Wigan nursery's glowing report from Ofsted inspectors

Ofsted found The Wendy House Nursery, within The Edge at Wigan Pier, was “welcoming” and children arrived “happy and smiling”.

It was judged to be “good” in all areas in a recent inspection, the same grade it received during the last visit in February 2019.

Inspector Lysa Randle wrote: “Children arrive happy and smiling at this welcoming nursery. The nursery remained open for the vast majority of time during the pandemic. However, following a recent period of closure, the manager has risk assessed the play space effectively to make it safe for children to return. Parents report that this has made them feel better about the children returning.

“Staff encourage good hygiene procedures to help tackle the spread of infections. As a result, children know it is important to wash their hands and they do this independently. Caring staff make sure that children feel very secure and safe as they learn.”

She found staff spoke to parents about their children’s likes and dislikes, which helped them settle in and form attachments with their key person.

Children had “good manners”, listened “attentively” to instructions, shared toys and played together. Staff praised children, helping them to become confident learners, and supported their communication and language skills.

The inspector said: “The staff know the children well and they understand what they need to learn next. Children are curious about the world around them, especially while finding out about each other’s family and the community.”

Ofsted found staff had high expectations for children and most made adjustments in their teaching to meet their needs. They helped children to learn about staying healthy, including how to brush their teeth, and their were opportunities to play outdoors. Children showed acts of kindness towards each other and staff helped them feel proud of achievements.

Parents were pleased with the way staff kept them informed about their children’s progress and involved with life at the nursery, supporting them to continue learning at home.

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