Livesey Children's Centre

Inspection of Livesey Children's Centre Andrew Close, Blackburn, Lancashire BB2 4NT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is outstanding

Since the last inspection, what the nursery delivers has changed significantly. Leaders have precisely targeted their provision to meet the needs of local children and families. They provide exceptional support for those who need it most, successfully closing disadvantage gaps. With all children's well-being at the core of the curriculum, children are visibly happy and thriving.

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The provision is outstanding

Children arrive at nursery with big smiles and are greeted by warm and welcoming staff. The environment is expertly planned and helps children to feel safe and secure. The atmosphere is kept calm, for example, with fairy lights and gentle music playing. Staff show a deep understanding of children's individual needs and preferences, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) arrive to familiar, nurturing routines. For example, some children are supported to watch favourite bubbles or hold a special toy in their safe space. Consequently, all children are content and settle quickly, ready to start their day.

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The provision is outstanding

The curriculum is highly inclusive, ambitious and aspirational for all children. Leaders have a clear and well-informed understanding of what their children need to learn most. Staff are highly trained to provide the best care and learning support for every child. For example, all children are expertly supported to develop their communication and language skills. Specifically planned and targeted activities spark children's interest, keep them engaged and help children build on their listening and attention skills. Staff are highly focused on introducing words, helping children to learn new vocabulary and make sense of the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Relationships at all levels are exceptionally strong. Partnerships with other professionals are used to the very best effect to ensure every child and family get the support they need. Staff build nurturing relationships with their key children, built on their deep understanding of needs. The knowledge and high expectations that staff have of every individual child help them deliver highly targeted care and learning. n Excellent partnerships with parents make a real difference to the outcomes for children. Communication on arrival or collection, along with a mobile app, means that parents are extremely well informed about their children's progress and how they can contribute at home. Leaders deliver school readiness sessions, setting high expectations for pre-school children and offering support for parents. This has resulted in many children making rapid progress in their independent toileting skills. Parents highly praise the staff that help their children 'flourish'.

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need to do better?

n Support for children with SEND is a significant strength. Leaders use all available funding with great care and purpose, such as providing high-quality, specialist

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need to do better?

13 June 2025 support staff. They enable staff to identify their own training needs to be able to best support their key children. Many staff talk about the impact of their recent sensory communication training, which has helped some nonverbal children to start to express their needs and make requests. The nursery's highly inclusive approach ensures all children can engage in purposeful play. This helps them make significant gains in their learning and development. n Staff skilfully follow children's interests to ignite curiosity and deepen learning. For example, after reading 'The Gingerbread Man', children explored the smell of ginger and used scented play dough to make their own gingerbread characters. They recite familiar story phrases and discuss the story characters as they play. Children follow their own ideas and thinking. For example, they access scissors to cut a straw into small pieces, proudly explaining they are making 'nostrils'. As

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need to do better?

a result, children are becoming highly independent and confident in their play and learning. n Communication and language development is a key strength. Leaders and staff carefully plan the delivery of the curriculum to give high priority to helping children develop a love of books and stories. They inspire highly positive attitudes to reading at home and provide a well-used, accessible book-borrowing station. Carefully chosen books are precisely matched to children's developmental stages. Staff bring stories to life and make reading meaningful. For example, after reading 'Goat Goes to Playgroup', children had the opportunity to experience and care for a real goat. Talking about what they saw and did helped to inspire and build their confidence in speaking. n Leaders have established clear, consistent expectations for behaviour. Children make significant gains in their personal and social development. They learn to

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need to do better?

listen, take turns and show kindness to others. For example, children help others to access equipment and make sure their friends are safe before returning to play. They remind friends about the rules, for example when it is time to sit down for lunch after handwashing. Staff help children to understand emotions. Children use facial expressions to recognise and name their own feelings, and they begin to understand how others might be feeling too. Where children need extra support with behaviour, staff use strategies learned through specialist training and precisely assess what each child needs. This helps to ensure all children feel safe and are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY336015 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10394792 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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reference number

Telephone number 01254 507 950 Date of previous inspection 25 September 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Livesey Children's Centre registered in 2007. The nursery became part of a group of local authority maintained family hubs in June 2023. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3 to 7, including one with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.40am to 3.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The managers and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector completed a joint observation of a group time with a manager. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and learning, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to leaders about the impact of the nursery provision on children and their families. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views on the nursery provision. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

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.

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Inspection activities

13 June 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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