Puddleducks Day Nursery

Songs, familiar stories and hands-on exploration give Puddleducks Day Nursery its clearest character in June 2022: babies copied actions to rhymes, while older children joined repeated story lines and explored letters and sounds. These are concrete ways for children to participate before they can read independently.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 16 June 2022 inspection. Based in Great Wyrley, it has capacity for 60 children, from birth to five years.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the June 2022 experiences included language through songs and stories, physical activity and opportunities to explore materials through play.

In June 2022, children investigated cereal, dough, sand and water by digging, scooping and pressing. Resources within children's reach allowed them to choose activities, and the garden provided outdoor space. Staff used children's interests to extend their play rather than relying solely on adult instructions.

Movement also had a place in that June 2022 day: children took part in regular music-based movement sessions and yoga. Tower building and shape sorting offered smaller-scale physical challenges. Counting was the weaker thread: staff sometimes overlooked opportunities to develop number understanding during play.

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities good, with staff working alongside parents and other professionals.

In June 2022, staff offered comfort when children separated from their parents and knew their key children well. Observations informed what children would learn next. That connects everyday care with individual learning, rather than treating them as separate jobs.

Communication in June 2022 included conversations at collection and online updates about children's experiences and development. At mealtimes, children practised serving themselves and ate cooked, healthy food, giving them a practical opportunity to develop independence.

The address is 246 Walsall Road, Great Wyrley, Walsall, WS6 6DL. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In June 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That is a dated description of its funding provision.

• Counting in everyday play. In June 2022, staff missed some opportunities to extend children's number understanding. Look for how counting now features in ordinary activities, alongside the language and physical experiences.
• Support for newer staff. In June 2022, targeted development for newly appointed and less-experienced practitioners needed further embedding. How are those staff supported to put learning plans into practice?
• Attendance around closures. The nursery operates across the year but closes for bank holidays and Christmas. Which booking pattern would fit your working week and those breaks?

Puddleducks suits families seeking year-round weekday childcare whose priorities include communication, practical independence and hands-on play. Its June 2022 account offers concrete examples of those experiences, balanced by clear development points around counting and support for newer staff.