The Wendy House Nursery

Colour experiments with pipettes and balancing beams gave learning a practical shape in July 2021, when Ofsted rated The Wendy House Nursery Good. Children explored, talked and tested ideas, with everyday routines also giving them opportunities to practise independence.

The nursery has capacity for 58 children aged 3 to 60 months at The Edge, Riveredge, Wigan WN3 5AB. The strongest reasons to consider it lie in the detail of that dated assessment: close key-person relationships, language-rich activities and children learning to cooperate. There were also clear teaching improvements to make.

In July 2021, the early years foundation stage took concrete form through stories, colour mixing, mathematical activities and physical play. Babies listened to familiar books and copied animal sounds, while pipettes gave children a way to explore how colours changed. These examples connect language and investigation to things children could handle and discuss.

Within the pre-school room, questions encouraged mathematical vocabulary, problem-solving and fresh ideas. The toddler room had a less consistent picture: some activities needed better planning around what individual children should learn next. Learning sequences across the nursery also needed attention, alongside the time younger children were given to answer questions.

Outdoor beams provided a physical challenge in July 2021, with children practising balance and persisting with the task. Children also selected play resources themselves. The combination gave them opportunities to make choices and tackle something demanding.

At the July 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described children developing secure relationships with their key person. Staff discussed children's preferences with parents, helping new children and babies settle; this made information from home part of the settling process.

During July 2021, staff explained toothbrushing and how food choices could affect teeth, while children practised washing their hands independently. Older children served themselves snacks and fetched water. Care routines therefore included manageable tasks children could take on themselves.

The golden rules gave behaviour a shared reference point in July 2021: children reminded one another to speak quietly, walk and treat friends kindly. Circle time allowed them to discuss feelings. Staff also shared learning updates with parents, giving families information to support activities at home.

The address is The Edge, Riveredge, Wigan WN3 5AB. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holiday closures. That weekday window is useful for families planning care around work, while the closures need to fit their childcare arrangements.

• Toddler learning. In July 2021, some toddler activities needed closer attention to children's next learning steps. On a visit, ask how an activity is adapted for an individual toddler.
• Time to answer. Questioning practice needed improvement in July 2021 because younger children were sometimes moved on too quickly. Allowing a child time to respond is a useful detail to look for during staff interactions.

The Wendy House Nursery suits families seeking weekday care across the year who value key-person relationships and practical learning experiences. Its July 2021 assessment offers specific strengths in children's daily experiences, balanced by weaknesses in learning sequences and questioning. For parents of toddlers, how staff plan the next step in learning deserves particular attention.