Tiny Stars Day Care Canterbury

Tea-coloured water, homemade play dough and outdoor ramps give Tiny Stars Day Care Canterbury a practical, hands-on character in its March 2023 account of daily life. At its 13 March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with noise levels and younger children's participation in group activities requiring attention.

The nursery has capacity for 15 children aged 28 to 60 months. Its address is Printing House, Simmonds Road, Canterbury, CT1 3RA.

In March 2023, children explored flavoured tea through filling and pouring activities, sharing cups and bowls while learning vocabulary. Outdoors, crates and guttering became ramps for small balls. Changing their slope gave children a concrete way to investigate how their decisions affected movement.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical activities help children build skills. In March 2023, making play dough and swapping slippers for wellington boots gave children opportunities to practise handling equipment and doing things for themselves.

Visits to the neighbouring soft-play centre also featured in March 2023. Steps and slopes provided different opportunities for movement beyond the nursery's own space.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described staff gathering information about children's starting points during settling, identifying additional learning needs and working with parents and external agencies to coordinate support.

In March 2023, lunchtime conversations included foods children enjoyed at home, giving them a way to discuss their backgrounds and learn about one another. Staff also helped children learning English as an additional language connect new learning with what they already knew.

Opening hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and a few days at Christmas. That opening window is useful for families whose working day fits within it.

In March 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This describes participation at that date, rather than establishing a present entitlement or booking arrangement.

• Conversation and noise. In March 2023, excessive noise in the main room sometimes interfered with children's opportunities to develop language. A quieter space for conversation matters when assessing the daily experience.
• Younger children in groups. In March 2023, some younger children were not consistently helped to sustain their involvement in adult-led activities. This is an important consideration for families at the youngest end of the age range.
• Attendance and costs. At a visit, ask how the 9am to 5pm opening window translates into bookable attendance, and request a current written quotation covering funded hours, meals and consumables.

Tiny Stars suits families seeking care for children aged 28 to 60 months within a weekday 9am to 5pm opening window. Its March 2023 examples give practical substance to the Good judgement: pouring, construction, movement and everyday independence all featured. Noise management and engagement during group activities are the specific points to weigh alongside that dated picture.