Little Owls Day Nursery

Children’s changing interests shape the curriculum at Little Owls Day Nursery in Standish. Its In The Moment planning approach lets practitioners respond to what captures a child’s attention, with children and families contributing alongside staff. That makes the choice of activity part of the learning, rather than simply a timetable to follow.

At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, while identifying improvements needed in speech development and new staff’s understanding of the curriculum. This is a positive judgement with specific teaching priorities attached, rather than an unqualified endorsement of every aspect of practice.

Little Owls has capacity for 61 children, from birth to five years. Babies, toddlers and preschool children have separate named room options, and attendance includes full days, half days and full-week arrangements for term time or across the year.

Rooms and Ages

The Babies and Tinies Room serves under-twos, the Toddler Room covers ages two to three, and the Pre-school Room provides the next stage. These names give parents a clear starting point for understanding how children are grouped as they grow.

In April 2023, babies explored textured books, toddlers enjoyed listening to stories, and older children retold a bear-hunt story through play. The progression is useful: handling a book, listening to its language and recreating its events give children different ways to participate. Older children also worked dough with tools, combining creative choices with practice using their hands.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care. In April 2023, this took practical shape through stories that developed language and early literacy, dough tools that exercised physical and creative skills, and mealtime tasks that built independence. Alongside that framework, In The Moment planning follows developing interests, and the curriculum changes through contributions from staff, children and families. For parents, this means their knowledge of a child can help shape what happens at nursery.

Talking about emotions is another part of the current approach. Children are encouraged to explain their feelings and practise managing emotional situations, with adult guidance on respecting other people’s needs. This gives everyday disagreements and frustrations a place within learning, rather than treating them only as behaviour to correct.

In April 2023, a lending library let children borrow books, while take-home learning packs offered opportunities to practise skills such as finger strength. Those activities connected nursery learning with home. Rugby and swimming lessons also formed part of children’s experiences at that time; they should be read as examples from that period.

Outdoor and Community Life

A swing featured in children’s play in April 2023, with children waiting for their turn. Regular visits from residents of a local care home brought another generation into nursery activities. This was a concrete social experience: children shared activities with adults beyond their own families and the nursery team.

Photographs of children’s families, friends and homes were displayed around the setting at the same time. These photographs helped children recognise similarities and differences between their own lives and those of others.

Relationships and Communication

In April 2023, children had close relationships with staff, and a parent forum met with the team to discuss changes. The forum gave families a route to contribute to nursery decisions, alongside the learning contributions that remain part of the current curriculum approach.

Daily routines also offered opportunities for independence at that visit. Toddlers practised eating with cutlery, while preschool children helped themselves to food and took responsibility for assisting friends at lunchtime. These were practical tasks with a purpose children could understand.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described targeted support for children with SEND, including visual prompts to explain changes in routine. This judgement belongs to that inspection date.

In April 2023, picture cards helped babies and toddlers understand an approaching nappy change, and a tambourine signalled tidying up. These concrete cues made transitions easier to understand, especially for children who found changes difficult. Funding for disadvantaged children had also bought resources for listening and attention.

Speech support was less consistent. In April 2023, some staff encouraged children to speak while using a dummy, and some newer practitioners needed a stronger understanding of the curriculum. These are useful issues to explore because both affect how adults turn everyday interactions into learning.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Swimsmart House, Bradley Lane, Standish, Wigan, WN6 0XQ. Little Owls opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, throughout the year except bank holidays.

Full-day attendance runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Half days are also offered, alongside Full Week (Term Time) and Full Week (Full Time) arrangements. The distinction matters for families choosing between shorter attendance, a complete working day and a weekly pattern that follows either term time or the wider year.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01257 423 606 or by email at info@littleowls-nursery.org. The nursery’s payment terms state that refunds are not offered, so the financial commitment deserves attention before a booking is made.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, and meals for funded children carry a separate charge. In April 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four; that age-specific description belongs to that period.

Families should obtain a current written quotation covering their chosen attendance pattern and the meal charge where funded childcare applies. Keeping the childcare arrangement and its associated food charge separate makes the quotation easier to assess.

• Teaching consistency. The April 2023 priorities were to extend children’s vocabulary and help them develop correct letter sounds, alongside developing new staff’s curriculum knowledge. During a visit, ask how practitioners support clear speech and how new colleagues learn to put In The Moment planning into practice.
• Attendance and payment commitment. Full days, half days and term-time or year-round weekly patterns serve different routines, while payment terms exclude refunds. Discuss the pattern that fits your family before committing.
• Funded meals and everyday supplies. Meals are charged separately for funded children. Ask for one written breakdown covering funded attendance, meals and the nappies, wipes or other supplies your child will need.

Little Owls suits families seeking either half-day attendance or full days, with term-time and year-round weekly options adding another useful choice. Its current learning approach gives children’s interests and family contributions a clear role in curriculum planning.

The April 2023 picture combined books, practical independence and community contact with specific weaknesses in speech support and curriculum confidence. For parents, the strongest next step is to explore those teaching priorities alongside the attendance and payment arrangements. The nursery offers a recognisable approach and a useful choice of patterns; the decision rests on how well those fit your child and your family’s routine.