Sticky Faces Nursery

Sticky Faces Nursery is a small Brentford setting with a clear practical identity: 25 registered places for children aged two to five, term-time opening, and a strong emphasis on helping children manage everyday routines for themselves. Ofsted rated it Good at its June 2022 inspection, with Good judgements across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

Daily toothbrushing is an unusually concrete feature. Children bring a labelled toothbrush and toothpaste for toothbrushing during the day, while an all-weather approach means families are expected to supply season-appropriate outdoor clothes. In 2022, inspectors also saw emotion cards, visual timetables and a specialist sensory room used to support children's emotional security.

Learning and Named Experiences

The nursery works within the Early Years Foundation Stage. In practical terms, this means play and adult-guided activities build communication, physical development, relationships, early literacy and understanding of the world rather than following a school-style timetable.

The June 2022 inspection gives the best branch-specific picture of learning. A garden bug hunt became an exercise in investigation and language as children used magnifying glasses, looked for habitats and discussed why insects lived there. When children became interested in riding bikes, staff added cones so that they could practise steering, judging space and negotiating around one another. Those are good examples of adults extending an existing interest rather than replacing it with a predetermined task.

Books, songs and conversation were used to introduce new words. Inspectors also saw work on different sounds as a foundation for reading, alongside activities developing both fine and gross motor control for later writing. Ofsted asked the nursery to improve how it involves children with additional needs in larger-group activities.

Outdoor and Everyday Life

Outdoor play is expected in different weather, so wellies and warm waterproof clothing are part of the kit in colder months, with sun hats required in summer. The nursery publishes that it supplies factor 50 sun cream with parental permission, though families may provide their own labelled alternative.

Relationships and Communication

A key-person system helped children settle and form close relationships at the 2022 inspection. The Week-long settling programme gives new starters a structured start: after registration and deposit arrangements, the nursery provides a free week of settling sessions. A parent stays for 30 minutes on the first day, then the child's time at nursery gradually increases as the parent's time reduces.

Communication at the inspection included daily contact, parent meetings and observations shared electronically. This gave families a route into their child's learning rather than leaving development inside the nursery day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In June 2022, staff used children's home languages where helpful and worked with parents and external agencies for children with SEND. Emotion cards, visual timetables and the sensory room gave children practical ways to understand routines and feelings. Parents of children with SEND told inspectors that they felt strongly supported and could see their children's progress.

Safeguarding arrangements were judged effective at that inspection. Staff understood signs of harm and reporting procedures, undertook regular training and risk assessments, and held paediatric first-aid training.

Meals form part of the daily rhythm. The nursery says an off-site chef plans weekly menus using fruit, vegetables, brown bread and foods rich in calcium and iron, with little added salt or sugar. It also publishes accommodation for cultural, religious and dietary requirements; families should confirm the current allergy arrangements directly.

Sessions and Attendance

Sticky Faces operates Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm during term time, for 38 weeks each year. It closes for half terms, school holidays and bank holidays, with staff training days notified at least eight weeks ahead. Families needing holiday provision should therefore look carefully at how the closure calendar fits their working year.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery publishes funded early education for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Its information says the entitlement can be taken across 38 term-time weeks, while another published option describes spreading the annual allowance over 48 weeks; because the current FAQ describes the setting as term-time-only, the delivery basis needs checking before a family relies on a stretched arrangement.

Private extras are billed according to booked attendance rather than being equalised across the year. Parents provide nappies and wipes monthly where needed, as well as labelled toothbrushes and toothpaste. Nursery-provided lunches and snacks may be an extra for funded bookings, so a current quotation should separate funded hours, food and any added private hours.

Getting There

The nursery is at Mission Hall, Mission Square, Brentford, TW8 0SD. Its contact form and nursery office handle enquiries and tour requests.

• Term-time calendar. The nursery publishes 38 weeks of operation and closes in school holidays and half terms. Families needing care throughout the year will need a separate holiday plan.
• Group learning. Ofsted's 2022 improvement point concerned the participation of children with additional needs in larger-group activities. Families whose children need extra support may want to discuss how these activities now work.
• Funded extras. Lunches and snacks may generate an additional charge on a funded booking, while nappies, wipes and toothbrushing supplies come from home. A written breakdown should show the costs for the intended attendance pattern.
• Outdoor preparation. All-weather play requires suitable clothing, and participation outdoors in sunny weather depends on permission for nursery sun cream or a labelled alternative from home.

Sticky Faces has the character of a small, practical early-years setting. Its strongest evidence lies in responsive activities, support tools such as the sensory room and visual timetable, and routines that build independence from self-serving at meals to daily toothbrushing. It should suit families who can use care within a term-time weekday window of 8am to 5pm and are prepared to confirm the precise booking pattern directly. The main limitation is equally clear: this is not a year-round childcare model.