Young Persons Centre

Shaving foam on a window, picture choices for songs and toy cars racing down homemade ramps: Young Persons Centre's January 2022 nursery day gave children concrete ways to explore and communicate. The setting is based at Westfield Community School in Wigan.

At its 28 January 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Outstanding. That judgement belongs to that visit; the examples below describe practice in January 2022.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing education and everyday wellbeing together. In January 2022, activities connected these strands through conversation, practical exploration and play.

Children chose songs using pictures, while adults prompted them to explain their thinking. A listening walk drew attention to birds and leaves, giving children sounds to recognise before tackling sounds within words. For children finding pencil grip difficult, making marks with shaving foam on a window offered another route into early writing.

Toy cars provided a different challenge. In January 2022, children experimented with ramps and tunnels, adjusted their ideas and worked together when attempts failed. The activity gave them something tangible to investigate, with adults adding resources and asking questions to extend children's thinking.

At the January 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and judged that therapist advice helped staff tailor support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enabling excellent progress.

During January 2022, emotional development included a simple breathing exercise: children imagined candles on their fingers and blew them out. Adults talked through feelings, giving children a practical response to becoming upset.

The neighbouring children's centre also supported settling in that month. Families needing extra help were introduced to family support workers, and children could attend stay-and-play sessions alongside parents or carers before starting nursery. Staff also accompanied parents to meetings with other agencies, making support extend beyond the child's nursery day.

Young Persons Centre's address is Westfield Community School, Montrose Avenue, Wigan WN5 9XN.

In January 2022, the centre provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated funding position.

School preparation was woven into familiar routines in January 2022: three-year-old children played in the school yard with older children and had lunch in the school hall. Staff worked with school teachers on transition. Families must apply separately for Reception through the local authority; nursery attendance does not secure admission.

• Settling and family support. January 2022 practice included stay-and-play preparation and links with the neighbouring children's centre. At a visit, ask how that preparation would work for your child now, including the attendance pattern and any funded-hours charges for meals or consumables.
• School familiarity. In January 2022, three-year-old nursery children played in the school yard and ate lunch in the school hall. Familiar surroundings can help preparation, but the Reception application remains a separate decision.

Young Persons Centre merits consideration by families who value practical language activities and support that connects nursery, home and other services. Its January 2022 examples make those priorities clear: picture-led choices, experiments with cars and preparation alongside parents. The Outstanding judgement provides a strong dated assessment, rather than a description of today's daily arrangements.