Jabberwocky Day Nursery

A play tunnel for babies, tricycles for toddlers and word games for older children give Jabberwocky Day Nursery a concrete character. These were features of daily life in September 2023, rather than promises about today's activities. Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 11 September 2023 inspection.

Based in Bishops Cleeve, the nursery accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 40 places in total. Its opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with operation across the year and closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the September 2023 examples show what learning through play looked like: language, movement and early number work were woven into children's activities.

In September 2023, babies used low storage furniture to support themselves as they practised standing, and explored a tunnel leading to a tent. Staff paired speech with signs and sounds to help them communicate. Toddlers explored feelings through a bear story, while preschool children noticed letters shared by their names. The activities differed by developmental stage.

A farm-park visit also informed play that September. Toy animals, vehicles and oats became materials for extending vocabulary and practising counting. Outside, toddlers propelled tricycles and cars with their feet; older children experimented with pipettes and water. These examples connect physical exploration with conversation and practical learning.

At the September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, making good progress through personalised support. That is a dated judgement.

In September 2023, staff combined parents' information with observations of children to plan their next learning steps. Key persons shared those plans with colleagues and families, making individual support a shared responsibility. Staff also exchanged information with parents about children's activities and learning.

Everyday independence featured that September: younger children practised fastening shoes, while older children served food using utensils. Staff helped children take turns during painting. Care extended beyond completing tasks for children to helping them practise doing things themselves.

The address is 28 Two Hedges Road, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, GL52 8DT. Opening from 8am to 6pm on weekdays gives families a substantial daily operating window; bank holidays and Christmas are closure periods.

In September 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This describes its participation at that time, rather than establishing today's entitlement or charging arrangements.

• Changes in routine. In September 2023, handwashing instructions interrupted toddler singing, dividing children's attention between lunch preparation and the group activity. Discuss how those transitions now work during a visit.
• Time to respond. In September 2023, staff sometimes moved on before children had enough thinking time to answer. Allowing that pause matters for children practising conversation.
• Planning attendance and costs. The nursery opens across the year, with bank holiday and Christmas closures. Which booking pattern and current funded-hours arrangement would fit your family, including responsibility for meals and consumables?

Jabberwocky suits families seeking care across the year within a weekday operating window. Its September 2023 inspection offers specific examples of age-sensitive play, communication and individual support, alongside two practical improvements concerning routines and response time. Those details make a more useful starting point than the Good grade alone.