Learning Curves Nursery

Daily access to covered outdoor play and shared school celebrations give Learning Curves Nursery a recognisable character, connecting outdoor activity with school life. In January 2025, learning experiences also included caring for duck eggs as they became ducklings and collecting items for a food bank. The nursery occupies the grounds of Aughton Christ Church C.E. Primary School in Aughton, near Ormskirk, and accepts children from age two until they start school.

At its January 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated Learning Curves Good, found that children made good progress and judged safeguarding effective. The important qualification concerned independence: adults sometimes completed tasks children could manage themselves. That matters in a setting preparing children for the next stage of education.

Full-day and school-day sessions sit alongside term-time funded attendance and school-age wraparound care. There is a minimum booking of two days each week.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care, with play used to build skills such as communication and physical coordination. Here, the January 2025 learning sequence included developing finger and hand control before introducing scissors. The practical value is clear: children practise the movements a task needs before tackling the task itself.

In January 2025, conversation during play introduced vocabulary connected to what children were experiencing, including cold-weather changes and textures. Stories also drew children's attention, and children handled books carefully. Language learning formed part of everyday play and storytelling.

A cold-weather experiment explored water freezing outdoors. Caring for duck eggs and seeing ducklings emerge brought animal development into children's direct experience. These examples gave children something to observe, discuss and care about; they were concrete starting points for understanding change and living things.

Outdoor and Community Life

A covered outdoor play area allows children to move freely between inside and outside each day. Shelter makes outdoor play less dependent on dry weather, giving children another space to use alongside the indoor environment.

The nursery describes a strong partnership with Aughton Christ Church C.E. Primary School, including participation in Christmas celebrations, sports days and whole-school assemblies. These are opportunities to become familiar with school life. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at the school; families still apply through the local authority.

In January 2025, community experiences included taking collected items to a food bank, a cinema visit and craft activities with local care residents. The experiences had different purposes: exploring a local venue, contributing to others and spending time with people beyond the nursery. No fixed outing schedule is implied by those examples.

Relationships with families have practical substance here. In January 2025, parent workshops and app updates gave families practical ways to support learning at home. Workshops included ideas for physical development, while updates covered children's next steps, giving parents specific activities and goals to continue beyond the nursery day.

Younger children have places to rest, and nappy-changing facilities support those still using nappies. Staff can also help with potty training. These arrangements make the move towards greater independence part of everyday care rather than a requirement children must meet before attending.

The staff structure includes a SENCO role and designated safeguarding lead roles. These provide identified responsibilities for additional needs and safeguarding; the dated inspection judgement above is the assessment of safeguarding effectiveness.

In January 2025, children prepared fruit for snacks, including cutting and peeling it. However, adults sometimes stepped in where children could act for themselves. The improvement request was therefore specific: give children more opportunities to practise independence and take responsibility.

Hot meals, refreshments and snacks form part of the nursery day. Their cost treatment depends on whether attendance is privately paid or funded, so the distinction belongs in the booking decision as well as the care arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Christ Church C of E Primary School, Long Lane, Aughton, Ormskirk, L39 5AS. Opening hours run from 8am to 6pm on weekdays. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, with bank holidays and the Christmas-to-New-Year break excluded.

A Full day runs from 8am to 6pm; a School Day runs from 8am to 3.30pm. An Extended session covers 3.30pm to 6pm and is privately paid. The two-day weekly minimum applies to nursery attendance, so families seeking occasional single-day care need to weigh that commitment.

Breakfast Club operates during term time from 8am until school begins, using the school hall. After School Club also uses the hall and serves children aged four to eleven, from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, with collection at 6pm possible by request. Baking, construction and craft are among its activities.

Enquiries can be made through the nursery's enquiry form or by telephone. Attendance at the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place at the host school; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered to eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. The entitlements include disadvantaged two-year-old funding, working-families funding for those ages and universal funding for three- and four-year-olds. Funded hours fall within 8am to 3.30pm; attendance outside that window and sessions beyond the funded allocation are privately paid.

For working-families funding, one arrangement uses four funded school-day sessions each week across 38 term-time weeks, totalling 30 weekly hours. The stretched alternative uses three sessions across 51 weeks, totalling 22.5 weekly hours. The options distribute funded hours differently across term-time or year-round attendance.

Privately paid sessions include meals, snacks and consumables. For funded school-day sessions, families can opt into or out of a separately charged meals, snacks and consumables service, covering food, drinks and items such as sun cream, wipes and nappy sacks, with contributions towards additional experiences. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees and funding page explains the attendance and charge structure.

• Independence in practice. In January 2025, adults sometimes did tasks children could complete themselves. On a visit, ask how staff now support children to manage snack preparation and other everyday responsibilities.
• A two-day commitment. Nursery attendance has a two-day weekly minimum. Compare that requirement with your intended routine, especially if you need only occasional care.
• Funded-day boundaries. Funding is allocated within 8am to 3.30pm, and the funded school-day food and consumables service is a separate opt-in charge. Distinguish your funded allocation, private extensions and chosen extras when assessing a quotation.
• School familiarity and admission. Shared celebrations and assemblies connect the nursery with its host school. Families must still make a separate Reception application through the local authority.

Learning Curves suits families choosing either a school-day nursery routine or a full-day arrangement, with term-time and stretched funding options adding useful flexibility. School-age clubs may also help families coordinate care across different ages.

Covered outdoor access, practical science and community experiences give the nursery substance beyond its timetable. The January 2025 independence concern remains the clearest point to explore: the useful question is how much children now do for themselves.