Zig Zag Day Nursery Peterborough

Conversation, small responsibilities and daily garden play give Zig Zag Day Nursery Peterborough its character. Children practise language through stories and make-believe, build independence by pouring drinks and putting on coats, and use outdoor space for movement and exploration. The emphasis is on learning through ordinary experiences, with adults planning around children's interests rather than treating preparation for school as a separate task.

At its March 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Based at St Paul's Church Hall on Bourges Boulevard in Peterborough, PE1 2AU, the nursery has capacity for 75 children aged 24 to 60 months. It is family-run. Flexible hourly bookings, part days and full days are offered subject to availability, alongside term-time-only and full-year attendance.

Rooms and Ages

Little Explorers and Little Adventurers serve children aged 2–3, with conversation, friendships, creative play and growing self-care skills shaping their day. These toddler rooms connect learning with things children are beginning to do for themselves: expressing a preference, joining another child's game or managing a familiar routine.

For children aged 3–4, Little Learners combines books and mark-making with counting, sorting, patterns and participation in groups. Its preparation for school also includes dressing and other everyday responsibilities. That makes the transition about managing routines and communicating with others as well as early literacy and mathematics.

The day combines freely chosen play, small-group activities, garden time and quieter periods for reading or rest.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, development and care, with children learning here through play, conversation, exploration and everyday routines. Development Matters guides planning within the EYFS, alongside the nursery's own approach to children's learning.

Communication receives sustained attention. Adults introduce vocabulary during activities, share books, sing with children and encourage them to describe what they are doing. Role play provides another reason to talk: children can explain an idea, negotiate a part in a game or listen to someone else's suggestion. Language is woven through the day, rather than reserved for a single group session.

Construction materials, paint, dough, sand and water provide different ways to investigate and make things. Staff observe children's interests and use those observations to shape subsequent experiences. A child choosing resources or returning to an unfinished idea therefore contributes to the direction of their learning, alongside the activities adults organise.

In March 2022, children searched for small creatures with magnifying glasses in a wooded outdoor area, planted sunflower seeds and experimented with creative tools. The mud kitchen provided material for pretend play. These examples show the practical character of learning at that time: looking closely, handling materials and using language while doing something concrete.

Outdoor and Community Life

Garden play is part of the daily routine. Climbing and balancing support movement, while water activities, messy play and observing seasonal changes give children reasons to explore outside. The garden extends the day's learning beyond indoor resources and provides space for active games as well as investigation.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key person who helps with settling, follows their development and provides a familiar contact for parents. Settling sessions let children get to know staff, surroundings and routines gradually. Families work with staff on this process, so the relationship begins with the child's needs and familiar habits.

Communication continues through daily conversations and the Famly app, which carries photographs, activity updates, observations and messages between parents and staff. The combination matters: an app update gives families something concrete to discuss, while conversation allows them to add context from home. Development discussions and ideas for activities at home also connect nursery learning with family life.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support for additional needs includes adjustments to activities and surroundings, visual aids and communication strategies, with families and outside professionals involved. These are practical mechanisms for helping a child participate. They also give parents specific arrangements to discuss, rather than relying on a general promise of inclusion.

In March 2022, staff worked with families and professionals to set achievable targets and make prompt changes to activities for children needing additional support. Language work also included children learning English as an additional language. Adults used play and conversation to introduce words, linking language with the activity children were already enjoying.

There were improvement points in March 2022. Newer and less experienced staff needed further help to apply the curriculum and strengthen their interactions with children. Occasionally, a planned group activity interrupted play that children were still absorbed in; routines needed adjustment so children could finish those experiences. These are useful issues to revisit when considering how the day now works.

GI Healthy Kitchen prepares fresh meals daily, using a rotating menu, and families may send a packed lunch instead. School preparation includes self-care, speaking in groups, early number and literacy experiences, friendship and positive discussion of the move ahead; where needed, staff work with families and schools on that transition.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Families can book flexible hourly sessions, part days or full days, subject to availability, and choose between attendance across the year and term-time-only places.

Funded hours can be combined with paid childcare, subject to availability.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 01733569700, and visits can be booked. The address is St Paul's Church Hall, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough PE1 2AU.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible children, including low-income 2-year-olds, the universal entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds and extended funding of up to 30 hours for eligible working families. Participation in funding does not itself establish a child's eligibility. The arrangement separates funded childcare time from additional paid hours and other charges.

Meals are optional and separately charged, including on funded attendance, with packed lunches accepted; children attending full-day sessions receive breakfast free, while snacks fall within the optional weekly service contribution. That contribution also covers care consumables such as tissues, wipes, care products and suncream, together with craft materials, themed resources and enrichment experiences.

The service contribution is optional, and its scope extends beyond non-food consumables. It supports cooking materials, seasonal celebrations and occasional visiting experiences as well. This distinction matters when comparing a childcare quotation: hours, food and the contribution represent different parts of the bill, rather than one undifferentiated charge.

Invoices itemise sessions, food and additional charges. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the fees and funding page explains the charge structure. Families experiencing financial difficulty can discuss their circumstances and possible payment arrangements with staff.

• Staff practice and uninterrupted play. In March 2022, staff development and the timing of group routines required further attention. At a visit, ask how staff now support sustained play and how newer practitioners receive help with curriculum delivery.
• Room progression. Little Explorers and Little Adventurers cover ages 2–3, while Little Learners covers 3–4. Discuss how room placement and transitions would work for your child's age and development.
• The complete childcare bill. Funded time, additional paid hours, optional food and the optional service contribution are separate components. Review an itemised quotation against the attendance pattern you intend to use, including the free-breakfast condition for full-day bookings.

Zig Zag suits families seeking part-day or flexible hourly childcare as well as those arranging full-day attendance, with term-time-only and full-year options adding another choice. Its clearest strengths of character are language-rich play, everyday independence, daily outdoor activity and communication through a key person and Famly.

The March 2022 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, with staff development and interruptions to children's play the important reservations from that visit. For parents, the decision rests on how those practices work now, alongside room progression and a clear understanding of the separate charges. The learning approach is practical and recognisable: children talk, make, move and gradually take more responsibility for their day.