Little Tinklers

Little Tinklers
Unique reference number (URN): 2828161
Address: 2 Chisholm Place, Hexham, NE46 1QL
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 17/02/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Little Tinklers CIC
Inspection report: 24 July 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
Children, including those who face barriers to learning, typically achieve well from what they
know and can already do when they first start the setting.
Children benefit from caring and attentive staff who know them well and understand what
they need to learn in order to make progress and achieve well. For example, children who
started nursery unable to walk now cruise confidently using furniture. This is because they
receive focused, appropriate support.
Children enjoy playing and exploring in the outdoor area. Younger children choose
experiences independently and show curiosity and engagement when playing in the outdoor
area. They laugh as they try to catch running water from the large water feature and watch
with interest as the water runs down. Children use their fine motor skills and make marks on
the ground with chalks.
Children engage positively with adults and show interest in stories. They show effective
hand–eye coordination as they build with blocks and magnetic tiles. Children explore
sensory materials such as sand and water. These experiences suitably develop children's
communication, early literacy, mathematical understanding and physical development.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff build warm, trusting relationships with children. Staff act as positive role
models. They promote kindness, listening and turn-taking through their interactions with
children. As a result, children cooperate well, behave positively and share resources with
increasing independence.
Leaders monitor attendance closely and work effectively with parents to promote regular
attendance. Staff follow well-established procedures to identify concerns early and
communicate promptly with families if attendance declines.
Leaders and staff prioritise the skills children need for developing positive attitudes to
learning, and support all children, including those with additional needs, to form healthy
relationships. Staff set clear expectations and use strategies to help children understand
boundaries and appropriate behaviour. For example, younger children play cooperatively
with water outdoors, while older children work together successfully to build towers during
indoor group activities.
Staff show an awareness of how to approach children with specific behavioural needs. This
supports children to treat each other with kindness and respect. However, routines for
transitions between activities are not always implemented consistently. At times, this
reduces children's engagement and interrupts the flow of learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children benefit from a warm, welcoming environment where they show that they enjoy
learning and playing both indoors and in the well-designed outdoor area. They are provided
with regular opportunities to learn within the local community. These experiences help to
broaden children's understanding of the world around them.
Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe and healthy both in and beyond the
setting. For example, children visit the local railway station to learn how to stay safe around
trains. Leaders and staff implement clear policies and practices that promote children's
safety, including during sleep times and mealtimes. Staff apply these consistently. Key
workers know their children well and provide effective support that meets their individual
physical, social and emotional needs, including for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities.
Leaders and staff provide healthy meals and snacks throughout the day to promote healthy
lifestyles. Staff maintain high standards of hygiene and care while meeting children's
individual needs. These practices help children feel safe, secure and well cared for.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have designed a bespoke curriculum that draws on a range of approaches. They
place an emphasis on outdoor learning and experiences within the local community. For
example, children develop a sense of belonging through learning what it means to be
Northumbrian.
Leaders enrich the curriculum through visitors and experiences that broaden children's
knowledge and understanding. They plan learning that helps children understand the world
around them, including the changing seasons. Children enthusiastically plant seeds and talk
about how they will grow.
Leaders and staff provide a range of resources and activities that support learning across
the curriculum and prepare children, including disadvantaged children and children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities, for their next stage of learning. Staff promote
children's mathematical knowledge through planned activities and everyday routines. For
example, they encourage children to describe the bridges they build using mathematical
language such as 'taller', 'shorter' and 'longer'. Staff assess what children know and can do
and plan appropriate next steps.
The curriculum is typically taught well. However, during transitions between activities, staff
do not consistently maximise opportunities to extend children's learning. Routines are not
yet refined enough to ensure that children's engagement in learning is maintained.
Inclusion Expected standard
Staff gather and use relevant information about children's individual needs, including
medical and dietary requirements, to ensure that children participate safely in daily routines
and learning experiences.

Leaders identify children who may be at risk of falling behind, including disadvantaged
children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and put appropriate
support in place. Staff use assessment information to identify children's next steps and
implement focused action plans to provide targeted support. This helps to put appropriate
interventions in place swiftly.
Leaders work effectively with parents and a range of external professionals, including the
local family hub, to secure advice and additional support when required. They ensure
referrals are made in a timely manner and work collaboratively with other agencies to help
reduce barriers to children's learning and development. Leaders also signpost families to
wider services, such as dental care and family support, promoting children's health and
wellbeing.
Leaders recognise that they can further strengthen their evaluation of children's progress
and outcomes by monitoring the impact of their inclusive practice.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have high ambitions for all children and remain focused on improving the quality of
care and education. Leaders and staff build strong partnerships with external agencies,
including the local authority and the local family hub, to access advice and support that
improves outcomes for children.
Leaders value staff and consider their workload and wellbeing when making decisions. As a
result, staff feel well supported, respected and valued. However, leaders have not yet
embedded ways to monitor teaching practice in order to astutely identify areas for
improvement, consistently maximise opportunities to extend children's learning, and improve
the quality of provision.
Parents speak highly of the setting and appreciate the care and support their children
receive. They recognise the progress that their children make, particularly in communication
and social development. Parents also value the positive relationships that staff build with
their families and the support they provide in meeting children's individual needs, including
managing allergies and supporting developmental milestones such as toilet training.
Leaders and staff work closely with parents and communicate regularly through daily
conversations, online platforms, diaries and progress reports. This helps parents understand
their children's learning and development.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are welcomed into this unique setting, where leaders and staff create a warm,
nurturing environment. They settle quickly and feel safe, supported and ready to learn.
Children develop trusting relationships with staff, who know them and their families well.
Close partnerships with parents help staff to meet the needs of children and support their
learning and wellbeing. Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that prepares them
well for their next stages of learning and for life beyond the setting. Children regularly take
part in meaningful experiences within the local community. For example, they travel on
public transport, visit local parks, learn how to keep themselves safe in the community and
enjoy community story and craft sessions. These experiences broaden children's
understanding of the world around them and help them develop a strong sense of
belonging.
Children enjoy a wide range of engaging experiences that build their skills and knowledge.
They listen to familiar 'over and over' stories, which support their communication, vocabulary
and early literacy. Visitors, including gardeners and local artists, enrich the curriculum and
inspire children's interests and creativity. Children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and disadvantaged children receive effective support from leaders and staff. Staff
work closely with parents and external professionals to remove barriers to learning and help
children make positive progress from their starting points.
Leaders engage positively with parents. They share children's learning and progress
regularly and maintain a clear overview of attendance. This helps to provide a continued
approach to children's learning.
Next steps
Leaders should support staff to strengthen their monitoring and teaching practice so that
they identify areas for improvement, consistently maximise opportunities to extend
children's learning, and improve the quality of provision.
Leaders should ensure that staff manage transitions effectively to maximise learning time
and children's engagement.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, parents, children, practitioners and the special
educational needs coordinator 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.

Inspector:
Charlotte Wilson-Dukes
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2828161
Address:
2 Chisholm Place
Hexham
NE46 1QL
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 17/02/2025
Registered person: Little Tinklers CIC
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30
Local authority: Northumberland
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 24 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 3
Total number of places
35

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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