St Thomas's Day Nursery

Sensory lights for babies, shared meals for toddlers and classroom-style learning areas for preschool children give St Thomas's Day Nursery a clear progression through its rooms. This Tean setting has capacity for 24 children, with an accepted age range from one month to 60 months. Its appeal lies in those different stages, rather than a single routine applied across the nursery.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, with strengths in relationships, early mathematics and children's engagement in play, alongside improvements needed in group activities and opportunities for sensory and messy play. That balance matters: there were useful examples of individual learning, but shared activities did not consistently hold every child's attention.

The nursery opens for 51 weeks each year and also runs holiday provision and before- and after-school clubs. These sit alongside its nursery rooms, giving families more than one kind of childcare to consider.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room takes children from a few months old until their second birthday, combining activities for different developmental stages with sensory toys and lights, highchairs for younger children and tables and chairs as they grow. The furniture changes with children's needs. Feeding and play are organised for children at different stages within the same room.

After the baby stage, the Toddler Room continues until children turn three, adding more structure while keeping toys and resources accessible for children to choose, with adults joining them at mealtimes to extend conversation. That combination gives toddlers a routine while preserving opportunities to make their own choices.

The Pre-School Room continues until children leave for school, using a classroom-style layout with tables assigned to different learning areas and planned activities led by adults. This is a more organised setting for older children, with identifiable places for different kinds of play and learning.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday routines contribute to learning rather than sitting apart from it. The progression between rooms gives that work different forms as children grow, from sensory resources in the baby stage to more structured learning areas before school.

In May 2022, toddlers used water and brushes on a colour-changing mat, combining mark-making with practice in controlling small movements. Restaurant role play gave children a reason to discuss orders, take different roles and share resources. These were activities with a practical purpose: children were using language and physical skills in their play.

The Colour Monster provided another route into conversation in May 2022, using colours to help children express feelings. Reading corners across the rooms also allowed younger children to choose and explore books independently. However, some children lost interest during group storytelling. Enjoyment of books and the suitability of a shared story session were separate issues.

Outdoor and Community Life

In May 2022, outdoor hopscotch became an introduction to addition, with children working out where extra jumps would take them. A minibeast hunt brought counting and observation together: ladybird spots prompted discussion of numbers and shapes, while a caterpillar prompted children to recall its later transformation. Outdoor play supplied concrete things to investigate, rather than mathematics being confined to an indoor activity.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2022, babies received reassurance and physical comfort from their key person, helping them build a relationship with a familiar adult. Settling arrangements also drew on information from home: staff learned about favourite toys and interests, then used those details when preparing activities and resources. The practical value was continuity between a child's home interests and their nursery experience.

Home-learning resource packs and visits to a local school were also part of the May 2022 arrangements. The packs gave parents materials to use with their children, while the school visits introduced the next setting before the move. These were transition activities, rather than a claim to a school place.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities strong, with signed nursery rhymes helping children participate and make progress. The use of signing was a concrete example of adapting a shared activity so that children could join in.

Hot food is prepared on site by the nursery's cook, with a three-week menu rotation. The nursery offers catering for dietary needs and allergies; allergy-affected families should discuss the arrangements for their child before attending.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St. Thomas's Road, Tean, ST10 4DS. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates for 51 weeks a year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. The annual pattern matters for families organising care across the year, especially around the Christmas closure.

Before- and after-school clubs and a holiday club are offered for local schools. Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by email at info@stthomasnursery.co.uk. Visits can also be booked through the nursery.

Funding and Paid Extras

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees page provides a route to its fee list, so the quotation should be considered alongside the attendance pattern a family wants.

• Group learning. In May 2022, some children disengaged during shared storytelling, and group activities needed to suit children's differing needs. During a visit, look at how a shared activity accommodates children who need a different pace or level of support.
• Sensory opportunities. Despite sensory resources in the baby provision, more sensory and messy experiences were an improvement priority in May 2022. The distinction is between having resources and giving children sufficient opportunities to use them.
• Allergy arrangements. The on-site cook caters for dietary needs and allergies. Confirm the practical arrangements for your child's requirements before attendance begins.
• Booking and costs. For your intended attendance pattern, what would the written quotation cover, including funded hours, meals and nappies?

St Thomas's suits families seeking age-specific nursery rooms, on-site cooking and a progression towards more structured preschool activities. It also serves families considering before- or after-school care, alongside its nursery provision and holiday club.

The May 2022 picture combines reassuring relationships and purposeful play with clear limitations in group engagement and sensory opportunities. The strongest decision value comes from the room progression: younger children have sensory resources and adaptable mealtime furniture, while older children move towards organised learning areas and more structured routines.