Little Giggles Private Day Nursery & Preschool, Ince

A former town hall gives Little Giggles Ince its most recognisable feature: refurbished nursery and school-club space, with a separate baby garden, dedicated sleep rooms and two preschool classrooms. This is a substantial setting with different spaces for rest, younger children’s outdoor play and preschool learning.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 25 October 2023, with the same judgement across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. Creative play and growing independence were clear themes in children’s experiences at that time; outdoor learning and sharing staff expertise in communication were the areas requiring further work.

The nursery accepts children from two months to five years. Alongside nursery care, Breakfast Club and After-school Club serve children attending Britannia Bridge Primary School, giving the setting a practical role for families with children at different stages.

Rooms and Ages

Across the setting, dedicated sleep rooms provide space for rest, while a separate baby garden gives the youngest children their own outdoor area; neither facility should be confused with a measure of room size.

Preschool provision includes two large classrooms. A sensory room adds another type of space, and toilets in each room support toilet training within children’s familiar surroundings. These physical arrangements matter because the day involves care routines as well as activities.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children’s learning, development and care: in parent language, play and everyday routines help children practise communication, movement, relationships and early literacy and mathematics.

In October 2023, older children experimented with mixing paint colours and made dough spiders with spaghetti legs. Mark-making included representing their names. These were practical routes into creativity and early writing, rather than learning confined to adult-led instruction.

Books also had a clear place in the October 2023 day. Children chose reading material for themselves, anticipated familiar stories and used books to seek information. Younger children encountered numbers through songs, while older children counted and used words to describe position and quantity. The examples give parents a useful picture of learning embedded in play.

Outdoor and Community Life

A large garden provides outdoor play space. In October 2023, older children used a climbing frame and wheeled equipment, while babies practised pulling themselves upright against furniture. Movement involved different challenges for different developmental stages.

The limitation was the educational planning outdoors. In October 2023, staff were not sufficiently clear about what children should learn there, including children who learned best outside. A garden and equipment are valuable resources, but their educational use deserves as much attention as their size.

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described SEND support involving individual assessment, prompt referrals and cooperation with parents and other professionals. For families needing additional support, the useful detail is that assessment led to action beyond the nursery, rather than remaining an internal discussion.

In October 2023, practitioners learnt children’s interests and preferences to shape activities. Babies enjoyed peekaboo with adults, and children sought comfort from staff when unsettled. Familiar relationships were visible in ordinary interactions.

Independence was another recurring part of the October 2023 day: babies practised feeding themselves, children helped clear resources and older children attempted their own coats. Staff also helped children put feelings into words and respond kindly to upset friends. These small routines gave children opportunities to take responsibility and practise managing social situations.

Communication teaching needed greater consistency. In October 2023, some practitioners used electronic books that let children learning English record their voices, but training and effective techniques had not been shared sufficiently throughout the setting. This matters because a useful individual approach has greater reach when colleagues can use it too.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas; families therefore need to match those closures to their childcare arrangements.

Breakfast Club and After-school Club are offered for Britannia Bridge Primary School. The nursery describes this as a school partnership; nursery attendance does not guarantee a school place, and families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

Getting There

The address is Former Ince Town Hall, Ince Green Lane, Ince, Wigan, WN3 4RJ. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01942 821 960 or through the contact form, and nursery tours can be booked.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, with eligible families potentially able to use up to 30 hours of free childcare per week. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

• Outdoor teaching. The October 2023 improvement point concerned what children learn outdoors. During a tour, ask how staff now plan garden activities for children who learn best outside.
• Communication across rooms. In October 2023, effective language techniques were not shared consistently. Ask for examples of how practitioners exchange ideas and use them with children at different stages.
• Your child’s daily arrangement. The building includes dedicated sleep rooms and a separate baby garden. Ask how settling, sleep and movement between rooms would work for your child.
• The funded-hours quotation. Funding can contribute to childcare costs. Ask for one written breakdown covering the attendance pattern, private hours, meals and non-food consumables so the whole arrangement is clear before joining.

Little Giggles Ince suits families seeking nursery care in a building with separate spaces for babies, rest and preschool activity, and families using Breakfast Club or After-school Club alongside Britannia Bridge Primary School. The October 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, supported by concrete examples of creative play and independence. Outdoor teaching and consistency in communication practice remain the most useful subjects for a visit discussion.