Tip Top Day Nursery Willenhall

Storytelling, early counting and responsive baby care gave Tip Top Day Nursery Willenhall its character in June 2021. At its June 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children progressed well from their starting points.

The nursery has capacity for 42 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months. Its address is 33 Dilloways Lane, Willenhall, WV13 3EY. The dated account gives families concrete strengths to weigh alongside two improvement priorities: distractions during toddler activities and support for toilet training at home.

In June 2021, the early years foundation stage took practical shape through counting songs, drawing, model-making and stories. Children experimented with dough and unfamiliar tools, giving them opportunities to persist with a task and see what they could make.

Preschool storytelling involved props, repeated phrases and children playing characters together. Babies explored blocks with staff, making sounds and building towers; adults echoed their sounds and talked about their actions. These were concrete opportunities to practise communication. Outdoors, children negotiated obstacles, jumped and ran, while accessible resources supported choosing their own play.

There was a limitation. During some adult-led toddler activities, nearby play interrupted listening and concentration. At its June 2021 inspection, Ofsted asked for fewer distractions during these activities and closer work with parents on toilet-training strategies.

In June 2021, staff had close relationships with their key children and comforted tired or upset babies through gentle speech and cuddles. Adults responded calmly to behaviour and recognised children's effort, helping make expectations understandable.

Observation and assessment informed individual learning plans. Staff supported communication, including for children learning English as an additional language, while managers reviewed teaching and offered coaching and training. Children practised everyday independence through handwashing and tidying, and learned about food choices and exercise.

Safety also featured in the day's activities: children received reminders about using scissors carefully. The toilet-training improvement point concerned sharing strategies with parents to help children develop toileting skills at home, making shared strategies an important subject for families approaching that stage.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. That gives families a clear opening window around which to plan care.

In June 2021, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. This is a dated funding position, separate from its current opening arrangements.

• Toddler concentration. The June 2021 improvement priority concerned competing activities interrupting adult-led learning. During a visit, ask how toddler activities are organised to protect listening time.
• Toilet training. In June 2021, staff needed to share strategies more closely with parents. Families beginning toilet training should discuss how nursery and home will use a consistent approach.
• Attendance planning. The nursery opens across the year, with bank holiday and Christmas closures. Which booking pattern would fit your family's working week?

For families seeking care for babies through to preschool age, the June 2021 account offers concrete reasons to consider this nursery: responsive comfort, participatory stories and opportunities for independence. It suits parents who value these experiences and can plan around weekday opening and holiday closures. The two improvement priorities deserve attention when weighing the toddler experience and support for toilet training.