St Helens College Nursery and Creche

St Helens College Nursery and Creche
Unique reference number (URN): 323089
Address: St. Helens College, Brook Street, ST. HELENS, Merseyside, WA10 1PZ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 01/01/1986
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: St Helens College
Inspection report: 3 March 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
Achievement Strong standard
All children make excellent progress. This includes children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, those known to other agencies, such as children's social care, and those
who face other barriers to their learning. All staff have a thorough understanding of child
development, and they track children's progress meticulously, particularly children's speech
and language development. Children are exposed to a wealth of songs, stories and
conversations that support them to become confident communicators. This provides a
secure basis for learning in all areas.
Children of all ages develop confidence and a positive attitude towards their learning. Older
children recall previous learning as they plant carrots and remind staff that they will need
water to help them to grow. The setting consistently encourages children's independence.
Even the youngest children feed themselves, and older children manage their own self-help
skills. Children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning as they move
rooms or transfer to school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders monitor attendance and respond swiftly to any barriers to attendance that families
may face. Close partnerships with parents and carers mean that parents are confident to
approach staff if they feel that they would benefit from any support. Leaders have recently
extended their offer to ensure children can attend more frequently, and this has impacted
positively on children's progress.
Children's laughter fills the air as they access the well-planned environment. Staff use
children's interests to create experiences that capture children's engagement. Children use
the resources available to extend their learning. For example, they confidently find the
watering cans to access water to add to their planting activity. Children persevere when
things get tricky, such as when threading onto thin spaghetti. Staff adapt group sessions so
that all children can join in and enjoy these times. They use resources such as sensory toys
to help to capture all children's attention and to support high levels of engagement in
learning.
Children's behaviour is consistently positive. Staff consistently embed a calm approach and
act as good role models for the expectations that they set. They teach children how to take
turns and model this as they play with them. Children demonstrate kind behaviours as they
invite each other into their play and eagerly help each other to complete tasks, such as
opening the water butt. Staff embed consistent routines and expectations that children know
and follow. They identify children who may require extra help to follow these routines. They
provide visual cues and do not rush children, giving them time and support before moving
on to the next task. This helps all children to feel emotionally prepared for what will happen
next.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Staff prioritise building secure attachments with children. They consistently demonstrate a
caring, nurturing approach. As staff change babies' nappies, they show them the nappy then
sing as they are being changed. Staff are astute to children's varying emotions. They
understand when children may need an extra cuddle or reassurance. This helps children to
feel happy and settled in the nursery with staff who promote their wellbeing.
Children's health and wellbeing are supported impeccably. Staff teach children about the
importance of good oral health. Children recall that too much sugar can cause cavities.
Parents and carers say how this has helped children's understanding of healthy lifestyles.
For example, they tell their families that they do not want too many sweets as this is not
good for their teeth. Children enjoy the time that they spend outdoors, running and climbing.
Staff use stories well to teach children about the impact of physical exercise on their bodies.
For example, children enact roles of characters running fast outdoors. They talk to staff
about the change in their heartbeat and why this happens after running.
Children are taught from an early age the importance of following rigorous hygiene
procedures. Babies eagerly go to the sink to wash their hands after having their nappies
changed. Older children remember to wash their hands before mealtimes and after wiping
their noses. Children's wellbeing is consistently promoted by staff, and children learn about
the importance of healthy habits and choices.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders have successfully embedded an aspirational curriculum. This is well sequenced
and builds on what children already know and can do. This supports children to make
excellent progress from their starting points. Leaders are ambitious for what all children,
including those with any barriers to their learning, can achieve. Staff are extremely skilled at
implementing the curriculum. For example, they use robust assessment procedures that
allow leaders to consistently reflect on the impact the curriculum has on outcomes for all
children. They adapt teaching appropriately to support all children who face barriers to their
learning or wellbeing. Leaders have plans to develop the curriculum even further and are
clear about how to achieve this.
Staff demonstrate skilled teaching. They understand the small steps of knowledge that
children need to learn and know in what order this should happen. Staff skilfully adapt their
interactions to ensure that activities build on children's skills and knowledge over time. There
is a clear focus throughout the nursery on supporting children's personal, social and
emotional development. This helps children to settle quickly and to be ready to learn. Staff
know what they want children to learn from the experiences that they provide. They use
children's interests to spark curiosity and exploration. Children become confident in their
physical abilities as they skilfully climb and balance on play apparatus outdoors. Staff
support children to be active in their play. For example, following a story about the 'Bear
Hunt', children actively act out scenes from the book. They become immersed in their
imagination as they pretend to 'squelch' and 'stomp' through mud.
Staff seamlessly integrate mathematical learning into engaging activities that capture
children's interests. For example, staff encourage children to explore capacity during water

