Meadow Nursery

Meadow Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2634434
Address: The Bungalow, Old Meadows Lane, BLACKPOOL, FY3 9HH
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 28/04/2021
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: MiChild Blackpool Limited
Inspection report: 22 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
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
There is a harmonious culture of respect and compassion in the nursery that begins with
leaders and permeates through the nursery to staff, children and families. Everyone belongs
and thrives in the nursery. All staff have very high expectations for children's behaviour and
attitudes. Leaders have implemented effective daily routines that allow children to feel a
sense of predictability and security. As such, children are very happy, settled and confident
in the nursery.
Children behave very well and show kindness and consideration for both their peers and
staff. Staff model positive behaviour well. They skilfully put in place strategies to help
children to manage conflict. For example, when children play together making 'smoothies',
they identify there is not enough equipment for them all. They quickly suggest they use a
sand timer to share the items fairly. Children develop empathy and cooperation skills to
support their ongoing personal and social development.
Staff skilfully support children to recognise and manage their feelings. For instance, toddlers
and staff chat about emotions, such as happiness, sadness and excitement, as they share
books. Children confidently name emotions and ask others how they feel. Leaders work in
partnership with families and professionals to support and enable all children's positive
attendance. This ensures children benefit from the entitlements they have.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing are very well supported. Children receive the care and
support they need to flourish in this nursery. This is due to the importance placed on the
warm, genuine and positive relationships that are established between staff and children.
Leaders have an impressive commitment to ensuring children's welfare and wellbeing are
continuously improved. For example, they have implemented innovative policies to support
children's health. Children who sustain a bump to the head wear a red wristband for 24
hours to indicate that they require continual monitoring, both in the nursery and at home.
Furthermore, traditional events, such as graduations, that may have caused children
anxiety, have been replaced by child-centred celebrations that meet children's wellbeing
needs much more appropriately.
Leaders have carefully reflected on the care routines. They have thoroughly considered how
they can consistently ensure safer sleeping and eating practices. The policies and
procedures are suitably robust and based on government guidance. Leaders monitor staff's
practice meticulously to ensure that policies are followed rigorously. For example, leaders
monitor staff as they place children to sleep, check them throughout their sleep time and
support their waking. Leaders provide staff with guidance and coaching to further improve
their practice.
Children are encouraged to take appropriate risks in their play and to meet trickier tasks.
Staff teach children to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs,

