Tick Tock All Stars Nursery, Bells Lane

Three outdoor play areas give Bells Lane a clear physical identity, while baking, gymnastics and outings add variety to the nursery week. This is childcare based at Bells Lane Community Centre in Nottingham, with capacity for 25 children aged two to five. The outdoor space and practical activities are the strongest reasons to consider it.

At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. That assessment is dated: it provides a useful account of care and learning at that point, rather than a guarantee about today's practice. Its reservations were specific, too, concerning interruptions during stories and songs and the organisation of some activities.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, reading, early writing, maths, science and play with sand and water give children practical ways to explore those areas. The nursery also uses its own personalised curriculum. Baking, gymnastics and outings feature among its weekly activities, giving families concrete examples of what children can do beyond stories and table-based tasks.

In February 2023, messy play connected movement, language and early mark-making. Children made patterns with their fingers in flour and explored the tracks left by toy cars. Staff introduced words to describe the material and what children were doing with it. The value was in combining a physical experience with conversation, rather than treating vocabulary and early writing as separate exercises.

Organisation mattered just as much as the activity itself. In February 2023, preparations for lunch and loud adult conversations interrupted stories and songs, drawing children away from listening. A bug-search activity also failed to draw children in because its space and purpose were poorly organised. These were weaknesses in delivery, with direct consequences for children's engagement.

Outdoor and Community Life

The three outdoor play areas provide space for physical activity and exploring nature. Alongside the weekly gymnastics activities, they give movement a substantial place in the offer. For children who enjoy learning through action, that is a useful part of the nursery's character.

In February 2023, outdoor play included tricycles, ride-on cars, hoops and balancing on a large tyre. Adults encouraged children to try again after losing their balance and reminded them to look around before throwing hoops. Community experiences at that time included local shops and weekly gym sessions, extending children's experiences beyond the nursery itself.

In February 2023, everyday routines gave children opportunities to practise independence: helping with cutlery and cups, pouring drinks, serving pasta and clearing leftover food. Adults stepped in when help was needed. These small tasks made mealtimes part of learning to manage everyday needs.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted recorded parents' positive views of communication, relationships with their children's key person and help accessing services such as speech and language therapy. That is useful detail for families who value an ongoing conversation about their child's development, while remaining a dated assessment of those relationships.

Educational packs were also provided for families in February 2023, giving parents material to support learning at home. The link between home and nursery therefore included practical resources as well as conversations.

Meals are cooked at the nursery by an onsite chef. Mealtimes also give children opportunities to learn table manners, talk together and become familiar with different foods.

Sessions and Attendance

The setting's opening window is 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. It operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The Bells Lane service also includes an after-school club running from 3pm to 6pm for children aged four to eleven; that is a separate service from the nursery's two-to-five age range.

Getting There

The address is Bells Lane Community Centre, 194 Amesbury Circus, Cinderhill, Nottingham NG8 6DD. Enquiries can be made through the contact form by selecting the Bells Lane setting, or by telephone on 01159 780 325, option 3. Selecting the branch matters because the same contact route serves other Tick Tock settings.

Funding and Paid Extras

In February 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, with the childcare pattern and charge structure set out together.

• Stories and activity organisation. In February 2023, interruptions affected listening activities and a poorly organised bug hunt reduced participation. During a visit, ask how stories are protected from other routines and how activities are prepared.
• Nursery hours and after-school care. The overall opening window ends at 6pm, while the Bells Lane nursery service is also listed as ending at 3pm, followed by after-school care. Ask which attendance arrangement applies to your child's age and required collection time.
• The written quotation. The February 2023 funding position covered two-, three- and four-year-olds. Ask for one written breakdown covering the current funded arrangement, private hours, meals and non-food consumables for your intended booking.

Bells Lane suits families seeking nursery care for two-to-five-year-olds with outdoor play and practical activities, and families considering its separate after-school provision for older children. Baking, gymnastics and three outdoor areas give the offer substance. The February 2023 assessment was positive overall, but its concerns about interruptions and activity preparation deserve attention: purposeful delivery matters as much as an appealing activity list.