Giggles Nursery

A refurbished outdoor play area and a close connection between nursery and home give Giggles its clearest character. Play leads the learning, while daily written feedback and Tapestry, an online journal recording children's activities and development, give parents a continuing view of the day. This is a nursery where the relationship with home has practical substance.

Giggles operates at Springbank Community Resource Centre in Cheltenham, with rooms spanning babies, toddlers and preschool children. At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. The important qualification concerns older children's independence and consistency in teaching: these were the two areas requiring further work.

Weekday opening runs from 8am to 6pm, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Some flexibility can accommodate changing shifts, making the attendance arrangement a relevant consideration for working families.

Rooms and Ages

The Giggles Baby room covers ages 0–2, the Giggles Toddler room ages 2–3, and the Giggles Preschool rooms ages 3–5, with the preschool tour also covering the garden. These age stages give families a clear outline of the progression through the nursery. The outdoor play area has been refurbished, supporting the nursery's emphasis on learning through play outside as well as indoors.

In December 2023, resources were arranged so children could select their own toys and activities. That matters because choosing what to explore gives children an active role in their day. The teaching started from their interests and extended what they already understood, rather than treating every child as ready for the same next step.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play, conversation and physical exploration sit alongside the care routines through which young children learn. It is the foundation for the nursery day, rather than an extra programme.

Makaton adds a concrete communication activity at Giggles. It uses signing to help children understand and express words; preschool children have practised signs for happy and sad in response to questions about how they feel. This gives them another way to participate in a conversation about emotions. The practical detail is stronger than a broad claim about communication skills: children are using particular signs for particular feelings.

In December 2023, children practised sharing and waiting for a turn during games. Outdoor play included bicycles, climbing and jumping, with adults helping children consider other people around them and manage physical challenges safely. Movement and social learning met in the same activity. Younger children had adults close enough to offer help when needed.

Older children's independence was less consistently encouraged at that time. Adults sometimes completed tasks children could have attempted themselves, and teaching did not provide an equally suitable level of challenge throughout the nursery. For families approaching the preschool stage, the balance between assistance and letting children try is an important part of the learning experience.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has an allocated key person who provides individual care and discusses development with parents. The benefit is continuity: there is a particular adult to talk to about a child's interests, care and concerns, rather than relying solely on whichever member of staff happens to be available.

Daily written observations and reports complement Tapestry access. Parents also receive newsletters, can take part in activities during open mornings, and have individual key person meetings about learning and achievements. These serve different purposes: daily feedback follows the immediate experience, while meetings allow a fuller discussion of development. Open mornings give families a shared activity with their child in the nursery setting.

In December 2023, children developed close relationships with their carers and became comfortable making play choices. Staff also worked with families and other professionals when children needed help expressing feelings or managing behaviour. The emphasis was on teaching a child how to respond, alongside helping them join in with other children.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements and good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with staff, parents and the special educational needs coordinator working together on individual targets. These are dated findings about practice, rather than a promise that every child's support will look the same.

During December 2023, staff used familiar words from children's home languages to support communication. They also reminded children about handwashing around meals and garden play. Menus were planned to reduce processed food and sugar. Together, these examples show how communication, hygiene and food choices formed part of daily care at that time.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Springbank Community Resource Centre, Springbank Way, Spring Field Park, Cheltenham, GL51 0LG. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas; those closures matter when arranging work cover.

Giggles can sometimes accommodate variable shifts through flexible attendance. The qualification matters: this is flexibility that can be arranged in some circumstances, rather than an unrestricted choice of hours. Families with a changing rota should consider how that arrangement fits their actual working pattern.

Enquiries can be made through the Giggles contact form or by telephone on 01242 574511. A separate Giggles tour-booking form provides a route to arrange a visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

In December 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. That describes its participation at that date. For the financial decision, families should use a current written quotation from the nursery covering their proposed attendance.

• Preschool independence. In December 2023, older children needed more opportunities to attempt everyday tasks themselves. During a visit, ask how practitioners now balance helping with letting children try.
• Consistency between age stages. The December 2023 improvement work included making teaching more consistent throughout the nursery. Ask for examples of how activities challenge children at different stages, especially around a room move.
• Variable shifts and the total bill. Giggles can sometimes accommodate changing work patterns. Ask for a written attendance proposal and quotation that separates funded hours, additional care, food and consumables, so the arrangement can be assessed against your rota and budget.

Giggles suits families who value play outdoors and an ongoing connection with their child's learning through daily feedback, Tapestry and key person discussions. Its weekday opening and potential flexibility for variable shifts make it relevant both to families with a regular working week and those whose rota changes.

The December 2023 Good judgement gives a positive inspection position, with concrete strengths in relationships and individual support. The decision deserves equal attention to older children's independence and the consistency of teaching. Those are useful subjects for a visit, because they concern what children are encouraged to do for themselves every day.