The Secret Garden Children's Day Nursery Tredworth

A former pub, a garden and hands-on learning give this High Street nursery its character. The Secret Garden Children's Day Nursery Tredworth occupies the former Victory Hotel in Gloucester, with outdoor space and an all weather play area that extend the possibilities beyond indoor activities.

At its 11 October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with children making good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. There were also two clear improvements to make: helping quieter children participate and making sure staff explanations were accurate.

The nursery has capacity for 40 children aged six to 60 months. It operates for 51 weeks of the year, with weekday opening hours of 7.30am to 6pm. Full days, mornings, afternoons and a shorter day give families several attendance patterns to consider.

In October 2023, learning included hands-on investigation of materials. Babies explored a sensory area with textured resources, rattles and an illuminated egg-shaped object. Toddlers experimented with toy insects in water, discussing why some sank. Outdoors, older children mixed paint and noticed how white changed other colours. These were practical starting points for exploring texture, weight and colour.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play and interaction provide opportunities to develop communication, physical skills and understanding. In October 2023, staff adapted planned learning to children's ages, abilities and needs, while key persons chose activities that connected with familiar interests.

Examples included animals and vehicles linked to favourite stories, and dough used for imaginary creatures and food. The important distinction was the connection between an activity and what a child already understood. However, explanations sometimes introduced inaccurate information, which could undermine that next step in learning.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden and all weather play area provide outdoor space at the Tredworth site. The former Victory Hotel gives the setting a recognisable home, but the educational value lies in what children can do there rather than the building's previous use.

In October 2023, children also visited local parks and a city farm, combining physical activity with learning about animals. Preschool children practised balancing and waiting for a turn on a beam. Staff helped them express what they wanted instead of pushing ahead, linking movement with social learning.

In October 2023, key persons understood children's interests and used that knowledge when planning activities. Children taking part in settling sessions became comfortable and joined play readily. Staff exchanged information with parents about home life and the nursery day, giving care a connection with what was happening beyond the setting.

Communication support was concrete. At that time, practitioners wore picture prompts showing familiar objects and routines, helping children communicate their needs. Gestures, signs and spoken language supported interaction, while families supplied useful words from children's home languages. This gave staff more than one way to understand a child.

Parents were invited to discuss learning, and daily handovers covered children's experiences. In October 2023, staff also discussed dietary requirements and allergies with families and offered lunch-box guidance. These were conversations about individual needs, rather than a single approach imposed on every child.

Attention to quieter children needed greater consistency. During some small-group activities in October 2023, staff overlooked children who wanted to participate or change what they were doing. For a parent of a reserved child, that finding matters as much as the examples of engaging play: a useful activity only helps when the child can access it.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 167 High Street, Tredworth, Gloucester, GL1 4TD. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates for 51 weeks annually.

The booking patterns are a full day from 8am to 6pm, a morning from 8am to 1pm, an afternoon from 1pm to 6pm and a short day from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Hours outside those packages can be discussed individually. The opening window and the full-day package have different starting times, so families needing the earliest start should distinguish between them when choosing attendance.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01452 552 108 or by email to sgntredworth@gmail.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted from nine months, including 30 hours of funding. Private childcare is also offered. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation for the chosen attendance pattern.

• A quieter child's participation. In October 2023, staff sometimes missed children wanting to join an activity or move to something else. On a visit, ask how practitioners recognise and respond to those less vocal requests.
• Accuracy during play. Staff explanations were another improvement point in October 2023. Ask for an example of how adults extend children's ideas while keeping information accurate.
• Early starts and funded attendance. Opening begins at 7.30am, while the full-day package starts at 8am. Request one written breakdown covering your intended hours, funded attendance, meals and consumables so the arrangement is clear before joining.

Tredworth suits families considering morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days or the shorter daytime package. Its garden, covered outdoor provision and practical learning examples give it more character than an account built around opening hours alone.

The October 2023 picture combines thoughtful communication support and interest-led activities with specific weaknesses in participation and adult explanations. For families whose child is quieter in a group, the way staff now include that child deserves particular attention. The strongest fit is with parents who value hands-on play and want an attendance pattern matched to their day.