ABC 123 Day Nursery

A gradual start gives ABC 123 Day Nursery a clear practical identity: settling begins with a key person getting to know the child alongside their parent. Before the September 2026 move, Acorns was described as taking up to 9 babies. That earlier room description gives families a useful starting point for discussing care at Olympic Park.

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. The strongest practical themes were shared reading, language development and relationships with families; the improvement needed was more consistent teaching in the toddler room.

The nursery cares for babies from 3 months through to preschool children and has 67 places in total. September 2026 brought a move to 11b Olympic Park, Olympic Way, Warrington WA2 0YL. Half-day and full-day attendance are both offered, allowing families to consider different lengths of nursery day.

Rooms and Ages

The following room descriptions relate to the premises before the September 2026 move.

Acorns accommodated up to 9 babies from 3 months, with movement onwards around 12–14 months according to development and need; treasure baskets, textured books and sensory play sit alongside cots or mattresses and a kitchen for preparing bottles. That earlier room cap provides a reference point for discussing the new baby-room arrangements.

Saplings was described as taking up to 12 children between 12 months and 2 years, combining activities that encourage walking and listening with supported self-care and mat beds for daytime rest. Willows was described as accommodating up to 15 children aged 2–3, adding more organised play, toilet-training choices and rest on mat beds. These descriptions distinguish the stages by what children practise, rather than simply giving each age group a different name.

Chestnuts was described as serving children aged 3–5, with name recognition, phonics through letters and sounds, everyday choices and small responsibilities helping prepare them for Reception.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the foundation for learning and care, with play supporting children's language, physical development and growing independence. Here, books, music and practical tasks give that framework a concrete shape. Children can explore story props linked to The Gruffalo, Handa’s Surprise and The 3 Little Pigs, connecting a familiar story with something they can handle and use in play.

The pre-move lending library allowed families to borrow books to enjoy together at home, extending reading beyond nursery hours. Music includes moving to songs and experimenting with instruments to follow a beat, while stories include information books as well as fiction and books with different textures.

In June 2024, babies practised connecting a spoken word with bubbles before adults added describing words; toddlers joined actions and singing through a song box, and preschool children explored dinosaur vocabulary in a factual book. These examples show different starting points for language learning. The same visit identified uneven delivery in the toddler room: some activities did not sufficiently extend children's existing knowledge or respond to their individual learning needs.

Outdoor and Community Life

Before the move, the Sensory Garden was described as bringing food growing into children's play, with herbs, vegetables and fruit to tend and explore. Windchimes, mirrors and a bug house added different things to notice. The earlier outdoor descriptions also included a mud kitchen and sand pit, and connected growing produce with tasting it.

The preschool children's committee gives older children a part in decisions. Tiny Teacher is another decision-making activity, used in the Tweeny Room to introduce rules and democracy at a level children can understand. These are concrete ways for children to practise expressing a preference and listening to others. Outings also include a local park and library, extending experiences beyond the nursery itself.

Relationships and Communication

Settling is gradual, with a minimum of 2 sessions and further sessions according to the child and parent's needs. A booklet captures preferences and other information about the child, giving the key person a starting point for individual care. The emphasis is on familiarity before separation becomes longer.

The sequence begins with a parent spending time in the room, followed by a visit where the parent remains nearby while completing enrolment paperwork. A later visit involves an hour apart, and stages can be repeated.

In June 2024, older children approached their key person for help with activities, while younger children sought physical comfort when upset. Parents received development updates and suggestions for learning at home, and staff discussed strategies with families before a child changed rooms. Those examples make the relationship more tangible: the key person supported both practical learning and reassurance.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND received effective support through early identification, collaboration with external professionals and individual interventions, and made good progress from their starting points.

During that month, children discussed feelings through The Colour Monster and received help with sharing turns and handling disagreements. Handwashing before food and choosing fruit or vegetables at snack time also formed part of the day. These were everyday opportunities to practise recognising emotions, cooperating and making choices.

Meals are cooked from fresh ingredients, with a four-week menu adapted for summer and winter. The nursery accommodates dietary requirements, including allergies, cultural needs and preferences.

Sessions and Attendance

Half-day and full-day bookings are offered. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas, so attendance planning needs to account for those breaks as well as the length of the booked day.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone, and tours can be scheduled. The gradual settling process sits alongside enrolment, allowing families to share information with the key person before regular attendance begins. Monthly payments are due on the first day of the month by standing order, and Tax Free Childcare vouchers are accepted.

Getting There

The move from September 2026 places the nursery at 11b Olympic Park, Olympic Way, Warrington WA2 0YL.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded care includes 15 or 30 hours for eligible children aged 2, 3 and 4. Funding for two-year-olds is spread across the year. Private half-day and full-day care is also offered; families should obtain current prices and their attendance costs in the nursery's written quotation rather than treating funded hours as the whole charge structure.

Meals and snacks are included in private fees, as are nappies, wipes and formula milk, with follow-on formula excluded from that inclusion. Funded-hour places carry a separate charge for essentials and extras. The fees page sets out that distinction, which matters when comparing the cost of different attendance arrangements.

An administration charge contributes towards settling sessions and is non-refundable if the place is not taken. No deposit is taken for grant-only places.

• The move and room arrangements. September 2026 brought the change to Olympic Park. At a tour, ask how Acorns, the sleep arrangements and the outdoor spaces are organised at the new premises; those details will shape a baby's day.
• Toddler learning. In June 2024, teaching did not consistently extend what toddlers already knew. Ask how activities in Saplings and Willows are now planned around individual children and how staff review their next steps.
• Funded attendance costs. Funded-hour places have an essentials-and-extras charge, while private fees include food and several care supplies. Request a written breakdown for the attendance pattern you intend to use, including how the funded hours fit across the year.
• Dietary needs. Menus accommodate allergies and other requirements. Discuss your child's specific needs and current food-handling arrangements before agreeing attendance.

ABC 123 suits families considering either half-day or full-day attendance who value a gradual settling process. The key-person introduction gives parents a concrete point on which to judge the fit; the pre-move descriptions of Acorns' size and the lending library provide reference points for discussing arrangements at Olympic Park.

The balance is clear: the June 2024 Good judgement sits alongside a specific concern about consistency in toddler learning. The recent move also makes the organisation of the new premises an important visit topic. For families choosing care now, the most useful conversation combines their child's stage of development, the room they would join and the full cost of the intended attendance pattern.