Tiny Toez, Tamworth

Three rooms, each with its own garden, give Tiny Toez, Tamworth a clear organising idea: children have outdoor space attached to their stage of nursery life. Teddies, Tigers and Explorers serve babies, toddlers and preschool children respectively. Child-led play and the freedom to choose between indoors and outdoors shape the day.

At its 6 February 2024 inspection, Ofsted graded the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with communication and language receiving strong attention. There were also specific weaknesses to address: uneven teaching practice and distractions during some group activities. Those details matter more than the grade alone.

The nursery has capacity for 92 children and operates on Basin Lane, within Tamworth Family Hub. Its advertised childcare offer runs from nine months to five years. Home cooking, occasional local outings and an online parent portal complete a practical offer with a recognisable emphasis on children's choices.

Rooms and Ages

Teddies is the baby room, with a domestic feel intended for the youngest children. Tigers gives toddlers an emphasis on creativity and movement using their larger muscles. Explorers serves preschool children, with opportunities to take learning further and preparation for starting school.

Each room has a dedicated garden. That gives outdoor play a place within each age group's environment. Free Flow means children can choose whether to play inside or outside, giving them a practical say in how they spend their time.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, play gives children opportunities to practise communication, explore ideas and develop physical and social skills. Staff extend activities that children choose, so an interest can become the starting point for further learning.

The nursery is working towards Curiosity Approach. Separately, its child-led planning means children select an activity and practitioners help develop it. For parents, the useful distinction is between choosing the activity and being left to manage it alone. Adult involvement remains part of the learning.

In February 2024, a quieter learning space supported vocabulary development, including for children learning English as an additional language. Counting with conkers gave mathematical ideas a tangible form. Younger children paired up for nursery songs involving pretend boats, bringing shared play and interaction into the activity.

Teaching was not equally effective throughout that February 2024 visit. Some practitioners answered questions before children had time to respond, or missed opportunities to extend existing knowledge. Group learning could also lose children's attention when other tasks or departures created distractions. The improvement priorities were better professional development and more thoughtful organisation of routine activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

Occasional outings take children to nearby parks, shops and the canal. These extend the nursery day into familiar local places, giving children experiences beyond their rooms and gardens. The frequency is occasional, rather than a fixed weekly programme.

In February 2024, outdoor experiences included cycling along a path, watching birds in a natural area and energetic puddle play. Conversations about a faster heartbeat connected movement with children's growing understanding of their bodies. Cultural learning included Lunar New Year sensory activities, while a church visit introduced children to religion and their wider community.

Relationships and Communication

Famly, the online parent portal, carries information about children's activities. It gives families a way to follow the nursery day beyond conversations with staff, and fits the emphasis on extending children's individual interests.

In February 2024, practitioners knew children well and offered reassurance when they were uncertain. They responded promptly to personal care needs and maintained clear expectations for behaviour. Regular learning updates helped parents and staff work together across home and nursery, making communication part of children's support rather than simply an account of completed activities.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the SENCo worked with parents and other professionals on development plans, and that additional funding supported children's individual needs. This was a concrete support mechanism: identifying what a child needed, agreeing a plan and bringing relevant adults into the response.

Older children used worry worm toys in February 2024 to help talk about feelings. Holding an object gave emotional conversations a practical starting point, rather than relying only on a child finding the words unaided. Personal care and emotional expression both received attention during that visit.

Food is freshly cooked by an in-house cook, with dietary and cultural preferences catered for. This puts meal preparation within the nursery's own daily operation.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates for 51 weeks of the year, closing for a week at Christmas and on bank holidays. The Christmas closure is a concrete consideration for families arranging care around work.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01827 310920 or by email at tamworth@tinytoez.com. Preschool preparation includes building confidence, sharing and interacting with other children, alongside the emphasis on readiness for school.

Getting There

The address is Tamworth Family Hub, Basin Lane, Tamworth, B77 2AH. The nursery occupies the children's centre premises, with its room-specific gardens forming part of the setting.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Funding participation should be kept separate from the nursery's opening calendar: a year-round opening pattern does not itself determine how an individual funded arrangement works.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Teaching and group time. In February 2024, some adults answered too quickly and surrounding activity distracted children during teaching. On a visit, ask how staff now give children time to respond and protect group activities from interruptions.
• Babies and joining. Teddies has a domestic feel and its own garden, while advertised care begins at nine months. Ask how settling, sleep routines and the youngest children's day are organised within that room.
• Funding across the year. The nursery offers funded childcare for two-, three- and four-year-olds and closes for a week at Christmas. Ask for a written attendance proposal showing how funded hours, paid hours, meals and consumables fit your intended pattern.

Tiny Toez, Tamworth suits families who value child-led play, outdoor choice and separate environments for babies, toddlers and preschool children. Dedicated gardens and occasional neighbourhood outings give that approach practical substance; Famly offers a direct connection with children's activities.

The February 2024 Good judgement sits alongside clear improvement priorities around teaching consistency and group-time organisation. Families weighing this nursery should give those everyday details as much attention as its gardens, cooking and preschool preparation.