Rosebank Day Nursery

Hens, fruit trees and an allotment give Rosebank Day Nursery's outdoor learning a practical purpose. In October 2024, children were caring for animals, growing food and exploring changes in the weather, alongside stories, conversation and physical play. This is a nursery where the natural world supplies things to do, discuss and investigate.

At its 29 October 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Rosebank Outstanding and found that its education supported strong progress, with effective safeguarding arrangements. The current nursery has capacity for 60 children, with an age range of three to 59 months, at 53 Pepper Street in Lymm, Warrington, WA13 0JG.

Montessori and Reggio Emilia principles shape the current approach, with accessible resources, child-chosen activities and open-ended materials. A library, music room and sand room give different kinds of exploration their own spaces. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation, stories and practical exploration give children opportunities to learn throughout the day. Rosebank adds Montessori principles through resources children can reach themselves, choices about activities and opportunities to work at their own pace. Independence is part of the arrangement of the environment, rather than simply an instruction to children.

Reggio Emilia takes a complementary route through children's interests and creative expression. Drawing, construction and role play sit alongside materials that can be used in different ways; questions and collaborative projects help extend an interest rather than close it down with a single answer. These are concrete teaching choices behind the names. Rosebank's curriculum also includes storytelling and drama, connecting expressive play with communication.

In October 2024, books accompanied the day rather than being confined to a single story session. Adults listened to children's contributions and introduced further vocabulary, while songs and rhymes provided other opportunities to join in. Children responded emotionally to stories, including wanting to comfort the young owls in a book. For families who value language development, this is a useful picture of how conversation and reading fitted together.

Rooms and Ages

Rosebank's library, music room and sand room provide separate settings for books, sound and sensory exploration. The curriculum also includes experiences involving movement and touch. These spaces give different activities a physical home, alongside the drawing, building and role play used in the wider approach.

Outdoor and Community Life

Three hours of outdoor activity form part of the daily curriculum, using a large garden for hands-on exploration. That makes outdoor play a substantial part of the day, rather than an occasional addition to indoor activities.

In October 2024, balancing beams and climbing walls supplied physical challenges, while vegetable growing and harvesting fruit connected movement with practical tasks. Children also tended hens and worked in the allotment. Those experiences gave conversations about seasons and weather something tangible to refer to: plants, animals and changes children could observe themselves.

Other October 2024 activities broadened the experiences available indoors. A visiting teacher introduced simple French words on a regular basis. Awe and wonder boxes contained unusual objects, symbols and lights that prompted children to ask questions. The appeal was discovery, with adults available to develop the conversation that followed.

Relationships and Communication

At the October 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the key-person arrangements supported children's development and that staff used Makaton, visual aids and picture clues to help children understand language, including those learning English as an additional language. The practical detail matters: communication support involved resources children could use, as well as spoken explanations.

In October 2024, adults gave children clear guidance about routines and safety, and helped them talk through their feelings. Snack times provided opportunities to socialise and clear away afterwards. These small daily tasks connected care with learning to take responsibility for shared spaces.

Regular updates, direct communication and family events are part of Rosebank's current relationship with parents. In October 2024, a pumpkin-carving activity connected nursery learning with home: children discussed colour, texture, size and shape, then decorated pumpkins at home before bringing them back for display. It is a concrete example of parents participating in an activity rather than simply receiving an account of it.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Rosebank offers support for children with special educational needs and disability, alongside its emphasis on individual interests and learning. Its chef prepares meals daily, with dietary restrictions taken into account; families managing a dietary need should discuss the practical arrangements during their visit.

Sessions and Attendance

Rosebank opens between 7.30am and 6pm on weekdays and operates throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. The span of the opening day is useful for parents arranging work and collection, while the year-round calendar matters for families organising care beyond school terms.

Enquiries can be made through a form that takes a proposed start date and the days required, with a choice of nursery. Rosebank also has its own registration form, and show-arounds can be booked. Its address is 53 Pepper Street, Lymm, Warrington, WA13 0JG.

Funding and Paid Extras

In October 2024, Rosebank offered government-funded childcare places. Families should obtain a current written quotation for their proposed attendance, so the arrangements they agree relate to their own booking.

• A substantial outdoor day. The curriculum includes three hours outdoors daily. At a visit, explore how garden activities and rest fit together for your child's age and routine.
• Child-led learning in practice. Montessori choices and Reggio Emilia projects are central to the approach. Seeing how accessible materials and open-ended play work together will help families judge whether the style suits their child.
• Matching care to your week. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm, with bank-holiday and Christmas closures. Ask which booking pattern fits your required days, how settling is arranged and how funded hours and any additional charges would apply to that booking.

Rosebank suits families seeking a year-round nursery with a substantial outdoor day, creative play and opportunities for children to make choices. The garden, library, music room and sand room give that approach physical substance. Its Outstanding October 2024 judgement carries weight, while the detail beneath it is more useful still: books threaded through the day, practical growing activities and communication resources tailored to children's understanding. The strongest match is a family that values independence and exploration alongside regular contact with the nursery.