Twisty Tails Nursery, Colindale

Twisty Tails Nursery, Colindale is a private full-day-care setting for children from three months to five years at 25 Sheaveshill Avenue. It was judged Good on 3 April 2024, with Good judgements across education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The strongest thread is emotional security: trusting relationships helped babies, younger children and new starters settle happily.

Families who need a fixed attendance pattern will need a written session offer before deciding.

The evidence depicts purposeful sensory learning rather than a generic activity list. Babies and toddlers used scoops, spoons and tongs in sand; toddlers moulded dough with rose petals and mint leaves and made marks with large crayons. Older children cut herbs, pierced lemons and squeezed juice while discussing the five senses. These experiences build grip, language and problem-solving through practical play. Praise also encouraged children to repeat kind behaviour with friends.

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the statutory framework behind this work: in parent terms, it means play and routines are planned to develop communication, physical skills, relationships and early thinking rather than functioning as simple supervision. Staff followed children's interests and extend learning in a well-resourced environment. One example involved children comparing dinosaur footprints in dough with pictures in a book, turning play into observation and critical thinking.

Songs and rhymes prompted babies to clap and babble, while older children explored words including minty, fresh and velvety. Stories about Ramadan, the Qur'an and fasting also introduced cultures and celebrations. One improvement point was precise: large-group activities needed reviewing so every child could sustain attention and benefit fully.

Care rests on close relationships. Babies received cuddles when upset and new starters were warmly welcomed; staff identified needs early, used targeted support and sought outside professional help when necessary. Children learning English as an additional language were also supported. This matters because help begins with observation of the individual child rather than waiting for difficulty to become entrenched.

Safeguarding arrangements were judged effective in April 2024. Later records need equal weight: Ofsted required safety repairs in April 2025, particularly to the outside preschool room, and confirmed at a 24 April follow-up that repairs were complete and the action met. In October 2025, Ofsted found a staff-ratio requirement had not been met but recorded that the provider had corrected it, reviewed risk assessments, updated safety procedures and arranged reminders and training. The provider remained registered after both matters.

Parents reported that they were happy with care and education. Staff used daily conversations and online applications, and invited families to charity coffee mornings. The improvement point nevertheless asked the nursery to share more information that helps parents extend learning at home.

The setting is at 25 Sheaveshill Avenue, Colindale, London NW9 6SE. Registration data gives an age range of three to 60 months. The current opening window and bookable attendance patterns need direct confirmation; neither should be inferred from a register checkbox.

Current nursery-specific prices, funded-entitlement participation, meals, consumables, deposits and notice terms are best compared through a written quotation that also sets out its current bookable sessions, minimum attendance pattern and whether funded hours are delivered term-time or stretched.

• Regulatory follow-through: look for an explanation of how the repaired outside preschool area is checked now and how the October 2025 supervision and ratio procedures work during busy transitions.
• Group-time practice: use a visit to see what changed after Ofsted's 2024 recommendation about maintaining every child's focus.
• Home learning: look for a current example of the information shared with parents to continue a child's interests at home.
• The actual offer: compare written confirmation of available sessions, funding treatment, meals and consumables before comparing the nursery with alternatives.

Twisty Tails Colindale's evidence shows warm relationships, thoughtful sensory play and staff who build from children's interests. The two resolved 2025 regulatory matters make current supervision and premises checks important visit questions, not footnotes. It best suits families seeking emotionally attentive care from babyhood to preschool age and willing to scrutinise recent follow-through. Both families wanting full-day care and those hoping for part-day attendance should establish the current booking model before deciding.