Cuddles & Care Children's Day Nursery, Frome

A mud kitchen, books to borrow for home and support for self-feeding give Cuddles & Care Children's Day Nursery, Frome a clear emphasis on children doing things for themselves. This is provision for children aged two to five, with capacity for 26 children in total. Its Farrant Road setting combines indoor play areas with an accessible garden.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised the benefit of emotional-regulation support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. A later safeguarding compliance action is material to a parent's decision, however, and deserves attention alongside that earlier judgement.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, play provides opportunities to practise language, explore quantities and become more independent. It is the baseline framework, rather than an extra programme unique to this nursery.

In September 2025, mathematics took practical forms. Children compared how much water containers would hold, measured ingredients for play dough and counted beans taken from a pod. Staff introduced vocabulary while children handled the materials. These examples connect early number work with something children can see, make and discuss, rather than separating it from play.

The same month's activities included wiggles and jiggles, a movement session, and a greeting activity in which older children sang and followed actions. Shared play-dough making gave children opportunities to wait for a turn. There was a limitation: younger children sometimes lost interest and distracted others, while adult support did not consistently change to bring them back into the activity. Sustaining attention was an improvement priority.

Outdoor and Community Life

A mud kitchen sits alongside sand and water play, construction resources and space for imaginative play. A quieter area provides an alternative to busy activities, while the library area lets families borrow books to read together at home. That connection gives stories a place beyond the nursery day.

The garden has ramp access, and natural materials are available for exploration. In September 2025, community experiences also included buying ingredients from local shops for cooking and visiting a nearby care home. Meeting older residents extended children's social experiences beyond their own age group.

Outdoor time needed better protection from interruptions. In September 2025, children who had put on their coats and begun exploring outside were sometimes called indoors for snacks. Reviewing routines so that children could continue their chosen activity was the other improvement priority. For families, the issue is how much uninterrupted time children get to follow an interest.

Relationships and Communication

In September 2025, key persons observed children's development and used that knowledge to identify their next learning steps. Staff reassured new children, shared stories and helped them find toys that interested them. Settling support therefore involved familiar activities and individual attention.

Contact with parents, other childcare settings and outside professionals formed part of the support arrangements that month. Staff also drew on children's home languages during nursery experiences. These are useful mechanisms for connecting a child's nursery day with their life elsewhere.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Potty training, feeding themselves and making independent choices are part of the current care offer. Child-sized toilets, low sinks and nappy-changing facilities support those everyday routines. Before school, children practise independent toileting and take part in small-group activities; preparation centres on practical and social skills.

In September 2025, a sensory room and an outdoor cosy space were used to help children manage their emotions. Children also took responsibility for small safety tasks, including dealing with spilled water. These were features of practice at that time, rather than a promise about every child's present experience.

In its compliance outcome dated 16 June 2026, Ofsted recorded that some requirements were not met and issued an action requiring safeguarding concerns to reach the relevant agency promptly, following local safeguarding partnership guidance. By that June regulatory call, the nursery had strengthened risk assessments, safety precautions and outdoor-play management to support appropriate supervision. The outcome set out monitoring of the reporting action and confirmed that the nursery remained registered; it is the latest published regulatory position.

Vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free dishes are permanent menu options, alongside provision for dietary requirements. For children who find mealtimes difficult, the approach emphasises positive experiences.

The address is Farrant Road, Frome, BA11 3EP. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates all year. Those hours give families a substantial daily opening window.

Government-funded places formed part of provision in September 2025. Families should obtain a current written quotation for prices. The Frome contact form accepts requests for a visit.

• Safeguarding reporting. The 16 June 2026 compliance outcome required timely referrals to the relevant safeguarding agency. Before deciding, ask what action followed and how concerns are escalated now.
• Attention and uninterrupted play. September 2025 improvement priorities covered adapting adult-led activities and avoiding routine interruptions to children's own exploration. On a visit, discuss how younger children are supported in group activities and how snack routines fit around outdoor play.
• Attendance and funding. The nursery opens throughout the year with a weekday window of 7.30am to 6pm. Request a written proposal covering the attendance pattern you need, funded-hours arrangements, and responsibility for meals and consumables.

Frome suits families with children aged two to five who value practical independence, books shared with home and hands-on play. Its garden, mud kitchen and child-sized facilities give that approach concrete form.

The September 2025 Good judgement provides a positive assessment of provision at that point. The June 2026 safeguarding action remains central to the decision: families should weigh the nursery's response alongside the everyday learning and care arrangements, rather than letting the earlier grade settle the choice.