Offerton Farm Day Nursery

In October 2023, Peppa and George, the nursery pigs, gave Offerton Farm Day Nursery a memorable connection with animals: babies copied their sounds while older children explored bugs outdoors. This Worcester setting accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 69 places in total.

At its 9 October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, made good progress through activities shaped around their needs and interests.

In October 2023, outdoor learning involved close observation and hands-on care. Children searched beneath stones and logs with magnifying glasses, matched insects to book illustrations and helped care for rabbits in the outdoor play space. Animals supplied something concrete to watch, talk about and look after.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the October 2023 activities put learning into play and everyday routines. Bicycles and balancing equipment exercised larger movements, while manipulating dough and pouring oats gave smaller hand movements practice. Table-height activities encouraged children beginning to walk to stand.

Older children also had a voice through the children's committee, which met once a term in October 2023 to discuss preferences and ideas. Helping plan fundraising events for local charities gave those conversations a practical purpose.

In October 2023, staff comforted upset children promptly and used songs and conversation during nappy changes. Care routines were opportunities for contact rather than merely tasks to finish. Staff used a visual timetable among strategies to help children manage emotions and regulate behaviour; they also taught turn-taking.

Books, rhymes and a picture song bag supported participation: children could choose songs through speech, gestures or pictures. At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted identified inconsistent support for communication and language and asked the nursery to establish recent practice changes more fully. These are important qualifications to the positive overall judgement.

During October 2023, staff shared accounts of children's days with parents and explained ways to continue learning at home. That connected nursery activities with family life.

The address is Offerton Farm, Hindlip Farm, Worcester, WR3 8SX.

In October 2023, opening hours were 7.45am to 6pm on weekdays, with year-round operation. At that time, the nursery provided funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. Those dated arrangements give context for discussing an attendance plan.

• Language support. In October 2023, staff did not consistently take opportunities to extend children's communication. Look for how adults develop conversations during play, stories and routine care.
• Consistency of practice. Changes were not fully established in October 2023. A visit can explore how supervision and feedback translate into consistent work across the nursery.
• Attendance and funding. What session pattern and funded-hours arrangement would apply to your child, including the treatment of meals and consumables?

Offerton Farm's October 2023 inspection picture will interest families drawn to animal care, outdoor exploration and opportunities for children to contribute ideas. Its October 2023 picture combines affectionate daily care with practical learning, from observing insects to exercising hands through dough and oats. The Good judgement supports that picture, while the language-support and consistency findings deserve attention when assessing whether it fits your child.