Dizzys Day Nursery

Garden slopes, large tyres and experiments with guttering give Dizzys Day Nursery a recognisable character: children learning by moving, testing and making choices. Those examples come from July 2023, rather than a description of today's daily timetable. They show the practical substance behind the nursery's emphasis on curiosity and confidence.

At its 17 July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding, judged safeguarding effective and found that targeted support helped children make substantial progress. That is a strong dated assessment, with concrete examples of learning and relationships beneath the grade.

Dizzys accepts children aged 3 to 60 months. Its address is 24 Hollands Road, Haverhill, CB9 8PR; the nursery also uses 24-28 Hollands Road for its premises. The current opening window runs from 7am to 6.30pm on weekdays, giving families scope to fit childcare around the working day.

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning and care: play develops communication, physical skills and relationships alongside exploration. In July 2023, children's choices shaped their play within that framework. Its current ethos emphasises children becoming active learners who can express themselves and approach challenges positively.

In July 2023, children could choose between indoor and outdoor play and carry materials between activities. Play dough moved into pretend play, rather than being confined to a single task. That example matters because it shows children combining ideas and extending an activity for themselves, with room to change its direction.

Physical exploration was equally concrete in July 2023. Crawling babies used the garden and investigated ladybirds with staff, while toddlers tackled its steep slopes. Children's tyre play included looking for possible hazards alongside an adult. Movement and learning about safety were part of the same experience.

Guttering provided another July 2023 example: children tried moving objects along it, tested their ideas and returned to what they had discovered. Natural materials supported this experimentation. These are useful details for families seeking play with an investigative element, rather than relying solely on adult instructions.

Relationships had practical expression in July 2023. Children developed close connections with their key person, and staff linked familiar songs to play. When toddlers handled play dough, adults supplied words for the movements. Everyday activity therefore offered opportunities to communicate as well as manipulate materials.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found an inclusive approach, with individual and small-group work addressing emerging learning gaps and Makaton and visual prompts helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities understand the day. The significance is the combination of tailored teaching and communication support, rather than a general promise that every child will receive the same experience.

Children's consideration for one another was visible in July 2023: some helped a distressed friend settle, while others sought an adult's help so a less confident child could join dressing-up play. Social learning extended beyond taking turns. It included recognising when another child needed assistance.

Personalised feedback to parents covered activities and development in July 2023, helping families connect nursery experiences with learning at home. Staff also undertook child-protection training and knew how to raise concerns at that time. These dated practices give parents specific subjects to explore when assessing how the nursery would work for their child today.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Dizzys operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. For families organising regular childcare, those closures matter alongside the daily opening window.

Getting There

The premises are on Hollands Road in Haverhill, with postcode CB9 8PR. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01440 706246 or by email at info@dizzysdaynursery.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

In July 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Families weighing funded childcare against their working pattern should distinguish that dated participation from the attendance and charging arrangements they would agree now.

• Attendance and costs. The nursery opens across the year and has bank holiday and Christmas closures; funded early education formed part of its July 2023 provision. At a visit, what combination of sessions, funded hours, meal arrangements and consumables charges would apply to your child's proposed attendance?
• Outdoor independence. July 2023 examples included toddlers negotiating slopes and children assessing hazards before rolling tyres. Explore how adults support your child's stage of movement and confidence during garden play; the balance between freedom and guidance is a useful part of the decision.

Dizzys suits families drawn to child-led exploration, physical play and an emphasis on confidence and communication. Its July 2023 assessment gives those priorities substance through examples of investigative play, tailored support and considerate relationships. The current weekday opening window and year-round operation also suit families organising childcare around work. The strongest reason to consider it is the connection between children's choices and purposeful adult support.