The Baby Cottage

The Baby Cottage
Unique reference number (URN): 2806840
Address: 5 Marsh Green, Wigan, WN5 0PT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 03/09/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Dalton, Cheryl
Inspection report: 15 July 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Strong standard
Expected standard
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture where every family is valued and every child
is cherished. Leaders have an excellent understanding of children's individual
circumstances. They understand how additional funding should be used to support the
needs of individual children. Leaders use a well-established graduated approach to identify,
assess and review emerging needs. Clear-assessment approaches enable staff to monitor
children's progress, identify gaps in learning and evaluate the impact of support. Leaders
are rigorous in reducing barriers to learning and wellbeing. They introduce thoughtful
adaptations, such as the use of children's home languages and visual prompts. These
strategies enable every child to participate fully.
Leaders are highly knowledgeable about supporting children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities. They work relentlessly to secure the support that children need. Leaders
seek timely advice from external professionals. They make referrals quickly when needed,
such as to the speech and language team. Leaders go above and beyond to help families
access additional support. This includes signposting families to the local family hub. Leaders
carefully plan transitions, ensuring children's needs continue to be met at the next stage of
their learning.
Leaders have a commitment to inclusion for all. Families receive practical and discreet
support, such as care packages and home-learning resources. Parents and carers speak
highly of the compassionate support they receive during times when they need it most.
Children who experience disadvantage, including children who are known to social care,
thrive at the nursery. They develop secure attachments with the nurturing staff and are
supported to have the best possible start in life.
Achievement Expected standard
Children develop the age-and-stage appropriate knowledge and skills they need for their
next stage of learning. All children make typical progress from their starting points, including
children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an
additional language and those known to children's social care.
Children develop increasing confidence in their communication and language. For example,
children who speak English as an additional language use new vocabulary, such as naming
colours during a mark-making activity. Children enjoy snuggling up with familiar adults to
share stories in the cosy book areas. They point to pictures, help to turn the pages and
listen intently.
Children develop their mathematical understanding through purposeful play. For example,
children work together to build a sandcastle outside. Children join in counting as they tap the

bucket. They are exposed to mathematical language, such as 'empty' and 'full'. Children also
remind one another to 'take turns'. These experiences help children to develop positive
relationships as they share resources and play collaboratively.
Babies develop increasing strength and coordination as they explore sensory resources.
They are supported by enthusiastic adults to pull, twist and push the buttons. Children climb
and balance over large outdoor equipment with growing confidence. Parents and carers
recognise the progress their children make. They describe the team's 'genuine excitement
and pride' when celebrating new milestones.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have established expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes. Practitioners
understand children's individual needs. They use familiar routines to help develop positive
attitudes to learning. They adapt their approaches so that children of different ages and
stages are supported to participate fully. This includes children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities, and those who experience barriers to learning. However, agreed
approaches are not consistently applied by all adults. For example, these include routines
such as transition cues, tidy-up time and reinforcing good manners. This means children do
not always receive the clear teaching of routines and expectations needed to develop their
independence and understanding of positive behaviour.
Children develop warm, trusting relationships with familiar adults. They confidently seek
reassurance when needed and receive nurturing support that helps them regulate their
emotions and feel secure. Practitioners model kindness, respect and positive interactions
with each other. This creates a calm and respectful environment where children feel safe.
Adults are positive role models, supporting children to learn how to treat others with care
and consideration. As a result, children develop positive relationships and develop their
social skills. Adults use lots of praise for positive behaviour. Children are encouraged to
share, take turns and show kindness towards others. Leaders promote the importance of
attendance. They work sensitively with families to establish routines that prepare children for
their next stage in learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children are cared for in a safe and welcoming environment. Leaders have policies and
procedures in place to support children's health, safety and care. Children are typically
supported to develop self-care routines, such as washing their hands and feeding
themselves at mealtimes. Staff generally understand their responsibilities and leaders share
key expectations with the team. However, leaders do not rigorously monitor how well these
procedures are reflected in everyday practice. As a result, some expectations are not always
reinforced in the same way. This does not consistently support children to develop long
lasting, healthy habits.
Leaders promote the importance of healthy eating with families. They actively reduce
barriers by providing a variety of nutritious snacks. Children have daily opportunities for
outdoor learning, which supports their physical health and wellbeing. Children who
experience additional barriers to wellbeing receive thoughtful support. Leaders provide care

