Smiley Kidz Nursery

A story about little pigs became a building project at Smiley Kidz Nursery: children worked with straw, sticks and bricks, then explored the materials with scissors and conversation. That December 2024 example captures the Melbourne Centre setting's approach to combining language, practical activity and early maths. Small everyday tasks mattered too, from serving snacks to helping clear away.

At its 5 December 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and reported good progress for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The main improvement required was greater precision in planning individual children's next learning steps.

The nursery has 44 places in total and occupies ground-floor accommodation at the Melbourne Centre in Leicester. In December 2024, the children attending were aged two to four, with morning and afternoon sessions running during term time.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the December 2024 activities combined play with opportunities to practise communication, movement, independence and early mathematical ideas. The building project was a useful example. Handling scissors exercised fine movements, while discussing different homes connected the activity with children's experience beyond nursery.

In December 2024, stories, rhymes and books were used frequently to develop language. Children remembered the little-pigs story and took part in its retelling, acting out the wolf's breath. This gave them something familiar to recall, discuss and perform, rather than simply listen to.

Maths was woven into the same play. Children counted the pig masks and compared pieces of straw by length; conversations also introduced shape, colour and size. The practical value was the connection between a mathematical word and something children could handle or see. Learning did not depend on a separate counting exercise.

Outdoor and Community Life

In December 2024, outdoor play happened daily in different weather conditions, with suitable clothing. Obstacle courses involved climbing, running and jumping, alongside movements such as twisting and turning. Indoors, dancing and energetic song actions provided further opportunities to practise balance and coordination.

The physical provision therefore extended beyond sitting at a table with resources. Movement was part of the nursery day, with outdoor challenges and indoor music offering different ways for children to use their bodies.

In December 2024, snack time brought children together around a large table. They handed out plates and used spoons to help themselves to hummus, carrots and cucumber. Conversations covered food and feelings, linking practical self-care with opportunities to talk and listen. Helping tidy afterwards gave children a role in the shared routine.

In December 2024, children also practised organising their belongings: they hung up coats and bags, then used their photograph and name card on a shared display. This made independence part of an everyday routine.

Staff used songs to introduce changes of activity and objects to make the next step understandable, such as showing a bowl before snack time. These were concrete signals children could recognise. Sharing, taking turns and courteous behaviour were also supported through adults' examples and encouragement.

Communication with families was frequent and detailed in December 2024, covering children's experiences and development. Parents could use those exchanges to continue learning at home. Links with other professionals and schools supported wellbeing and preparation for the next stage, rather than leaving that work solely within the nursery.

Children's home languages were used in December 2024 to help explain new vocabulary. Adults repeated words clearly and offered individual activities where additional help was needed. For a child learning unfamiliar words, that connected new language with something already understood.

Sessions and Attendance

In December 2024, attendance ran from Monday to Friday during term time, with a morning session from 9am to noon and an afternoon session from noon to 3pm. These were separate session patterns, useful for families organising childcare around part of the day.

Getting There

The address is Ground Floor, Room 4 and 5, Melbourne Centre, Melbourne Road, Leicester, LE2 0GU; the entrance is from Breedon St. Enquiries for this branch can be made on 0116 251 4960 or by email to info@smileykidznursery.co.uk.

• Individual learning plans. In December 2024, some children's next steps lacked the precision needed to extend their existing knowledge and skills. During a visit, ask how staff now turn observations into a specific next activity for an individual child.
• The session arrangement. The December 2024 model divided the day into morning and afternoon attendance during term time. What would a current written booking quotation include for your child's age, attendance pattern, funded hours, food and consumables?
• Outdoor clothing. Daily outdoor activity in December 2024 continued across different weather conditions. Families should be comfortable with active outdoor play and the clothing it requires.

Smiley Kidz's strongest examples are practical: a story turned into construction, maths attached to real materials, and snack routines that gave children responsibility. The December 2024 picture suits families seeking morning or afternoon term-time attendance, with language and independence threaded through everyday activity. Greater precision in individual learning plans remains the key point to explore before choosing it.