Little Angels Day Nursery, Tilbury Town

A private outdoor space for babies and a light-filled, open-plan area for older children give Little Angels Day Nursery, Tilbury Town its character. The distinction matters: under-twos have their own surroundings, while children aged two to five can explore a larger shared learning space.

The nursery has 60 places in total and occupies 57 Calcutta Road in Tilbury town centre. At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and found safeguarding effective. That is a dated judgement, with useful detail beneath it and two clear teaching improvements to weigh alongside the strengths.

Rooms and Ages

For under-twos, toys and resources are arranged so children can choose what interests them, and their private outdoor area is accessible throughout the day. This gives the youngest children opportunities to explore independently within a space designed for their age group.

Children aged two to five use an open-plan interior with plentiful natural light. The shared layout gives them access to a broader learning space and is designed to ease anxiety about moving between rooms.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, communication and everyday routines all contribute to learning. In April 2023, staff organised learning in a planned sequence, adjusted activities to children's needs and followed the interests that emerged during play.

Language support was practical. In April 2023, adults talked alongside children's activities, expanded their spoken contributions and used visual prompts to support understanding. However, opportunities to deepen learning were sometimes missed, and questions did not consistently leave children enough thinking time. The useful distinction is between keeping children engaged and taking their understanding further; the latter was the improvement priority.

Outdoor and Community Life

In April 2023, children could use the outdoor area continuously. Younger children practised climbing slide steps and transferring water between containers; older children used tools in pretend repairs to a playhouse and joined staff for football. These examples show outdoor play combining movement, coordination and cooperative activity rather than serving only as a break from indoors.

Independence ran through ordinary routines in April 2023. Children practised managing coats, helping themselves to food and pouring drinks, while accessible resources allowed them to make choices about play. Those small tasks gave children opportunities to participate actively in their day.

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, made good progress, with individual strategies, curriculum adaptations and additional funding supporting their needs. This gives families a concrete account of inclusion at that point, rather than a general promise about support.

Relationships also had practical expression in April 2023: children helped friends with shoes, younger children practised taking turns, and older children shared independently. Parents received updates about development, while staff had supervision and opportunities for professional development. These are useful aspects of the inspection-era picture, although they should be read with their date attached.

A cook forms part of the Tilbury Town team. Its menus are organised into Week One and Week Two and planned with the Children's Food Trust, giving families a concrete menu structure to consider alongside their child's eating needs.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates throughout the year. The Calcutta Road setting therefore provides a weekday opening window across the year, rather than an offer confined to school terms.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01375 841313 or through the contact form, selecting the Tilbury option. The address is 57 Calcutta Road, Tilbury, RM18 7QZ.

Getting There

The town-centre location is a five minute walk to the train station, with the A13/M25 nearby. That makes the setting relevant to families combining nursery attendance with rail travel or journeys using those roads.

Funding and Paid Extras

In April 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices belong in the nursery's written quotation, with childcare hours and any additional charges considered together.

• Teaching beyond engagement. April 2023 improvement priorities concerned extending learning during play and allowing more thinking time after questions. On a visit, ask staff to demonstrate how they develop a child's idea rather than simply move an activity along.
• Two different environments. Under-twos have their own outdoor space, while children aged two to five share an open-plan interior. Consider which arrangement fits your child's age and response to a busy shared space.
• Funding and the whole quotation. The April 2023 funding provision covered two-, three- and four-year-olds. Ask for a current written breakdown of the funded attendance arrangement, meals and non-food consumables before agreeing a booking.

Little Angels Day Nursery, Tilbury Town suits families seeking a town-centre setting with weekday, year-round opening and clearly different environments for babies and older children. The baby outdoor area and older children's open-plan space are the strongest current physical details. The April 2023 picture adds purposeful independence and individual support, balanced by specific improvements needed in how adults extend play and give children time to answer.