packages, a discreet food bank and a lending library to support families and children at
home.
Children receive gentle, caring and responsive support from adults who know them well.
Practitioners provide nurturing care and encourage children to develop independence.
Personal care routines are handled sensitively. Sleep routines are carefully considered.
Babies and children rest in safe, cosy and calm spaces. This supports their wellbeing and
helps them to feel safe. Children develop secure relationships with familiar adults and seek
comfort when needed. Adults support children's emotional wellbeing through cuddles, warm
facial expressions and calm voices. As a result, children feel secure, valued and loved.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching
across the nursery. They reflect on practice and identify where improvements can be made.
The curriculum is clear across all areas of learning and development. Leaders and
practitioners know what children need to know and be able to do. Knowledge and skills are
sequenced to support children's ages and stages. Practitioners prioritise children's
communication and language. They model language, sing songs and read stories. A
borrowing library provides the opportunity for families to share book at home. Leaders are
planning on visiting the local library. These experiences develop a love for reading.
The curriculum is an entitlement for every child. Practitioners adapt their teaching effectively
to meet children's individual needs, and address barriers to learning and wellbeing, including
for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Assessment is used well to
identify gaps in learning, inform next steps and ensure that children receive appropriate
support and challenge. Practitioners provide resources that reflect different families and
cultures. However, leaders do not provide opportunities for children to learn about a wider
range of cultures, religions and traditions, beyond those currently represented in the nursery.
This means that children do not develop a secure understanding of similarities, differences
and what makes people unique.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders understand the nursery's strengths. They use self-evaluation to identify areas for
development, including sustainability across the provision. Leaders understand the needs of
the children who attend and the local community. They are ambitious for children and have
created a welcoming environment where families feel valued. Leaders have made thoughtful
and strategic decisions about the nursery's provision. They have recently focused on a
smaller age range to provide experiences that are well matched to children's ages and
stages of development. Parents speak highly of the care, communication and support they
receive. Leaders work closely with families and other professionals to ensure that children
receive the help they need. Transitions are planned carefully, with information shared
effectively to support children's next stages of learning. Leaders also place importance on
staff wellbeing. There is an open culture, where practitioners feel supported to ask questions
and seek advice.
Leaders provide opportunities for professional development and ensure that staff complete
statutory training. They have expertise in supporting children with special educational needs

and/or disabilities, enabling staff to meet children's individual needs effectively. However,
leaders do not evaluate practice sharply enough to identify the areas where professional
development will have the greatest impact. As a result, leaders do not always identify and
address smaller inconsistencies in practice. This means that children do not always benefit
from consistent high-quality practice. Leaders demonstrate the passion and commitment to
build on the nursery's many strengths and continue improving the quality of provision.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive happily and quickly settle into the warm and nurturing routines of the setting.
They enjoy a wide range of engaging experiences that spark their curiosity and build on
what they already know and can do. Children of different ages learn successfully alongside
one another. They are all included in familiar group routines. For example, they show
anticipation and excitement as they each choose nursery rhymes from a bag. Older children
develop their vocabulary by naming the pictures and enjoy singing songs. Babies dance and
babble as they join in alongside their friends. Children who experience barriers to learning or
wellbeing make excellent progress from their starting points. For example, children who
speak English as an additional language become increasingly confident communicators.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who are known to
children's social care, develop the confidence and security they need to participate fully in
daily life at the setting.
Children develop secure relationships and feel valued as individuals. They seek comfort and
reassurance when needed and receive warm, nurturing care from the adults. This results in
children feeling safe to explore and enjoy learning alongside their friends. All children are
fully included in all parts of the day. They learn to share resources and play collaboratively.
For example, children explore large pipettes in the water tray together, squeezing water into
containers. Families are welcomed as valued partners in children's learning and wellbeing.
Parents describe the staff as, 'caring, patient and attentive'.
Children flourish in this calm and caring environment. They show positive attitudes to
learning, confidently exploring new experiences and showing curiosity. Their achievements
are celebrated, encouraging them to persevere and keep trying. Children typically show
independence through everyday routines. They make choices, wash their hands with
support and explore the inviting resources. They feel safe, and are learning to regulate their
emotions through warm, nurturing interactions with familiar adults. This helps them to build
resilience and develop the confidence they need for the next stage of their learning.

Inspector:
Kathryn Walsh
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2806840
Address:
5 Marsh Green
Wigan
WN5 0PT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 03/09/2024
Registered person: Dalton, Cheryl
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00
Local authority: Wigan
Next steps
Leaders should continue to evaluate all aspects of practice and help staff to do this too, to
more thoroughly outline areas for improvement and raise the quality of practice to a
consistently higher level.
Leaders should broaden children's understanding of the wider world, ensuring children
experience a wider range of cultures, religions, traditions and family experiences beyond
those currently represented in the setting.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator
and parents during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 15 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 3
Total number of places
16
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.

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and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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