Nanny McFiFi's Childcare Service

Learning to pour gravy, count ingredients and manage cutlery gives Nanny McFiFi's Childcare Service a practical character. Everyday tasks featured strongly in July 2025, with children taking responsibility for parts of lunch and staff helping when a skill proved difficult. The emphasis was on doing things for themselves, with adult support close by.

At its 29 July 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. There are 36 places in total at Alices View, North Wingfield, Chesterfield. Children attending in July 2025 ranged from 0 to 7 years old; that is the age range at that visit.

The strongest decision point is the balance between useful everyday learning and consistency across the year. The July 2025 findings included weaknesses in holiday-period planning and the sharing of children's learning information between staff. Both matter when choosing care that will extend beyond term time.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play, relationships and practical experiences, including communication, movement, early reading and mathematics. Here, the approach combines activities chosen by children with experiences directed by adults. That gives children room to develop their own ideas while also practising skills an adult introduces.

In July 2025, mathematics had a practical setting: toddlers sorted toys by colour, while preschool children counted ingredients for pretend cakes. Adults helped children revisit a count when it went wrong. Numbers were connected to something children were making, rather than treated as a separate exercise.

Small movements received attention too. During July 2025, toddlers traced in oats and filled moulds, preschool children made chalk numerals, and babies explored moving parts on an abacus. These experiences involved fingers and hands in different ways, from scooping to making marks.

Holiday provision needs closer consideration. In July 2025, preschool planning was weaker during the school holidays, leaving some children occupied with their own entertainment rather than purposeful learning. The improvement priorities were to make curriculum delivery consistent across the year and ensure learning information reached every adult working with a child.

Outdoor and Indoor Space

A main room with natural daylight and veranda doors is a concrete feature of the setting. The doors allow fresh air into the space, and the garden has an enclosed boundary with a monitored side gate.

Outdoor equipment supported different stages of movement in July 2025. Toddlers climbed larger equipment, while staff helped babies negotiate the steps of a small slide and sit before going down. The useful distinction is between children testing their own climbing skills and younger children receiving hands-on support.

In July 2025, key persons gathered information about children's interests and understood their care and learning needs. However, when a key person was absent, that knowledge did not consistently reach colleagues. A familiar adult's understanding is useful only if the adults covering for them can put it into practice too.

Mealtimes offered another route to independence during July 2025. Children helped prepare the table and cleared away after eating; babies were encouraged to use spoons for themselves. Adults demonstrated cutlery use when children struggled, making support part of the task rather than taking it over.

Health routines also had a practical place in the July 2025 day. Children washed their hands around toileting and meals, and received nutritious food, snacks and drinking water. A volunteer cook forms part of the team, while the manager also holds the SENCO role, providing an identified point of responsibility for special educational needs coordination.

The nursery's address is Alices View, North Wingfield, Chesterfield, S42 5XA. Families can contact it by telephone, email or the contact form.

In July 2025, opening hours were 7.30am to 6pm from Monday to Thursday, with a 5.30pm finish on Friday, and operation across the year. These are dated opening hours rather than a description of bookable sessions.

Funded early education was provided for children aged nine months to four years in July 2025. Families considering funding should distinguish that participation from the particular attendance arrangement they need.

• Holiday learning. Preschool planning was weaker during the holidays in July 2025. For attendance across the year, the consistency of planned learning deserves attention.
• Cover for the key person. In July 2025, children's learning information was not always shared effectively when their key person was away. Continuity between adults is a relevant consideration alongside the relationship with one familiar practitioner.
• Your attendance and care arrangements. On a visit, ask how the booking pattern, funded hours, food and consumables would work for your child, alongside settling and any individual support needs.

Nanny McFiFi's suits families who value play connected to everyday skills: counting ingredients, practising hand movements and taking increasing responsibility at meals. Its main room and enclosed garden provide indoor and outdoor space; climbing equipment and a small slide featured in July 2025. Families considering attendance through school holidays should give equal weight to the July 2025 concerns about planning and staff information sharing. The Good judgement is useful context; those specific weaknesses are the sharper questions for a decision.