nursery life at Nurture Childcare in October 2024. Even the youngest children tried to manage their own footwear, while preschool children helped clear up after meals. Everyday tasks gave children opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 15 October 2024 inspection and judged safeguarding effective. Based at M Club in Newcastle under Lyme, the setting has capacity for 60 children aged 2 to 60 months.

In October 2024, learning followed children's interests: sensory play included exploring the smells of spices, while older children discussed plant growth and life cycles. The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care; here, its inspection-era day included stories, physical play and practical tasks.

Language ran through those experiences. In October 2024, practitioners repeated simple language with babies, who responded with sounds and smiles, and children joined songs and storytelling. Children could select books to share, giving them an active role in story time.

Outdoor play that month included climbing, running and riding wheeled toys, with a slide providing opportunities to practise waiting and sharing. Children also took part in yoga and swimming away from the nursery. Pens, paint and pencils supported mark-making, alongside activities to strengthen the muscles used for writing.

In October 2024, staff comforted children as they settled and used gentle prompts to explain expectations. Tidying toys, walking indoors and treating friends kindly made those expectations concrete.

Practitioners also observed children's learning and used assessments to plan subsequent activities. In October 2024, they identified developmental gaps and worked with outside professionals on individual support plans. This provided a mechanism for responding to specific needs.

Communication that month combined conversations with parents and an online app, with opportunities for families to join trips and stay-and-play sessions. However, developmental updates did not consistently give parents enough detail to extend learning at home, and staff needed further skills to support children learning English as an additional language. These were the two improvement priorities from October 2024.

Meals and snacks formed part of the day in October 2024, alongside outdoor exercise and movement to songs.

The address is Nurture Childcare at M Club, Lyme Drive, Newcastle Road, Newcastle under Lyme, ST4 6NW. Opening hours are 6.45am to 7.15pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In October 2024, the nursery offered government-funded childcare and received additional funding for disadvantaged children.

• Developmental updates. October 2024's improvement priorities included clearer information for parents about children's learning. At a visit, ask to see how a child's next steps are now shared with home.
• Additional-language support. Staff skills in this area needed development in October 2024. Families whose children are learning English alongside another language should discuss how practitioners support that child's communication.

Nurture Childcare merits consideration for families who value practical independence, language-rich play and activities that get children moving. Its October 2024 day gave those priorities concrete expression, from children choosing stories to helping with meals. The early opening and evening closing also suit families whose routines extend beyond conventional working hours. Parent communication and additional-language support deserve careful attention alongside that appeal.