Ribbon Daycare Fishburn

A mud kitchen, feather experiments and paper aeroplanes give Ribbon Daycare Fishburn’s January 2026 daily life a practical, playful character. Children explored tools, compared how objects fall and estimated how far their folded paper might fly. These are small experiences with clear purposes: practising movement, language and thinking through play.

At its January 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership to be at the expected standard, with safeguarding standards met and children making steady progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The setting has capacity for 67 children; the children attending in January 2026 were aged 0 to 3.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children’s learning, development and care: here, the January 2026 examples show language, early number ideas and physical skills being practised through play and everyday routines.

In January 2026, babies explored instruments and used low furniture to pull themselves upright, while older children climbed, jumped and ran outdoors. The mud kitchen brought tools into play, with staff demonstrating their use and talking through what children were doing. Moving pom-poms with tweezers gave children practice controlling their hands, while counting them into jars introduced number ideas.

Books also stretched conversation. In January 2026, younger children copied animal noises and individual words; older children encountered asteroid and meteor while exploring books about space. Feather experiments encouraged children to explain their predictions. The emphasis was on doing and talking together.

Relationships supplied the continuity. In January 2026, children had a designated key person, and staff exchanged information with parents about sleep, feeding and weaning. Daily conversations covered learning and next steps, giving parents something concrete to continue at home.

In January 2026, support for additional needs included individual plans, referrals and collaboration with health, education and social care professionals. Special educational needs coordinators had undertaken relevant training. Physical activities were also used to help children who needed support managing their behaviour.

Mealtimes in January 2026 included conversation about food, encouragement towards independence and staff sitting alongside children while they ate. Moves to the next stage involved introductions and visits accompanied by an established key person, preserving a familiar relationship during change.

The address is Fishburn Primary School, East View, Fishburn, Stockton-on-tees, TS21 4AU. The setting’s total capacity is 67 places. This is a whole-setting figure, rather than the size of a room or the number attending together.

• Teaching consistency. At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted identified minor differences in teaching and called for more precisely targeted training and coaching, because some staff were less confident about individual learning needs. Ask how coaching now helps practitioners plan each child’s next steps.
• Planning attendance. For a family considering this Fishburn setting, what attendance pattern, accepted age range and funded-hours arrangements would fit their child? Discuss these together before making a booking.

Ribbon Daycare Fishburn merits consideration by families who value practical play and continuity through a key person. Its January 2026 examples connect everyday activities with language, movement and early mathematics. The expected-standard judgements provide the quality context; the teaching-coaching recommendation is the useful point to explore alongside it.