play and skilfully introduce the concept of time. Children competently use mathematical
language in their own play as they count and describe the size and shape of items.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders embed an inclusive, nurturing culture at this nursery. They ensure that every child is
able to learn and achieve their full potential. They make strategic decisions to ensure that
any additional funding is used to benefit children's progress greatly. Leaders understand and
prioritise their responsibilities to ensure children's individual needs are identified and
supported swiftly. For example, they ensure that children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities get early intervention and receive a bespoke step-by-step intervention
plan. Barriers to learning are reduced and children make rapid progress.
Leaders have established excellent links with parents and carers. Parents feel valued,
included and respected. Parents commend staff on their unwavering support for inclusion.
This goes beyond support for their child, as it encompasses support for the whole family.
Families benefit from support with embedding routines and agreed strategies at home.
These consistent procedures help all children to thrive and make progress alongside their
peers, including children who are known or have previously been known to children's social
care. Leaders work well with external childcare professionals to ensure that all children are
included in every aspect of nursery life. For example, staff use sign language and visual aids
and adapt the physical learning environment to ensure that it is truly inclusive.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
The established, inspirational leadership team drives consistently high standards across the
nursery. Leaders are relentless in their vision to provide every child with the very best
experience. They frequently analyse the setting's strengths and areas for improvement to
ensure the best education and care for all children, including those with any barriers to their
learning.
Leaders ensure that their vision for high expectations and excellent standards is truly
understood by all staff. They maintain a clear oversight of practice throughout the nursery
and ensure that all staff receive targeted and effective professional development
opportunities that positively impact on their knowledge and skills. Staff take pride in what
they do and are equipped to meet children's needs effectively. For example, through their
everyday interactions, they skilfully encourage children's communication skills as they pose
questions that allow children to think and respond. They introduce new concepts, such as
floating and sinking objects in water. Staff support children's language skills consistently
well. They ask them meaningful questions and introduce them to a wide range of
vocabulary.
Leaders have a clear awareness of the community and the support that is available for
parents and carers. Parents eagerly say how supported they feel through the advice and
guidance that leaders share. This has a very positive impact on children's development and
wellbeing, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

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
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming and inclusive nursery. Staff take time
to get to know children and their families and truly value children as unique individuals.
Partnerships with parents and carers are a real strength of the nursery. A deep sense of
togetherness, belonging and care is what makes this nursery so special. Children feel happy
and safe and are ready to learn.
Children thrive in the care of the experienced, consistent staff. Babies become confident and
sociable as they play alongside each other. They quickly learn the names of their friends

Inspector:
Rebecca Weston
About this setting
and build trusting relationships with staff. Babies become enthralled while exploring their
senses. They cannot contain their excitement while choosing songs to sing. Staff build on
babies' interest in singing by teaching them actions and how their voices can make different
sounds.
Older children thoroughly enjoy story time with staff. They eagerly join in and engage as
staff read in a way that excites children and supports their anticipation. Children skilfully
recall words that they have learned from the story. Staff support children to build their
language skills through purposeful conversations. All children, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, make significant progress from their individual starting
points.
Leaders understand the importance of teaching children to be proud of who they are and
where they come from. They teach children that it is okay to be different. For example, they
talk to children about different cultures and beliefs. This helps children to learn about
similarities and differences between themselves and others. Furthermore, staff take children
on trips in the local community. Children relish these experiences and eagerly recall visits to
the local library. This further supports children's understanding of their community and the
diverse world we live in.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences for all children, including those
who may face any barriers to their learning or wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, children, parents and carers.
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.

Unique reference number (URN): 323089
Address:
St. Helens College
Brook Street
ST. HELENS
Merseyside
WA10 1PZ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 01/01/1986
Registered person: St Helens College
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:45 - 17:30,Friday : 08:45 -
16:30
Local authority: St Helens
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 3 March 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
64
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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