Nurtured, Chell

A rowing boat, a mud kitchen and a bug hotel give Nurtured, Chell’s compact outdoor space a recognisable character. Beyond it, walks along green urban routes, library visits and time spent with older residents connect children with the surrounding community. This is a nursery whose experiences extend beyond its own play area.

The nursery’s overall inspection grade in May 2024 was Good. The main improvement point concerned independence: some practitioners helped too quickly, reducing children’s opportunities to attempt tasks themselves. That is a useful distinction for parents weighing warm adult support against the space children need to develop their own skills.

On Biddulph Road in Chell, Stoke on Trent, the nursery has 90 places in total and accepts children from one month to 60 months. Its standard day runs from 8am to 6pm, within a longer opening window.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care. In everyday terms, learning happens through play, conversation and practical activity, rather than being separated from the rest of the day.

In May 2024, toddlers made marks with sticks and plants instead of conventional brushes, while a beehive brought in by families became a resource for exploring nature. These activities connected mark-making with exploration of nature.

Language and early mathematics also ran through play in May 2024. Practitioners introduced vocabulary about speed as toddlers sent cars down guttering, and used open questions to extend conversations with older children. Counting accompanied babies’ stirring with a spoon. The practical value was the connection between words, numbers and something children were already doing, rather than an isolated exercise.

Cookery and woodwork formed part of the learning planned from children’s starting points in May 2024. Cooking introduced health and nutrition; using tools involved coordination and controlled movement. During a supervised hammering activity, children were taught a protective hand position. These were opportunities to attempt real tasks, making the improvement point about adults allowing enough time especially relevant.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor play area is small, with a rowing boat alongside the bug hotel and mud kitchen. The resources give children several ways to use the compact space.

Walks use nearby green urban routes, and forest school activities add outdoor exploration of nature. Library visits extend experiences beyond the nursery, while intergenerational care includes singing and spending time with older people in Chell. The emphasis is on contact with the surrounding community, rather than keeping every activity within the nursery grounds.

In May 2024, children visited a local care home and participated in fundraising connected with charities and food banks. This gave community involvement a practical dimension: children encountered people of different ages and took part in activity directed towards others.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2024, home visits helped practitioners understand children’s family backgrounds and early experiences before planning their next learning steps. Staff also took time to talk about feelings when a child needed that support before joining play. These are concrete examples of care being adjusted to the child, rather than expecting every child to settle in the same way.

Room changes received attention too. In May 2024, preparation for moving from the toddler group to the larger preschool room included helping children communicate their needs. Preparation linked the move with skills children would need.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator worked with children, practitioners and external professionals to provide continuing support, and that additional funding was used effectively to address developmental gaps. Books and puppets were among the resources used to support literacy. These findings give substance to inclusion through the work undertaken and the materials chosen.

A SENDCO role also forms part of the current leadership structure. That gives families a specific role through which to discuss additional needs, while the inspection finding remains a dated assessment of practice.

In May 2024, practitioners adapted an activity by making paint with oat-based milk so children with allergies could participate. Lunchtime conversations explored where vegetables came from and connected food with growth, making meals part of the learning day as well as a social occasion.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Biddulph Road, Chell, Stoke on Trent, ST6 6SW. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; the named standard day is 8am to 6pm. The distinction matters when fitting childcare around work: the opening window and the standard booking day begin at different times.

The nursery opens for 51 weeks each year, excluding bank holidays and inset days. Those closures belong in the family calendar alongside the regular attendance pattern. Telephone enquiries go to 01782 577784, and show rounds can be booked.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2024, the nursery received funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

• Time to try independently. In May 2024, some practitioners intervened before children had enough opportunity to practise. On a show round, ask how staff balance help with time for children to attempt dressing, practical tasks and other developing skills themselves.
• A compact outdoor area. The rowing boat, bug hotel and mud kitchen provide several uses for a small space, complemented by walks and community visits. Ask how outdoor time and outings fit into the day for your child’s age group.
• The standard day and closures. The standard day begins at 8am, while the nursery opens at 7.30am, and bank holidays and inset days are excluded. Discuss how your intended booking fits those timings and the closure calendar.
• Funding and the complete quotation. Funding supported two-, three- and four-year-olds in May 2024. What would a current written quotation for your intended attendance include, covering funded hours, private hours, food and non-food consumables?

Nurtured, Chell suits families seeking a standard-day nursery with practical play and contact with the local community. The boat and nature resources give its small outdoor area character; library visits and intergenerational activity broaden the experience beyond it.

The Good judgement from May 2024 provides a dated quality assessment, with a specific improvement point about allowing children more time to work independently. That balance makes the decision concrete: the appeal lies in exploration and relationships, while the way adults support children’s own attempts deserves close attention.