Ashworth Nursery School: Learning Through Play and Language

A secret garden for growing vegetables, familiar stories to retell and games built around sounds give Ashworth its character. This maintained nursery school in central Blackburn educates three- and four-year-olds. Its Pre Foundation and Pre School groups have different learning priorities: the younger cohort concentrates on early developmental foundations, while children approaching primary school work across all areas of learning.

In May 2026, Ofsted judged inclusion and personal development and wellbeing to be at the Strong standard, with curriculum and teaching and achievement at the Expected standard. That combination matters: support for individual children is a strength, while teaching still has specific areas to sharpen.

Play and conversation shape learning here. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) covers children's care, development and learning; Ashworth builds its curriculum around emotional development, communication and language, and life experiences. Continuous Provision gives children opportunities to choose investigations and play, with adults adding activities that extend their interests. Development Matters also informs the curriculum.

Red Rose Phonics brings more structure. Each child has three planned phonics sessions a week with their Key Person, using games, stories and rhymes to explore sounds before progressing towards blending and segmenting. Books including Stick Man and Room on the Broom are revisited so children can join in and retell familiar stories. Each child also has a book bag and can exchange books in the nursery library, extending that familiarity at home.

Physical exploration has its place alongside language. Children describe digging in sand, making block castles and cutting and sticking. Outdoor play continues in different weather conditions. In May 2026, children were growing vegetables in the secret garden and observing caterpillars becoming butterflies. Visits to a local grocer involve choosing snacks, discussing produce, paying with coins and practising road safety. These are concrete experiences to talk about afterwards.

Teaching to strengthen. In May 2026, some children had remaining gaps, including in mathematics. Teaching did not always extend earlier learning effectively, and gaps were less clearly understood in some areas, especially for younger children. More precise assessment and consistently purposeful adult interactions were the priorities for improvement.

A Key Person connects teaching with family communication. Tapestry carries photographs, videos and observations, and parents can respond or contribute their own. Story sessions bring parents and children together approximately fortnightly in their Key Person groups, giving families a shared activity rather than just a progress update.

Support begins before a child starts. In May 2026, staff gathered information about individual needs and worked with education, health and family support professionals. Children who struggled with separation received reassurance and help to settle into play. Visual prompts supported early communication, while targeted help addressed emotional difficulties. Safeguarding standards were met. In May 2026, some children attended less regularly than they should. Leaders investigated barriers and helped families improve attendance, with positive results for individual children and groups.

Snack time doubles as practice in eating together. Options include vegetables, fruit, wholemeal toast and hummus, with water or milk to drink. Packed lunches must exclude peanuts and peanut products; children cannot exchange food, and staff cannot heat lunches. AP Smilestars adds two minutes of supervised toothbrushing daily, with an option for parents to withdraw their child. Staff trained in Louie says can also support families with toilet training.

Attending Ashworth does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate primary-school application. For the 2026 intake, the deadline was 15 January 2026, using Blackburn with Darwen's online application portal; paper applications were also obtainable from the nursery office. That deadline is past.

Preparation is separate from allocation. At the spring parent meeting, families discuss progress towards school readiness. Staff share information with primary-school colleagues, and the Key Person can suggest areas to practise at home. This helps families understand their child's next steps without implying an admissions advantage.

Universal funded education covers 15 hours over 38 weeks for three- and four-year-olds, beginning in the term following their third birthday. Working families meeting national eligibility criteria can access 30 hours, up to 1,140 hours annually. A school-fund contribution supports snacks and additional activities; contact the school for current charges.

Future families are welcome to visit, see children playing and discuss hours, vacancies or individual needs. Enquiries go to office@ashworth.blackburn.sch.uk or 01254 263312. Uniform combines green knitwear with yellow polo shirts and grey bottoms, with seasonal alternatives. Children need a warm outdoor coat and labelled clothing.