Cheeky Monkees Day Nursery

Real tools for budding builders and a specialised sensory room shaped Cheeky Monkees Day Nursery's February 2023 inspection account. At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding, finding that activities built on children's interests and helped them make exceptional progress.

On Baysdale Road in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, the nursery has capacity for 90 children aged 3 to 60 months. Its inspection account offers concrete examples of learning through everyday tasks, imaginative play and outdoor exploration.

The EYFS sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the February 2023 examples included practical play, conversation and growing independence. Children interested in building used real tools, while carrots and strawberries became resources for imaginative domestic play. Older children made cold tea and poured drinks together. Everyday objects gave their play a practical purpose.

In February 2023, staff extended children's vocabulary through rhymes, stories and questions that invited fuller answers. Outdoors, children planted seeds, dug, balanced and used climbing frames. These experiences connected conversation and discovery with physical activity, rather than keeping learning at a table.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found exceptional support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including individual programmes and a specialised sensory room, and judged safeguarding effective.

In February 2023, staff worked with speech and language therapists and SEND specialists, adapting support to children's targets. A reflection area helped children explore emotions, while adults modelled sharing, manners and taking turns. These were concrete mechanisms for supporting participation and relationships.

Parents knew their child's key person in February 2023 and received updates through an online learning journey. Staff also shared children's achievements and enjoyable experiences, giving families material to discuss at home. Older children laid lunch tables, served themselves and managed personal care, making independence part of ordinary routines.

Meals in February 2023 were nutritious, and conversations covered healthy eating and dental care.

The address is Baysdale Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 9DF. Opening hours are 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank-holiday closures.

In February 2023, the nursery's session window ran from 7am to 6pm, and funded education was offered to two-, three- and four-year-olds. Those are dated arrangements, rather than a promise about a particular booking today.

• Your weekly pattern. How do current session choices and funded childcare terms fit your child's age and weekly routine?
• Support tailored to the child. In February 2023, individual support programmes, specialist collaboration and a sensory room were part of SEND provision. For families weighing additional support, these practical mechanisms matter alongside the overall grade.

Cheeky Monkees suits families seeking nursery care across the year. Practical play was a strength at its February 2023 inspection. Its February 2023 examples are persuasive: children used real tools, practised everyday independence and explored outdoors. The Outstanding judgement belongs to that dated inspection; the useful detail is how staff translated children's interests and individual needs into daily experiences.