Two Little Dickie Birds Nursery & Fun Club with St Paul's Pre-School

A former caretaker's bungalow, a mobile classroom and a preschool classroom beside Reception give this Cramlington setting an unusually concrete progression through the early years. Two Little Dickie Birds serves the youngest children; St Paul's Pre-School provides nursery education for three- and four-year-olds. The buildings share a school site, but the childcare provision has its own management. That distinction matters as much as the proximity.

At its February 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective, with teaching supporting children's progress and personalised support helping children who needed additional help. The improvement priority was sharper staff supervision, coaching and development. It is a positive assessment with a clear next step, rather than an unqualified endorsement.

Nursery care across much of the year and term-time preschool sessions serve different family routines.

Rooms and Ages

Two Little Dickie Birds occupies the former caretaker's bungalow within the grounds of Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Academy. Its provision is for children under three, with a stated maximum of 16 children in a session. That is a limit for this part of the provision, rather than a description of the whole setting or the number attending on any particular day.

For three- and four-year-olds, the younger preschool cohort uses the mobile classroom beside Two Little Dickie Birds, while the older cohort occupies a classroom in the school building next to Reception. Preschool entry begins in the term following a child's third birthday.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning: children develop language, social understanding, movement and early mathematical and literacy skills through play and other age-appropriate experiences. It is the common framework for early years provision. Here, the practical approach combines activities children direct themselves with activities in which adults guide the next step.

Planning draws on observations of children's interests and abilities. Photographs, written notes and daily observations contribute to each child's learning journey, with summaries at the end of a term and when children move to Reception. This gives play a purpose beyond keeping children occupied: staff use what a child already understands to decide what to introduce next.

In February 2025, babies shared songs and stories with adults, toddlers explored movement through music, and preschool children worked with sounds and numbers in group activities. Adults gave younger children time to try words for themselves. With older children, they introduced less familiar vocabulary and explained its meaning, making conversation part of the learning rather than simply a way to organise the day.

In February 2025, preschool children used photographs and artwork to discuss past activities and choose their next learning challenges.

Outdoor and Community Life

Play takes place indoors and outdoors, and visits beyond the setting take place during the year, with parents invited to help. These extend children's experiences beyond their usual classroom. The provision also participates in some school activities, giving preschool children contact with a larger educational community.

The Catholic connection is part of that experience. Preschool children participate in school prayers and mass at the nearby parish church, and join Reception for some events. Families choosing the setting should understand this as part of its day-to-day character, alongside its play-based learning.

Relationships and Communication

A key worker relationship begins with information about the child at home. Parents complete a form about home life, and the key worker uses this early knowledge to begin building a relationship. For children under three, that connection has particular practical importance: familiar preferences and routines can inform the way adults respond to them.

Communication continues through regular conversations with staff and contributions from home. Wow forms let parents share achievements or special experiences, while photographs add another way to show what children have been doing away from nursery. These contributions feed into observations, giving staff a fuller picture than classroom activity alone.

In February 2025, parents were involved in home learning through weekend challenges, and staff worked with school teachers on shared learning programmes for the move to Reception.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The additional-needs procedure starts with a discussion with parents when staff identify a concern. Monitoring and review follow, with support put in place and outside professionals, such as a speech and language therapist, involved where appropriate. Parents are informed before external involvement. If concerns continue, consultation with parents and professionals can lead to a request for an Education, Health and Care Plan assessment.

At the February 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that detailed individual plans helped children needing extra support to make progress.

Staff training covers paediatric first aid, asthma care, anaphylaxis and safeguarding, with external and in-house development. Safeguarding arrangements include designated leads and colleagues trained to the same level, alongside procedures for reporting concerns and working with other agencies.

Daily care also includes learning about health. In February 2025, children practised hygiene and older children explored the effect of movement on their bodies during morning exercise. These small routines connect physical activity and self-care to something children can notice themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Peters Catholic Academy, Northumbrian Road, Cramlington, NE23 6DB. Two Little Dickie Birds opens for 50 weeks annually, and bookings outside term time must be arranged in advance. Its full day runs from 7.30am to 6pm; morning half days run from 7.30am to 12.30pm, and afternoon half days from 12.30pm to 6pm.

Two-year-olds also have shorter sessions: 9.15am to 12.15pm or 12.30pm to 3.30pm. These are designed as preparation for preschool and give families a different attendance option from the longer nursery bookings.

St Paul's Pre-School operates for 39 weeks during term time. Its morning session is 9am to noon, with afternoons from noon to 3pm. A holiday list is supplied when children start. Preschool wraparound care can be provided through Two Little Dickie Birds, connecting the two parts of the provision for families needing a longer day.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes two-year-old places and 15-hour provision for three- and four-year-olds, with 30 hours offered to eligible families. Preschool funding operates within its term-time provision, and families who do not qualify for 30 hours can pay for extra morning or afternoon sessions. Eligibility conditions remain important; the attendance options do not themselves establish entitlement.

At Two Little Dickie Birds, lunches carry a separate charge and snacks are supplied in the morning and afternoon. Current prices should form part of the nursery's written quotation, alongside the chosen attendance pattern.

Moving on to School

The provision shares the grounds of Ss Peter and Paul's Catholic Academy but is managed separately. Children become familiar with school activities and Reception surroundings through that relationship. Attending the nursery does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Staff development. The February 2025 improvement priority was more precise supervision, coaching and professional development. At a visit, ask how staff now identify their next learning priorities and how coaching changes practice with children.
• Two attendance calendars. Preschool runs during term time, while Two Little Dickie Birds operates for 50 weeks and requires advance bookings outside term time. Choose the pattern around the care needed during holidays as well as the normal working week.
• School and church participation. Preschool children join prayers, mass and some school activities. This is a material part of the setting's character, and nursery attendance does not guarantee admission to the academy.
• Additional everyday items. Alongside the separate lunch charge at Two Little Dickie Birds, what arrangements would apply to nappies and other consumables for your child's chosen booking?

This setting suits families wanting either longer nursery days or shorter morning and afternoon sessions, with a separate term-time preschool route as children grow. The bungalow, mobile classroom and classroom beside Reception give that progression a physical shape. Parent contributions and play informed by observations make the educational approach easy to understand.

The February 2025 Good judgement supports the overall picture, while the staff-development priority deserves a specific conversation. The shared Catholic school site will appeal to families who value that connection. Its benefits are familiarity and participation; Reception admission remains a separate application.