Squiggles Day Care and Activity Club

A park behind the nursery and a settling process built around a child's own routines give Squiggles its practical character. This Hagley setting combines play indoors and outdoors with a named key worker, home-cooked food and daily handovers. The emphasis is on familiar relationships and everyday experiences.

At its 14 November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Squiggles Good and found safeguarding effective, while identifying improvements needed in emotional support, group routines and the guidance senior staff give less experienced colleagues. Those points matter alongside the positive picture of children forming close relationships with staff.

Squiggles has capacity for 56 children, with a current age range of three months to five years. Full days, mornings and afternoons are offered, with separate wraparound provision serving Hagley Primary School.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play, communication, physical activity and growing independence. At Squiggles, construction, imaginative play, early mathematics, literacy and creativity give children different ways to explore those areas. Learning Journeys are shared developmental profiles to which families can contribute, connecting experiences at home with what children do at nursery.

The toddler room serves children aged two to three, with an emphasis on recognising feelings and becoming more independent. That makes everyday tasks and relationships part of learning, rather than treating development as a succession of organised activities.

A typical day moves between group activities, play chosen by children and time outdoors, with adult-led activities in the morning and afternoon. Babies and toddlers have lunch before preschool children, followed by a midday sleep period. Afternoon play allows movement between the inside and outside spaces, so the day has both shared routines and opportunities to follow individual interests.

In November 2024, babies explored coloured spaghetti and practised filling and emptying containers; older babies used an indoor slide, while older children tackled garden obstacle courses. These examples show the different physical and sensory experiences available at that visit. Staff also adjusted how age groups used the rooms as attendance changed, giving bigger groups additional space.

Outdoor and Community Life

The nursery backs onto a park. That physical setting puts outdoor space close to its daily surroundings, while the wraparound club takes park outings regularly when weather permits. Club children choose between activities including construction, craft and computer use, giving them some control over how they spend their time after school.

In November 2024, community outings helped children become familiar with situations beyond nursery. Play also drew on recognisable experiences: toddlers cared for dolls and teddies, while pretend firefighting prompted discussion about safety. The useful thread is learning connected to things children can recognise, discuss and try for themselves.

Relationships and Communication

Settling starts with a one-hour session in which families discuss routines and preferences with their child's new key worker. A two-hour session follows, with parents able to leave if comfortable, and the arrangements can be adapted to the child. This gives families a gradual introduction rather than a single fixed separation point.

Daily handovers provide a direct conversation about the child's day. Online learning records add another route for sharing experiences, and the Learning Journeys profile welcomes contributions from parents, carers and other people involved in a child's development. That exchange makes home experiences part of the developmental picture.

In November 2024, staff supported toddlers through toilet training and helped children practise putting on outdoor clothing themselves. Conversations with parents and contact with other professionals contributed to a shared approach to care. These were practical examples of support at that visit, rather than a promise about every child's experience.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In November 2024, help for older children dealing with strong feelings and cooperating with friends was inconsistent, some younger children's group activities suffered from distractions, and teaching was uneven where senior colleagues lacked confidence in guiding newer staff. These are specific issues for families to weigh, especially if their child needs predictable routines or close support with social interaction.

Meals are freshly cooked on site by a chef; the allergy arrangements include alternative meals for dietary needs. Cooking also becomes a learning activity, with children exploring ingredients and how food is prepared.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 21 Station Road, Hagley, DY9 0NU. Squiggles opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, operates for 52 weeks and closes on bank holidays.

The full-day session runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning sessions start at 7.30am and finish at 1pm; afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 6pm. The difference between opening time and the full-day start matters when matching a booking to working hours.

For school-age children, Breakfast club accepts drop-off from 7.30am, with the walk to Hagley Primary School at 8.20am. After-School Club collects children at 3pm and walks them back to Squiggles. These are collection arrangements, rather than an admissions advantage.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare and privately paid sessions are offered. Funded-only hours carry separate charges for lunch, snacks and consumables, and do not attract a registration charge. A cooked lunch is included for children attending a full day or staying until 1pm, with a packed lunch permitted instead; families should distinguish that arrangement from the separate food charges attached to funded hours.

A non-refundable registration charge applies once a privately paid place is confirmed and the forms are completed. Four weeks' notice is required to end a placement; without notice, a month's charge applies. Current prices belong in the nursery's written quotation, with the fees and opening times providing the session structure.

• Emotional support and routines. The November 2024 improvement points covered cooperation, attention during group activities and guidance for newer staff. A visit is a useful opportunity to discuss how those areas are now handled.
• Online communication. The learning-record service is named eylog in Learning Journeys and Tapestry in the FAQs. Those descriptions conflict; clarify which app families currently use.
• Settling and dietary needs. Flexible introductory sessions and alternative meals are offered. Discuss how settling would work for your child and confirm current allergy practice before agreeing arrangements.
• Funded attendance. Food and consumables are charged separately during funded hours. Which entitlement and attendance arrangement would apply to your family?

Squiggles suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days, with a gradual settling process and direct daily communication. The park setting and Hagley Primary School collection arrangements add practical value for families combining nursery care with an older child's school day. Its Good inspection judgement deserves to be read alongside the specific work needed on emotional support, routines and staff leadership.