Little Robins Day Nursery, Hartshill

Curiosity gives this nursery in The Old Church its character: babies explore through their senses, toddlers practise new skills, and older children develop their interests through play. Little Robins Day Nursery, Hartshill cares for children from six months to five years, with 70 places in total. Its setting on Shelton New Road distinguishes this branch from the separate Dresden nursery.

At its November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That is a dated judgement, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision. The strongest practical attractions are the attention to babies' existing routines and an approach intended to stimulate curiosity through children's surroundings and interests.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room follows babies' established routines and emphasises sensory exploration, connecting familiar care patterns with opportunities to touch, handle and investigate.

Repetition is central in the Toddler Room: practitioners guide children as they practise skills, allowing another attempt to be part of learning rather than treating each activity as a one-off experience.

The Pre-School Room emphasises children's interests alongside physical, emotional and communication development, bringing preparation for the next stage into play.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, play gives children opportunities to practise communication, movement and problem-solving. Alongside it, Hartshill is working towards The Curiosity Approach Accreditation, an approach intended to stimulate children's curiosity through the environment and their interests. Work towards accreditation should be understood as a process, rather than a completed award.

In November 2021, the rooms included domestic-style play spaces, gentle lighting and everyday objects. Children could rearrange natural and reused materials to develop their ideas. This made the resources adaptable: an object's use could change with the child's game, rather than being fixed by a single intended purpose.

Sensory investigation was tangible in November 2021. Babies handled metallic objects and explored filling containers; toddlers combined stories with identifying colours and quantities, and experimented with panpipes. Older children worked at ice containing flowers and investigated wet teabags. These examples show the practical texture of the day at that time: listening, handling, testing and noticing changes.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2021, logs led to a life-size boat, while crates, tyres, timber and guttering gave children materials for construction. The mud kitchen extended imaginative play outdoors. These were spaces children could alter through their own activity, with opportunities to test ideas and tackle physical challenges.

A pushcart was used for community walks in November 2021, including visits to see ambulances at the hospital. The outing connected children's play with something happening beyond the nursery. It was an example of community exploration, rather than a promise of a particular trip schedule.

Relationships and Communication

Following a baby's existing routine is a useful starting point for continuity between home and nursery. It gives families a concrete care arrangement to weigh alongside the room's sensory activities, especially when sleep and feeding patterns already shape the child's day.

In November 2021, parents could use a secure digital learning journal to follow their child's experiences and development. That provided a connection between nursery activities and learning at home. Staff also had individual support meetings, with their practice reviewed and training needs identified, giving professional development a place in the nursery's working arrangements.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that children's learning needs were monitored and plans used to address gaps, while the special educational needs coordinator worked with outside agencies to obtain additional support. This describes a specific support mechanism at that date, rather than a general promise about provision for every child.

The current manager has experience supporting children with autism, ADHD, developmental delay and speech and language difficulties. That experience is relevant to families seeking someone familiar with different needs; the important next step is understanding how support would work for their own child.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Old Church, Shelton New Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6DP. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Enquiries can be made through the Hartshill contact form, by telephone on 01782 499440 or by email to littlerobins-daynursery@outlook.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds was offered in November 2021. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Older children's language. In November 2021, vocabulary development and knowledge of alphabet letters needed more attention. During a visit, ask for examples of how conversations and activities now develop those skills.
• Understanding other people. The November 2021 improvement priorities also included learning about similarities and differences between people. Ask how this is brought into children's everyday experiences and community connections.
• Your child's care arrangements. The Baby Room follows existing routines, and the manager has experience of different support needs. Discuss how settling and individual support would work for your child.

Hartshill suits families attracted to sensory learning, repeated practice and an environment designed to encourage investigation. Following babies' home routines is a clear practical strength of the offer; working towards The Curiosity Approach Accreditation gives its educational direction a recognisable name.

The November 2021 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific priorities around language and understanding other people.