Oldham nursery called 'homely' graded 'good' by Ofsted

Medlock Day Nursery in Shree Swaminarayan Temple on Lee Street registered in January this year to provide full day care for babies and toddlers.

The new premises comes as Medlock Day Nursery Ltd's prior setting, under the same name on Ashton Road, closed last year after Ofsted said it required improvement in a damning report published in September - and after two 'significant incidents' were raised in April and October 2022.

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Now, the nursery appears to have turned over a new leaf as inspector Luke Heaney described the provision as a "homely environment" where "children feel safe and secure" after his visit in May this year.

Mr Heaney said the children are "eager" to explore and that "play fills the air of this vibrant setting".

Ofsted also praised the nursery's "broad" curriculum which invites children to participate in a range of activities, such as visits to the seaside, cinema and local park.

Observing the children, Mr Heaney wrote babies are "enthralled" while playing musical instruments and "giggle with delight" while looking at their reflections in mirrors while toddlers enjoy playing in water and travelling to a "magical land" in outdoor play.

They learn about space and the planets and create their own rockets, he added.

The children settle quickly in classes, develop close friendships and understand how to be a good friend.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities also receive "excellent" support with "robust" links in place which ensure the youngsters make good progress.

As for the staff, the inspector found teachers act as good role models to the youngsters and support their individuality "exceptionally well".

Meanwhile, the manager leads the setting "with passion and dedication" and continually reflects on ways to improve.

She has sought the advice of external professionals to improve staff's knowledge to provide better support to the youngsters' communication and language skills.

As a result, children use a wide range of vocabulary and have become "confident communicators". 

In addition, the inspector said staff encourage children to be "proud of who they are and where they come from" as they learn about the ways that they are unique.

They engage in discussions about being kind, understanding their own emotions and talking through their feelings.

In one example, older children told the inspector that when they are feeling sad, they hug their friends to make them feel happy.

The inspector also noted staff morale is "high" and told him that working at Medlock Day Nursery "is like being part of 'one big family'." 

Mr Heaney added: "Children have a strong sense of belonging and show positive attitudes towards their learning.

"They behave well and develop a good awareness of right and wrong."

The nursery prepares the children well for the next steps in their education as Mr Heaney found staff support them "incredibly well" for their eventual move on to school while children "excitedly spoke" about their next chapter.

While the inspector graded Medlock Day Nursery as "good" overall, he said it can make some improvements to hike the grade up even further.

This includes one area in the way lessons are taught as he found some activities "are not pitched at the right level" and some children "do not fully engage" and lose interest as a result.

New arrangements for training and coaching for staff are also yet to be fully embedded across the setting. 

While he also found the nursery teaches children about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, he said some staff are "not confident" in how to best support children's physical development, for instance by utilising the outdoor area to promote children's large muscle skills.

Medlock Day Nursery has been contacted for comment.

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk