Scribbles Nursery

An outdoor kitchen, insect hunts and early attempts at writing names give Scribbles Nursery a recognisable picture of childhood: practical, playful and gradually more independent. Those examples come from May 2023, rather than describing today's activities. Based at St Gregory's Hall on Swarcliffe Drive in Leeds, the nursery accepts children aged 12 months to 5 years and has capacity for 50 children.

At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Scribbles Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The useful detail sits beneath that judgement: children practised managing their coats, explored counting through play and used drawings to express their ideas. These are everyday steps towards doing more for themselves.

Morning, afternoon, half-day and full-day bookings give families several attendance patterns, with combinations of half and full days also offered.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the nursery's age-related areas around seven areas of learning, linking children's play with their development. It is the common early-years framework, rather than an extra programme unique to Scribbles. Dedicated spaces cater for stages from babies through to preschool children, allowing the environment to reflect different ages.

In May 2023, younger children used dolls in pretend care, including feeding them and taking them out for walks. Older children counted during play, compared quantities and explored letter sounds. Drawings and attempts to write their names gave them another way to communicate. The examples span pretend play, early mathematics and literacy, rather than presenting school preparation as a separate lesson.

Songs and rhymes also featured in May 2023. Practitioners repeated words for younger children and used questions to extend conversation. For a parent weighing the nursery day, these examples show how language practice fitted into familiar activities rather than relying only on organised teaching.

Outdoor and Community Life

In May 2023, the garden supported both physical play and close observation: children climbed, searched for insects with magnifying glasses and invented meals in the outdoor kitchen. Dancing provided another opportunity to move. The outdoor kitchen gave pretend play a different setting, while the insect searches encouraged children to look closely at their surroundings.

National and international celebrations were also explored that May. Alongside these activities, children practised practical independence by putting on their coats and working their zips before outdoor play. Small tasks mattered as well as larger activities.

In May 2023, children spent time with a key person, while daily conversations and an online app connected staff with parents. Familiar routines and adult reassurance supported the nursery day; older children were beginning to share resources and cooperate independently. For families, the key-person arrangement creates a clear relationship through which information about a child's care can pass.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted asked for sharper monitoring of individual teaching, more consistent communication about each child's key person, and handwashing routines that better taught children why thorough washing matters. These were specific improvements, not reasons to disregard the positive overall judgement. They remain useful topics for a visit because they concern teaching, individual care and habits children practise each day.

The nursery has a dedicated food-preparation team with responsibility for children's dietary requirements. Meals, drinks and snacks are included in the fees, with hot lunch, breakfast and afternoon tea forming part of the food arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with extended hours offered by request. The nursery operates throughout the year, closing on bank holidays. Morning bookings run from 8am to 1pm; afternoon bookings run from 1pm to 6pm. Half days, full days or a mixture of the two can be booked according to family requirements.

The address is St Gregory's Hall, Swarcliffe Drive, Leeds LS14 5AW. A car park serves the location. Families can make enquiries by telephone or email, and an application form is provided for joining.

Funding and Paid Extras

Private childcare and funded childcare are both offered. Funded provision includes 15 or 30 hours of free childcare per week, depending on eligibility; that entitlement should be considered alongside the nursery's intake from 12 months.

Meals, snacks and drinks are included in the fees. The fees page sets out the attendance options, and families should obtain a current written quotation for their chosen arrangement.

• Knowing the key person. In May 2023, some parents could not identify their child's key person. During a visit, ask how that relationship is introduced and how changes are communicated, so personal information reaches the right practitioner.
• Developing teaching. The May 2023 improvement request concerned how closely individual practice was monitored. Ask how staff now receive feedback and how it changes the activities planned for children.
• Handwashing habits. In May 2023, staff did not consistently explain thorough handwashing before snacks. Ask how children are helped to understand and practise that routine today.
• The funded booking. Eligibility determines whether the entitlement is 15 or 30 hours, while the nursery accepts children from 12 months. How would funding fit your attendance pattern, including its delivery across the year and any charges for meals or non-food consumables?

Scribbles suits families looking for morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day care, with the option to combine half and full days. Included food makes the private-fee arrangement straightforward to understand. Its May 2023 picture of pretend play, outdoor exploration and growing independence gives parents concrete reasons to consider it, balanced by clear questions about teaching oversight, key-person communication and hygiene routines.