The staff and facilities at TiggyWinkles Pegasus nursery are ready to welcome children for the new school year. TiggyWinkles Chivenor and Pegasus have now joined together and will be operating as one whole nursery from TiggyWinkles based at Pegasus school.

With hundreds of youngsters passing through the nurseries’ doors, Castle Vale children and parents have enjoyed a high-quality childcare service since 1999.

Catering for children from six months to four years old, the team ensures high standards by maintaining up-to-date staff qualifications. The manager and deputy manager hold BA Honours degrees in Integrated Working with Children & Families, while all trainees have access to formal childcare education as well as on the job training. The team love coming to work and are so dedicated that three members are part of the original group when TiggyWinkles was first established 20 years ago.

Castle Vale children are looked after in the under-twos unit, and toddler, rising three years and pre-school rooms.

The children have full use of a playground, grassed area and an adventure play area and have regular trips out of the nursery to learn and play.

Emma Stroud, Nursery Manager at TiggyWinkles commented:

“At TiggyWinkles, independence is the foundation for learning. By providing a welcoming, friendly, child-centred environment, we believe our children will become happy, confident and resilient individuals.

“We have a fantastic indoor and outdoor environment that has been carefully planned around the interests of the children, and we will continue to develop our facilities to reflect this.”

Ofsted inspection reports for Pegasus and Chivenor are consistently high and are currently ‘Good’ for both nurseries, with inspectors concluding that at Pegasus “staff create a warm, nurturing and inviting environment at this vibrant nursery. Children are very happy, settled and eager to play and learn.”

Inspectors found the “the day-to-day leadership and management team is strong”, at Chivenor and “Managers work well with an experienced, well-qualified staff team. They strive for excellence and are working hard to raise outcomes for every child in their care”.

Emma said:

“We believe in all of our children and have high aspirations of what they can achieve. Through a family-orientated setting, we care and nurture our children so they can fulfil their potential.”

Parents also appreciate the hard work and dedication provided by the nursery teams.

Mum, Loren, added:

“I cannot thank the staff enough for all their support with my child over the last 12 months. The staff here actually care about each and every child and are not just doing it for the job.”

Mum, Hannah, concluded:

“The staff have taught my child loads, cared for him like their own and spoiled him with the best cuddles a kid could wish for over past few years. Thank you Tiggys.”

As part of a wider community initiative to promote health and wellbeing in Castle Vale, the nurseries advocate healthy eating, and have taken part in the Startwell scheme, which is an obesity prevention programme targeting early years settings across Birmingham.

Vacancies: nurseries currently have spaces within the under-twos unit, toddler and rising threes rooms.

Childcare funding: Parents can claim two year funding the term after their child turns two subject to certain criteria. This provides children with 15 hours of childcare funded by the government. To check eligibility for two year funding and to find out more information, click here.

Parents must provide the nursery with their code of eligibility.

Parents can claim 30 hours funded, the term after their child turns three subject to certain criteria. Parents must provide the nursery with their code of eligibility.

Tax free childcare is also available within the nursery.

For any funding or more information around tax free childcare, and parents can visit: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

To contact the nurseries, call on 0121 747 2186 and ask to speak to Jayne or Danielle.

Merlin Venture operates the TiggyWinkles nurseries and is a member of The Pioneer Group.