Holyrood Nursery Warrington

An allotment, woodland access and a dedicated Preschool building give Holyrood Nursery Warrington a clear identity: practical learning outdoors, with separate provision for children approaching school age. The Grappenhall setting combines gardening and local walks with Relax Kids, classes using relaxation and mindfulness techniques to help children understand their feelings. These are useful details for families who want movement and emotional development to sit alongside early learning.

At its 15 June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. That assessment also carried two improvement priorities: clearer directions during activities led by adults, and more effective help for staff supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Both matter when judging how an individual child will experience the day.

The nursery caters for children aged two months to five years and has 102 places in total. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions sit alongside flexible booking arrangements and a term-time option in the dedicated Preschool building.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Room (0-2 years) emphasises sensory exploration, individual attention and gentle routines, giving the youngest children a calmer setting for early discovery.

Toddler Room (2-3 years) brings together messy activities, movement and early communication in a space intended for exploration and growing independence.

Pre-School Room (3-5 years) combines early number work and phonics with creative activities and problem solving, while the dedicated Preschool building gives this stage its own physical setting.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the required framework for children's learning and care: here, its everyday expression includes talking, playing, exploring numbers and developing physical and social skills. Birth to 5 Matters is also used as a learning and development framework.

Numbers are brought into ordinary routines, while STEM Activities introduce science, technology, engineering and maths through building and solving problems. Schematic Play gives children room to pursue their own interests and explore creatively.

Relax Kids adds an explicit emotional element. Its classes introduce tools for relaxing and recognising feelings, connecting learning with the child's ability to manage an unsettled moment. Physical activity sessions also include both individual and group participation, with teamwork and social interaction built into movement.

In June 2023, children investigated fizzing mixtures using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, while babies chased bubbles as they crawled. During the same month, songs, shared stories and play gave children opportunities to communicate with their key person.

Outdoor and Community Life

The large garden contains an allotment, and children can use a mud kitchen and woodland area. Gardening has earned an RHS Gardening award level 2. Planting gives children something living to observe and care for, while the different outdoor spaces extend play beyond a single playground surface.

Local walks take place regularly, including buggy outings for the youngest children. Wellington boots and waterproof clothing stay at nursery so children can be dressed for outdoor activity across the seasons. Families should therefore expect outdoor clothing to be part of the child's normal nursery kit.

In June 2023, children planted sunflowers in the allotment and explored how plants grow. Environmental learning also included releasing butterflies and following an adopted sea turtle's location, linking animal life with discussion about ocean pollution. These were tangible ways to connect a small child's experience with a much larger world.

Fundraising has included Children In Need, a Macmillan coffee morning and sponsored toddles, alongside superhero days and garden parties.

Relationships and Communication

Free settling sessions introduce children gradually to the setting. The minimum arrangement is three sessions, with further sessions decided together with parents according to the child's needs. That gives the settling process a starting structure while allowing it to continue beyond the initial visits.

Tapestry provides electronic learning journals, with the child's keyworker adding photographs, developmental notes and updates about activities. Monthly newsletters and parent evenings provide further contact.

In June 2023, staff built familiarity with children that helped them settle, and babies attending for the first time were visibly cheerful. Parent workshops at that time covered life skills and phonics. The combination connected relationships inside the nursery with practical support for learning at home.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that support plans and referrals existed for children with SEND, but the coordinator's role needed further development and staff needed more help choosing effective strategies for individual children. This is the most consequential qualification to the positive overall judgement for families needing additional support. A plan is useful only when practitioners can put suitable approaches into daily practice.

In June 2023, The Colour Monster supported conversations about feelings, with sensory materials linked to the story. Children discussed their emotions, giving staff a concrete starting point for helping them understand an upset or frustration. Independence also featured in ordinary routines: babies fed themselves, and preschool children made play dough and served food.

Current security arrangements include controlled door access and authorised collection using a password. The nursery also works with families, external agencies and the local authority on children's additional needs.

Home-cooked food uses fruit and vegetables, with local and organic sourcing where possible; children can drink water or milk during the day. Dietary, religious and cultural requirements can be discussed with the nursery chef, and the nursery adds no extra salt or sugar.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 233 & 237 Thelwall New Road, Grappenhall, Warrington, WA4 2XT. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks of the year. The annual closures include bank holidays and a week at Christmas, so working families need to account for those breaks in their childcare arrangements.

Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions are offered, together with flexible booking patterns. Term-time attendance is an option in the dedicated Preschool building. This gives families more than one way to organise care, whether they need a shorter part of the day or attendance around the school calendar.

Reducing sessions requires a month's written notice. That makes the agreed pattern a practical commitment, especially where working hours may change. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01925 496955 or through the nursery's contact form.

Getting There

The nursery has its own car park.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is offered, alongside paid care. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, allowing families to assess their own booking pattern rather than relying on a general headline price.

Meals are included in the fee, as are nappies, wipes and formula. Free settling sessions and electronic learning journals are also part of the fee offer. These inclusions affect both the daily packing routine and how families compare the overall cost of care.

• Individual SEND support. The June 2023 improvement priority concerned staff choosing effective strategies for children's individual needs. During a visit, ask how the coordinator and your child's practitioners would turn a support plan into everyday activities.
• Directions during group activities. In June 2023, unclear explanations sometimes left children confused or unable to finish a task. Ask for an example of how adults now explain an activity and adapt instructions for children who need extra help.
• Funding and attendance together. Morning, afternoon, full-day and term-time preschool options create different booking possibilities. Before joining, request a written quotation that separates funded hours, private hours, meals and consumables for your intended pattern.
• Your child's dietary needs. The nursery caters for dietary requirements and offers discussion with its chef. Families managing an allergy or intolerance should confirm the current arrangements for their child, including how that information reaches the adults serving food.

Holyrood Nursery Warrington suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day attendance, with a further term-time option for preschool children. Its strongest practical attractions are the varied outdoor spaces, gardening, Relax Kids and a gradual settling arrangement. The fee inclusions also simplify ordinary care preparations.

The Good judgement from June 2023 provides a positive starting point, with specific reservations about instructions during activities and individual SEND strategies. For a child who needs additional support, the response to those priorities deserves as much weight as the garden or the session choice.