Squirrels Day Nursery Corby

In August 2022, colour mixing with pipettes, stories with puppets and birdwatching in the garden gave Squirrels Day Nursery Corby a recognisable character. In August 2022, children explored ideas through practical play, with staff extending an activity rather than simply moving them on to the next one. Small details carried the learning.

At its 31 August 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found safeguarding effective. The setting has capacity for 63 children and accepts ages from 3 to 60 months, at Hazelwood Neighbourhood Centre in Corby.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, the August 2022 examples included exploring colour, practising language and developing movement through play. Children used pipettes to combine colours and compare shades, giving them a practical way to test what happens when colours meet.

In August 2022, younger children explored size with dinosaurs and beakers, then used that understanding while playing with utensils in an outdoor kitchen. Older children combined movement, rhythm and instructions, tapping sticks in different directions while keeping their legs moving. Babies could indicate their choice of song by pointing to props.

Garden investigations also developed beyond a single activity in August 2022. Children recorded birds for a national birdwatch, explored insects and their life cycles, and planted seeds. Story baskets offered another route into learning: puppets and props helped children anticipate events and retell familiar stories. These were concrete opportunities to observe, explain and remember.

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that support enabled children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language to access the curriculum, with careful planning and additional funding contributing to exceptional progress.

In August 2022, communication support took several forms: babies used signs, while prompt cards helped children express themselves. Staff exchanged information with other professionals to coordinate support. That connected children's experiences rather than treating each source of help separately.

Rest and relationships received attention too. In August 2022, children could settle with books in cosy corners when they needed a break, and staff helped them work through disagreements sensitively. Parents received practical guidance for continuing learning at home, giving everyday play a connection between nursery and family life.

The address is Hazelwood Neighbourhood Centre, Gainsborough Road, Corby, NN18 0QF. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In August 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of its funding provision.

• A dated quality judgement. The Outstanding judgement dates from August 2022. Use a visit to explore how the practical learning and communication support described here work now.
• Care across different ages. The accepted age range spans 3 to 60 months. How are daily routines and settling arranged for your child's age?

Squirrels suits families who value practical exploration and help with communication. Its August 2022 activities linked language, movement and investigation to things children could handle and try for themselves. The weekday opening window also makes it relevant to parents planning care around a working day.