Tiny Robins Day Nursery

A dedicated outdoor area for babies and a quiet room for toddler naps give Tiny Robins a practical emphasis on different stages of early childhood. This Nottingham nursery has capacity for 50 children, with a current age range of two months to five years. Its rooms progress from Hatchlings and Cygnets through Swans to Wise Owls, but individual development also shapes how children move between them.

At its 13 May 2026 inspection, Ofsted assessed behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, and inclusion as Strong standard, with achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance at Expected standard; safeguarding standards were met. That is a differentiated assessment rather than a single overall grade. Care and inclusion were the stronger areas, while teaching and communication about learning remained priorities for development.

The everyday offer combines child-led play, outdoor learning and a key person who becomes the family's main contact. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with a 7am start possible by prior agreement.

Rooms and Ages

Hatchlings and Cygnets provide sensory resources for babies, alongside their own outdoor exploration area, so early physical discovery has space beyond the indoor rooms. Care follows home routines as closely as possible. Movement between the baby rooms is discussed with parents and responds to development, usually once walking is established, rather than depending solely on a birthday.

For children aged two to three, Swans combines daily stories and circle time with opportunities to practise sharing, taking turns and managing feelings; outdoors, the mud kitchen, sand and water give toddlers materials to investigate with their hands. The routine can change with children's needs and the weather. Puddle play is part of the offer, so waterproof clothing serves a real purpose here.

Wise Owls, for ages three to five, uses an open plan room with accessible resources to support independent choices, while small-group activities and cooperative play introduce more structure before school. Children practise managing their own clothing and belongings. Personal pegs and trays help children manage their belongings.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning through play, conversation, movement and creative activity, covering development from communication and relationships to early mathematics and literacy. Tiny Robins adds In the moment planning, an approach in which practitioners observe children's interests and use their interactions to extend what children are learning. Three individual goals or next steps give that responsive approach a direction.

Daily stories, singing and discussion sit alongside spaces designed to encourage communication indoors and outside. Children can initiate their own play, with adults also introducing experiences. Weekly yoga and music sessions add further opportunities for movement and listening. These activities complement learning within the EYFS.

In May 2026, children explored colour by combining paints, used a role-play kitchen for shared imaginative play and made dough with adults. Babies played percussion instruments alongside staff. These examples connect learning to things children can handle, change and discuss, giving conversation a concrete starting point.

Outdoor Life

Outdoor learning happens every day. In May 2026, children practised climbing, running and balancing outside, building physical control through play.

Relationships and Communication

Each child receives a key person when attendance is confirmed. Settling sessions give parents time to discuss needs and routines, and an introductory form gathers interests, likes and dislikes. That information helps practitioners begin with familiar experiences. For babies, the key person also handles intimate care and discusses changes to routines with parents.

Baby Days app gives baby-room families an electronic diary, photographs, messages and information about development. Parents can respond through the app, making communication two-way. For under-threes, daily care information is shared electronically; for older children, daily feedback is verbal. Wise Owls also has a development discussion every three months, including an account of routines and achievements at home.

In May 2026, babies received physical reassurance when they became upset, and staff sought children's consent before nappy changes. Children also practised independence at lunch by helping prepare the table and serving food. The useful thread is attention to both comfort and agency: children receive help while having opportunities to take part in their own care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support for special educational needs and disabilities includes a nursery assistant working individually with children who need additional help. Practitioners discuss developmental concerns with parents, create learning plans and review their effect. With family involvement, they can liaise with outside agencies and support applications for additional funding. Support is planned around individual needs.

In May 2026, staff used signs, symbols and visual prompts to help children communicate emotions and participate with others. Children who communicated non-verbally could express needs, and peers used similar methods to build relationships. At the May 2026 inspection, Ofsted identified the need to strengthen practitioners' curriculum knowledge and learning interactions, and to give parents a clearer understanding of children's next learning steps so they could support them at home.

Sleep has its own spaces. Babies use cots or floor beds in a sleep room, with recorded sleep periods and checks at intervals; Swans naps take place in a darkened quiet room on floor beds, with comfort offered and quiet activities for children who remain awake. Toilet training is coordinated with parents. Completed toilet training is not required for preschool transition, but a reasonable attempt at home is expected; some children are not physically ready before three.

A cook prepares food freshly on site, using a four-week menu rotation with summer and winter versions. Dietary, medical, religious and cultural requirements are catered for, while baby weaning is agreed with parents.

Opening Hours and Contact

The address is 443 Derby Road, Nottingham, NG7 2EB. Standard opening is Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; an earlier start from 7am requires prior agreement.

The nursery operates across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 0115 8495593. Visits can be arranged at a mutually convenient time.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered from nine months. Subject to personal circumstances, the arrangements include 30 hours weekly for eligible working parents of children aged nine months to five years, 15 hours for children over three, and 15 hours for qualifying two-year-olds whose non-working parents receive certain benefits. These entitlements cover 38 weeks of the year, and age-related entitlement begins in the term after the child meets the age requirement.

For funded attendance, meal packages are charged separately and invoiced monthly; families can instead send a healthy, balanced packed lunch. Parents supply formula or breast milk and bottles for babies, nappies and wipes for Swans children who are not toilet training, and nappies for Wise Owls children who still need them. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Learning beyond the activity. The May 2026 priorities concerned the depth of adult interactions and parents' understanding of next steps. During a visit, ask staff to show how a recent activity extended an individual child's learning and how that next step was explained to the family.
• Baby-room transitions. Movement between Hatchlings and Cygnets responds to development, commonly when walking is established. Discuss how the change of key person and routines would be managed for your baby.
• An early working day. A 7am start needs prior agreement, while the standard day begins at 8am. Establish that arrangement before building work commitments around it.
• Meals and individual diets. Funded meal packages carry a separate charge, with a packed-lunch alternative. Families managing allergies should confirm the current food arrangements and how their child's requirements will be communicated to staff.

Tiny Robins suits families who value stage-specific care: babies have their own outdoor space, toddlers have a quiet place to sleep, and preschool children practise independence in an accessible room. The key person arrangement and electronic baby diary also give parents clear routes for sharing everyday information.

The balance is important. May 2026's stronger assessments concerned care, behaviour and inclusion; teaching and communication about learning needed further development. For families considering year-round weekday care, the most useful decision is whether those practical arrangements and the nursery's explanation of each child's next steps meet their needs.