Tinkerbells Day Nursery

Five animal-named rooms give Tinkerbells Day Nursery its character: Hedgehogs for babies, Otters for toddlers, Squirrels for older toddlers and young two-year-olds, Owls for older two-year-olds and young three-year-olds, and Foxes for preschool children. This Preston nursery accepts children from birth to five, with outdoor play and home-cooked food part of the day.

At its September 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good progress, with appropriate support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. That judgement belongs to that visit. The most useful detail beneath it is the emphasis on children doing things for themselves, from serving food to looking after their plates.

The setting operates at 41 Beech Grove, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, PR2 1DU. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with bank holiday and Christmas closures.

Rooms and Ages

Hedgehogs is the baby room; Otters serves toddlers; Squirrels bridges older toddlers and young two-year-olds; Owls caters for older two-year-olds and young three-year-olds; Foxes is the preschool room. These stages give families a useful starting point for understanding where their child would spend the day, rather than treating the whole birth-to-five age range as one group.

The toddler and baby space is designed to let young children move freely and reach the toys themselves. That physical arrangement fits an emphasis on choosing and exploring: access to resources matters as much as the resources themselves.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. The framework brings learning and care together. In September 2022, play, books and everyday practical tasks formed part of children's learning here.

In September 2022, children joined adult-planned activities and also chose their own play, with resources matched to their age. Staff used what children already knew, alongside their interests, to plan what came next. Reading extended beyond an adult reading aloud: children also picked up books independently, and visits from the mobile library brought books they could take home to share.

Mathematics needed more consistent attention. In September 2022, young children explored colour and shape, and some older children used number skills during play, but the mathematics curriculum was not being applied consistently across the nursery. This is a specific development point, rather than a reason to overlook the stronger literacy and practical experiences.

Outdoor and Community Life

Gardening, tubing and a kitchen play area are part of the outdoor programme. They give children different ways to explore outside, combining movement with practical play rather than making outdoor time solely about running around.

In September 2022, outdoor experiences included hosepipe play, climbing through tractor tyres and balancing along low wooden beams. These were concrete opportunities to practise coordination and movement. Children also encountered Polish and Lithuanian words spoken by friends at home, connecting language learning with the people around them.

Relationships and Communication

In September 2022, babies new to the setting formed close relationships with staff, while older children understood daily routines and expectations about treating others kindly. Staff helped children name their feelings and worked through disagreements calmly. The practical value is in how adults respond when play becomes frustrating, as well as when it goes smoothly.

Parents could contribute experiences from home through an online application in September 2022, and staff shared what children were learning. That exchange helped parents stay involved in their children's learning. The current early-years programme also includes keeping parents informed about their child's progress.

Independence was built into everyday tasks in September 2022: two-year-olds helped themselves to food, while preschool children washed their plates after lunch. These small responsibilities made daily care a learning opportunity. Children practised doing useful things, rather than leaving every task to an adult.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In September 2022, staff worked with other agencies and used additional funding for training and resources linked to individual children's needs. Children learning English alongside another language could use their home language during play as well as English. These are specific support mechanisms, rather than a blanket promise about every child's experience.

Home-cooked meals include fresh vegetables and fruit, and families are asked to explain allergies or dietary requirements so that accommodations can be made. Food therefore deserves a place in an individual care discussion, especially for a child whose diet needs careful planning.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm and operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Those hours describe the opening window; they are useful for comparing the nursery day with a family's working hours.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01772 726 154, by email at tinkerbellkids@googlemail.com or through the contact form. Visits can be arranged through the nursery.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for children aged two to five. Families considering funded attendance should distinguish the childcare funding from the rest of their booking arrangements. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Mathematics in practice. Consistency across the nursery was the improvement point in September 2022. Ask how number learning now develops between rooms, including how staff build on children's earlier understanding.
• The room move. Squirrels caters for older toddlers and young two-year-olds; Owls caters for older two-year-olds and young three-year-olds. During a visit, discuss how a move is decided and how settling support follows the child into the next room.
• The funded booking. Funding is offered for ages two to five, alongside an opening day running from 7.30am to 6pm. Ask for one written breakdown covering the entitlement, attendance pattern, meals and consumables before choosing a booking.

Tinkerbells suits families seeking birth-to-five care with several age-stage rooms, practical outdoor activities and home-cooked meals. Gardening and the kitchen play area give the current offer tangible detail; the September 2022 examples of children serving food and washing plates show how independence featured in everyday life at that time.

The Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, while the mathematics development point gives parents a clear subject to explore. For families comparing care across a working week, the weekday opening window and year-round operation are the strongest practical anchors.