Wind in the Willows Childcare, Longbarn

A book swap shed and a wood cabin for garden stories give Longbarn a recognisable character: reading extends beyond indoor activities and into family life. These were features of its July 2025 provision, alongside vegetable growing and hands-on outdoor play.

Wind in the Willows Childcare, Longbarn has capacity for 26 children aged three months to five years in Padgate, Warrington. At its July 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The practical offer is weekday opening throughout the year.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play included opportunities to practise movement, communication and social skills.

In July 2025, children dug in a mud pit, carried soil in buckets and practised riding scooters and balance bikes. Dancing and exercise added opportunities to develop coordination. This gave physical learning several forms, from handling materials to controlling movement.

Environmental activities also connected children with their surroundings. In July 2025, they grew vegetables and harvested them, collected litter and planted flowers in the community. These were practical ways to participate in caring for shared spaces.

The book swap shed let children take reading home to their families. In July 2025, nature stories were popular, and the wood cabin provided a garden setting for listening to books. For babies, familiar rhymes and songs accompanied early practice in taking turns.

In July 2025, children readily brought adults into their play, while staff used praise to reinforce positive behaviour. Families received guidance on weaning, toilet training and child development, together with ideas for supporting learning at home. Stay-and-play sessions gave parents opportunities to join children's activities.

At the July 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified inconsistent language support and insufficiently precise feedback to help staff organise activities that sustained children's engagement. Adults sometimes moved to another question before children could answer, and missed opportunities to model words correctly. These are useful distinctions for parents: introducing vocabulary matters, but so does giving children space to use it.

The address is Fallowfield Grove, Padgate, Warrington, WA2 0QQ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year; closures include Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

In July 2025, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That describes participation at the time of the visit rather than an individual family's entitlement.

• Time to talk. Language support was an improvement priority in July 2025, including allowing children time to answer and modelling vocabulary correctly. Look for exchanges that let children finish their thoughts.
• Activities that hold attention. July 2025 findings linked some lapses in engagement to staff feedback and activity planning. How practitioners adapt an activity when children lose interest is a useful point to explore on a visit.
• Attendance arrangements. The nursery opens throughout the year between 7.30am and 6pm on weekdays. Which booking pattern would fit your child's routine and your working hours?

Longbarn merits consideration for families seeking weekday, year-round childcare who value practical outdoor experiences and reading shared with home. Its July 2025 examples give substance to that appeal: gardening, movement and books all had tangible settings and activities. The decision should also weigh the two improvement priorities, especially the consistency of adult conversation and how well planned activities retain children's attention.