Tiddlywinks Preschool

A village-hall preschool with a Book Corner, daily outdoor play and parents invited to contribute to sessions: Tiddlywinks has a clear community character. Based in Tilton-on-the-Hill, it cares for children aged two to five and has 24 places in total. That is the whole setting's capacity, rather than a daily group size.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Tiddlywinks Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying improvements in communication with other agencies, information about children's next learning steps and the time children had to answer questions. These are useful points to weigh alongside the play activities and personal support.

Attendance is term-time, with morning sessions, lunch club and afternoon sessions offered. The shorter patterns make this a practical option for families seeking preschool experience for part of the day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, covering communication, relationships and physical development alongside literacy, mathematics, creative expression and understanding the world. This is the framework for early-years education, rather than an extra programme unique to Tiddlywinks.

Children have both activities they direct themselves and experiences led by adults. Daily circle time brings counting and conversation into a shared group activity; singing, stories and phonics also feature each day. Messy play gives children another way to explore. The balance gives them opportunities to make choices as well as practise participating with others.

Development Matters, guidance used to plan activities and assess development, informs the selection of equipment and experiences. Staff observe how children approach learning, including their exploration, persistence and thinking. Planning therefore considers how a child engages with an activity as well as what they can do.

The Book Corner and Home Corner provide recognisable spaces for books and imaginative play. In June 2022, children also chose a book to share with their family each week, while stories prompted conversations about emotions. That brought reading into family life and gave children a way to talk about feelings.

Outdoor and Community Life

An Outdoor Playground supports the daily opportunity to move between indoor and outdoor play. Weather permitting, children also visit the tennis court or park for physical activity. These experiences extend movement beyond the indoor play space, rather than leaving exercise to a single scheduled session.

Weekly PE is part of the routine. In June 2022, a sports coach and dance instructor visited weekly, and outdoor activities included balancing across crates and throwing balls towards a basket. Those dated examples show the kinds of coordination and movement children practised at that time.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who works with the family on their needs and interests. Settling arrangements can include taster sessions, gradually building attendance and home visits on request. This gives families concrete ways to introduce the setting at a pace agreed with staff.

A learning journey brings together information about a child's interests, experiences and achievements. Parents contribute alongside the key person, and together they decide what comes next. Observations and photographs inform assessment summaries, including at transitions to another setting or school, so the account of development can support the next stage of care.

Parents can help during sessions, share their interests with children and contribute to discussions about activities. They also take part in the progress check at age two. Between 24 and 36 months, the key person prepares a written account of communication, physical development and personal, social and emotional development, drawing on everyday observations and family contributions.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A special educational needs coordinator role is part of the staff structure. At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND were generally supported well, but staff did not consistently coordinate with the other professionals involved, parents lacked clear guidance on the next learning stage, and some questioning gave children too little thinking time. The concerns matter because support needs to connect the child's experiences at preschool, at home and with outside professionals.

Volunteer parent helpers can supplement staff where possible. Their contribution is conditional, rather than a fixed staffing promise. A password arrangement is also offered for collection, alongside prior authorisation for someone else to collect a child.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Village Hall, Leicester Road, Tilton-on-the-Hill, Leicester, LE7 9DB. Applications can be made through a short online form or a downloadable admission form; a contact form provides a separate enquiry route.

Opening hours are 8.15am to 4pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 8.15am to 12.45pm on Wednesday, during term time. The application form offers mornings from 9.15am to 12.15pm Monday to Thursday, plus afternoons from 12.45pm to 2.45pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Lunch club runs from 12.15pm to 12.45pm.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds, up to 15 hours weekly for three- and four-year-olds from the term following a child's third birthday, and 30-hour funding for qualifying children. Additional private hours are charged separately. Attendance is term-time, and eligibility conditions still apply to the relevant entitlement.

Parents are asked to send fruit for the shared snack and a filled water bottle; the preschool has a no-nut policy. Families affected by allergies should discuss current arrangements before attendance.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees page sets out payment by week, month, half term or full term, with payment due at the first session of the chosen period. Missed sessions remain payable, late collection may attract a charge, and cancelling a place requires one month's notice. These terms matter when budgeting for absences or changing childcare arrangements.

• Session timings. The opening-hours timetable gives mornings of 8.15am to 12.15pm and afternoons of 12.45pm to 4pm, while the application form offers shorter windows and fewer afternoon days. Confirm the session times and days that would form your booking before committing.
• Learning and additional support. The June 2022 findings raised agency coordination, clarity about next steps and children's thinking time. At a visit, ask how staff now share learning targets with families and coordinate support with outside professionals.
• Food and personal care. Fruit and a water bottle come from home, and a no-nut policy applies. Discuss allergy practice and what your child would need for lunch and changing as part of the settling conversation.

Tiddlywinks suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon preschool sessions, with lunch club as another part of the attendance pattern. Daily stories, outdoor play and a key person approach give the offer a clear shape, while parental contributions extend beyond routine updates.

The Good judgement from June 2022 provides a dated quality reference. Its communication concerns deserve attention when choosing support for a child, especially where outside professionals are involved. For families who value a village setting and opportunities to participate, this is a preschool with concrete arrangements to consider.