Expected standard
such as using the bathroom independently.
Inclusion Strong standard
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are known to
social care are very well supported. Leaders and staff have high expectations for all
children. They have embedded a culture that prioritises the early assessment of children's
needs. For instance, children who have only very recently started to attend the nursery
already have appropriate support plans in place.
Staff work very effectively with parents and carers, the local authority and other
professionals to make the right decisions for children in relation to their individual needs.
Children who have education, health and care plans in place have their learning broken
down into small steps, which is then delivered by the staff who know them well. Staff
carefully make adaptations to the activities and ensure that any barriers are removed.
Consequently, children become engaged in learning activities for a substantial period of
time. They are fully included and able to access the curriculum.
Leaders and staff use a continuous cycle of assessment, plan, do and review to ensure that
children are making progress. Leaders and staff understand that funding must be used to
ensure that children develop the skills they need to keep up with their peers. For example, in
the pre-school room, leaders have purchased safe mirrors to support children to see how
their lips, teeth and tongues move to form specific sounds to support children's language
development.
Achievement Expected standard
Typically, children make appropriate age and stage development across the areas of
learning. Children are suitably prepared for their next stages of learning, including moving to
school. For example, babies gain impressive physical dexterity as they build their hand
muscles using spray bottles and brushes to explore paint. Older children develop fine motor
control as they practise using tools. This helps children to develop foundational skills for
later writing.
The progress children make in their communication and language skills is a strength of the
setting. All children develop a range of age-appropriate vocabulary and learn to speak in
sentences. The nursery is a hive of busy conversation. Some staff consistently offer
thoughtful, well timed and valuable interactions that greatly support children's thinking and
learning. That said, this practice is not yet consistent across the whole staff team. This
means that not all of the staff's interactions with children are as effectual. Consequently,
progress is not routinely excellent.
Children are motivated to learn for themselves and seek out books. When they find
something of interest, they keenly share the information with their friends and staff. Children
develop the curiosity to learn.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged
achieve very well from their starting points. This is because they receive timely support to
help them to develop the skills needed for their futures.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have written and implemented an aspiring curriculum that is based on fundamental
child development milestones that all children must acquire to secure their future learning.
The curriculum is designed to build on what individual children know and can do. The
curriculum for younger children focuses on the prime areas of learning, such as physical
development. Staff observe the babies carefully to see what they are capable of. They
respond quickly to their needs, such as lowering activities to the floor to support their
engagement. The curriculum is sequenced carefully so that children gain knowledge and
skills progressively.
Staff know children's developmental stages well. Staff use their day-to-day interactions with
children to check what they know and can do. They focus teaching and activities on
concepts that are just ahead of children's current level of thinking, which allows them to
learn new concepts. For example, older children learn how to make a pattern with colours,
which is just beyond what they understand.
The curriculum places a focus on developing confident communicators and promoting
children's enjoyment of books, songs and rhymes. While some staff offer consistently high-
quality interactions with children, others do not have the advanced skills they need to do
this. For example, some staff do not extend children's learning as effectively as other staff
during mealtimes. The direct teaching of skills, such as using tools and equipment to peel
vegetables, helps children learn quickly. Staff teach mathematics effectively. For example,
children learn about measures as they explore weighing the carrot peel. Staff prioritise
children's physical development. They provide daily opportunities to play outside. The
enabling environment is well planned to promote children's strength and coordination.
Children develop positive attitudes to physical activity.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
There have been recent changes to the leadership team. Those responsible for the
governance of the nursery have a clear vision to provide high standards of education. Their
ethos that 'children only receive the best' is well understood. This particularly helps
disadvantaged children and those with barriers to their learning to make progress. Leaders'
high expectations of the setting are embodied in all staff's day-to-day interactions with
children. Leaders set the scene and tone for professional high-quality and meaningful
dialogue with staff, children and families.
Leaders have an effective understanding of the setting's strengths and some of the areas for
development. They take swift action to improve the setting and to ensure positive outcomes
for children. Continuing professional development is given high priority. Professional
learning activities support all staff to acquire a range of skills to help them carry out their
roles effectively. However, leaders have not fully identified the slight inconsistencies in
teaching.

Leaders are very mindful of staff's wellbeing. They consider the workload and wellbeing of
their staff. Frequent checks on staff's wellbeing ensures that they are happy and satisfied in
their work. Regular and robust supervision sessions support staff with their development
and practice.
The setting has positive and thoughtful engagement with parents and carers that supports
children's care and education at home. For example, staff help families to understand sun
safety by creating home learning packs and interactive displays.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Relationships between leaders, staff, children and families are very positive. The emotional
atmosphere of the nursery is warm and supportive. Babies receive sensitive and responsive
care. For example, staff offer individualised support, when babies need comfort as they
arrive for the day. Children feel welcomed, settled and safe in staff's care.
Children have plentiful opportunities to follow their own lines of enquiry and lead their own
learning. They play alongside their peers and engage in imaginative play in the garden.
Children are respected by staff and receive choices about what they want to do.
Consequently, children are confident to select their own resources. For example, they use
herbs as they pretend to make 'drinks' for one another. Staff carefully observe children's play
and make suggestions to develop their play and learning. For example, they teach children
new words, but do not interfere. This gives children time and space to make their own
discoveries.
Mealtimes are safely managed and provide learning opportunities for children. Staff use the
routine well to support learning. For example, the sociable mealtimes enable children to
learn how to use the correct manners. For example, children thank others for their help and
ask politely for more food.
Children benefit from a range of meaningful experiences that strengthen their understanding
of the world around them and help them to become responsible individuals. They
enthusiastically take part in activities, which help them to learn about looking after the
environment. For example, children engage in litter picking and collect items from the
nursery to recycle. These experiences promote children's understanding of sustainability
and an appreciation of the natural world.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to monitor and evaluate practice to raise teaching to a
consistently high level across all staff.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with staff, leaders, children and parents and carers 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.

Inspector:
Lois Hulley
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2634434
Address:
The Bungalow
Old Meadows Lane
BLACKPOOL
FY3 9HH
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 28/04/2021
Registered person: MiChild Blackpool Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Blackpool
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 22 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
85

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.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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