Tiny Toes (Warren Avenue)

Tiny Toes (Warren Avenue)
Unique reference number (URN): 2873826
Address: Tiny Toes Day Nursery, 66 Warren Avenue, Southampton, SO16 6AG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 05/01/2026
Registers: EYR
Registered person: TINY TOES (WARREN AVENUE) LTD
Inspection report: 29 May 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
All children, including those that face barriers to learning, make consistent progress in their
learning and development. Children develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge, which
means they are well prepared for their transition to the next stage of learning, such as
starting school.
Children make steady progress in their communication skills as they progress from babbling
to 3- and 4-word sentences as they move through the provision. They develop their listening
and attention skills, as well as their understanding. For example, children are able to sit and
join in with familiar songs and follow simple instructions. Children develop their
independence skills through everyday routines. For example, children progress from using
closed-lidded cups to using the self-serve water station to pour their own drinks. Children
are keen to take on new challenges. For example, younger children take pride in being able
to pull themselves up on furniture, and older children excitedly jump from climbing frames.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children have secure attachments with warm, kind and caring staff. The key-person system
is embedded well throughout the provision. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and
secure as they confidently engage and interact with staff and peers. Children develop
friendships with others as they play and are keen to engage with one another. Children
begin to learn how to play collaboratively. For example, older children learn how to make the
see-saw work together.
Staff act as good role models and teach children to treat each other with kindness and care.
There are high expectations for all children. Staff adapt these expectations to ensure they
remain age- and stage-appropriate for children that may face barriers to learning. However,
on occasion, staff's understanding of the curriculum aims means these expectations are
slightly over-ambitious for some children. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts.
Children beam in delight in response and persevere when they find things challenging. For
example, younger children learning to walk are keen to try again after wobbling.
Leaders and staff work closely with families to support them with attendance. This includes
personalised strategies for children to help ensure they can access the provision.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Staff prioritise children's care needs from their first settling-in session. This includes making
sure they feel safe and secure within the calm and welcoming environment. Staff skilfully
support children as they transition into the provision, getting the right balance of comfort and
play to help them engage well. Staff support children well as they learn to manage their
needs independently, such as wiping their own noses. Children adore the staff and their key
person and have secure bonds with them. Staff ensure daily routines support the needs of
all children and offer them appropriate choices. Staff respect children's decisions when they

demonstrate a clear preference, such as when they make it clear they are not ready for a
nap.
Staff teach children healthy habits throughout the provision. For example, older children
practise brushing their teeth regularly and understand why this is important. Leaders provide
resources to help families develop healthy habits. For example, they provide picture cards of
favourite recipes to encourage families to try these out at home. Leaders take proactive
action to support families. For example, they offer a fruit snack bowl at the entrance for all
families to access, as well as providing a lending library to help ensure all children have
easy access to stories.
Children develop a secure sense of emotional wellbeing, which is supported well by staff.
Staff celebrate children's successes, no matter how small, which helps to boost children's
self-confidence and self-esteem.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They
have already identified areas where staff knowledge can be strengthened further. For
example, there are some minor inconsistencies in staff's understanding of the curriculum
and how to use their knowledge to appropriately extend and challenge children's learning
and development.
Staff skilfully support children's communication and language development and consider this
an area of high priority for their children. Staff develop children's vocabulary through a
variety of ways, such as repeating words, modelling vocabulary and sharing stories and
rhymes. For example, staff model action words, such as 'splashing' and 'pouring', as young
children play with water.
Staff work hard to reduce the barriers children may face in accessing the curriculum to
ensure that it is accessible to all children and there are high expectations for all. Staff
recognise the importance of supporting children's personal, social and emotional
development. They support children as they learn to regulate their emotions by empathising
and validating children's feelings. For example, when there are minor conflicts over toys,
staff recognise and support children's emotions.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff work hard to ensure all children can access the provision, regardless of
any barriers to learning they may face. Staff ensure they regularly review, assess and adapt
as needed to ensure they are meeting the individual needs of children. This includes
ensuring that staff access further training and support in meeting particular needs.
Leaders and staff work closely with external agencies to ensure children receive the support
they need, both at the provision and at home. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used
appropriately to support individual children and their specific needs. This includes using
funding to pay for additional staffing, training and specific resources, such as craft materials.

Children see themselves reflected in the provision. For example, children have the
opportunity to explore books in their home language as well as seeing themselves
represented on the family display boards. Leaders incorporate children's cultures into the
provision as much as possible. For example, they adapt the lunch menu to help children feel
more included.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are passionate and dedicated to their roles. They have a clear overview of the
provision and an accurate understanding of their strengths and areas for development.
Leaders have already started to take action to develop staff practice even further through
supervisions and training. For example, staff regularly meet with leaders to discuss training
and set targets for their development. However, this can be further strengthened to enhance
the skills and knowledge of staff to ensure there is consistent, high-quality teaching, as it is
not yet precisely matched to the individual needs of staff.
Leaders ensure staff's wellbeing is promoted and that their workload is manageable. Staff
highlight that they feel well supported by leaders, as well as noting that leaders are
approachable and understanding should there be any concerns.
Partnerships with parents are secure, and leaders start to develop these before a child
starts at the provision. For example, they regularly share staff singing rhymes or reading
stories to all families, including those on waiting lists. This helps support children's learning
both at the provision and at home. Leaders work closely with families to provide support as
and when needed. For example, leaders help families complete paperwork, such as school
applications.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children happily arrive at the provision and settle quickly into play. All children, including
those that face barriers to learning, are curious and inquisitive about the world around them.
They are keen to learn. Staff actively build on this as they encourage awe and wonder in the
world around them from an early age. Young children beam in delight as they engage in
games such as peekaboo with staff.
Staff regularly share stories with children to develop their communication and literacy skills.
Children enjoy reading favourite stories as they attempt to join in, such as making the noise
of the animal in the picture. Children, including the youngest, eagerly join in with familiar

Inspectors:
Natasha Jarvis
Lindsay Osman
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2873826
Address:
Tiny Toes Day Nursery
songs and repeat the actions back to staff. Children develop their understanding of hygiene
practices with support from staff. For example, young children remember to wash their
hands following nappy changes.
Staff demonstrate they know their children well as they confidently talk about children's
progress and their next steps. Staff prioritise children's emotional wellbeing and ensure
there are secure attachments between themselves and children. For example, staff provide
reassuring cuddles when children first wake from their naps, which helps them feel safe and
secure before they eagerly go off to play again. Children excitedly include staff in their play.
For example, staff climb aboard 'cars' on the way to the 'zoo' and engage in children's
imaginative play with them. Staff expertly weave mathematics into children's play. For
example, children count the number of wheels on their 'cars' and work out if they need more.
Next steps
Leaders should further develop staff knowledge and understanding of the curriculum aims
to ensure expectations of children are age- and stage-appropriate, and to enable all staff
to appropriately extend children's learning more consistently.
Leaders should build on the arrangements for staff supervision and professional
development to help staff strengthen their personal skills and knowledge.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

66 Warren Avenue
Southampton
SO16 6AG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 05/01/2026
Registered person: TINY TOES (WARREN AVENUE) LTD
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:30
Local authority: Southampton
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 29 May 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
140
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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