--- title: "Tiddlywinks Preschool in Colchester | Nursery Advice" description: "Tiddlywinks Preschool, a nursery in Colchester. See opening hours, fees, photos, parent reviews and contact details on Nursery Advice." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. 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Parents share background details to help staff plan a smooth transition, and children are encouraged to settle through play, familiar routines, and close adult support." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many places does Tiddlywinks Preschool have?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Tiddlywinks Preschool has 68 children on roll." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the staff team like at Tiddlywinks Preschool?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The team includes leaders and staff who understand the curriculum’s learning intentions and the needs of the children attending. Staff also work closely with parents and external professionals, and the setting describes a strong key person system that supports close relationships with families." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What outdoor space does Tiddlywinks Preschool use?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Children move between indoor and outdoor areas according to their interests. Staff also organise outings in the local community, including visits to a local orchard and walks to the postbox, giving children varied outdoor experiences beyond the setting." } } ] } ] } ] --- [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/ "Nursery Advice") [Find Nurseries](/search)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)[Compare](/compare)[About Us](/about-us)[For Nurseries](/for-nurseries) [Claim Your Nursery](/claim) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Nurseries](/nurseries) 3. [East of England](/search?region=East+of+England) 4. Tiddlywinks Preschool # Tiddlywinks Preschool Compare Contact Nursery Ofsted: Needs attention · 5.0 (2 parent reviews) · Bishop William Ward School, 22a Coach Road, COLCHESTER, CO6 4AT · Essex Number of places 40 places Age range 1–4 yrs Last inspected Mar 2026 Local authority Essex About - About - Pricing - Ofsted - Inclusion - Reviews - FAQ - [About](#about) - [Pricing](#pricing) - [Ofsted](#ofsted) - [Inclusion](#inclusion) - [Reviews](#reviews) - [FAQ](#faq) Email Nursery ## About this day nursery Tiddlywinks Preschool, established in 2011, is a childcare setting for children aged 1-4 years, located in Colchester. The preschool operates all year round, from 8:30 am to 5 pm on weekdays. It is committed to inclusivity, providing funded early education for all eligible children. The preschool adopts the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, with a strong focus on children's communication and language development. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and external professionals to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support and necessary resources. The setting emphasises building strong relationships with parents, ensuring a smooth transition for children. Tiddlywinks Preschool encourages independence through practical tasks, such as involving children in setting the table with ceramic plates and teapots. Children have the freedom to move between indoor and outdoor spaces, engaging in activities like making mud kitchen cakes and exploring role-play areas. Staff plan outings to local community spots, including an orchard and the postbox, to broaden children's experiences. Our ethos The preschool fosters a "learning through play" ethos that encourages development through various activities and holistic opportunities. They emphasise individual growth and uniqueness through a strong key person system and positive family relationships, helping each child become strong, capable, confident, and self-assured. What it's like Children at Tiddlywinks Preschool experience varying levels of support in their play and learning, hindering consistent development of vocabulary, listening, and speaking skills. Despite this, children settle well, enjoy their time, and make choices about their activities, including moving freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. Staff are consistently caring and kind, providing comfort and reassurance, and praise children to motivate positive behaviour and boost self-esteem. Focus on communication Inclusive SEND support Promotes independence Outdoor learning ## Pricing & funding The nursery charges age-banded fees for three-hour sessions, with different rates applying to children aged one, two, and three to five years old. Additional services such as lunch club, hot meals, and late afternoon finishes can be booked separately. Funding accepted 15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs) 15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds 30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs) Good to know - Lunch club is available for all children for one hour. - Late finishes from 15:30 to 16:00 can be booked daily. - Hot lunch is available as an optional daily extra. ### Official Ofsted Report Independent inspection of Tiddlywinks Preschool Inspection date Mar 2026 Inspection no. 10390081 Safeguarding arrangements are effective [Download full report (PDF)](https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50302002)[View on Ofsted.gov.uk](https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY424384) Visit or enquire ### Book a show-around Most settings reply within 48 hours. Schedule a VisitContact NurseryJoin Waitlist Get in touch ### Contact Reveal phone number Contact Nursery [ Visit website ](https://www.tiddlywinksgreathorkesley.co.uk/) Bishop William Ward School, 22a Coach Road, COLCHESTER, CO6 4AT [© Mapbox](https://www.mapbox.com/about/maps) [© OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright/) [Improve this map](https://apps.mapbox.com/feedback/?owner=bettersearch&id=cmr0xkm3n001m01shcu7igkjr&access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiYmV0dGVyc2VhcmNoIiwiYSI6ImNtcjB4NzVvNDA0ZTkycHF5Z3g3aWNtZWcifQ.h8Ni35tijJSAoESKsGArhg#/0.87589/51.92684/14) [](https://www.mapbox.com/) ## Explore day nurseries near COLCHESTER - [Day nurseries in COLCHESTER](/search?q=COLCHESTER) - [Day nurseries in East of England](/search?q=East+of+England) Is this your nursery? Claim this listing to add photos, pricing, and respond to enquiries. [Claim this listing](/claim?nursery=tiddlywinks-preschool-co6-4at-ey424384) ## Key facts Opening hours 8:30 am to 5 pm on weekdays Age range 12 months to 5 years old Term time / All Year All\_year Established 2011 Ofsted Inspection — new report card ### Needs attention Last inspected Mar 2026 Headline: Needs attention Grade summary Exceptional — Strong standard — Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement — Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up. Category grades Achievement Needs attention Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Curriculum and teaching Needs attention Inclusion Expected standard Leadership and governance Needs attention Age range 1 to 4 Registers Early Years Register Ofsted Inspection ## Ofsted rating for Tiddlywinks Preschool Last inspected 17 March 2026 Safeguarding effective Actions the provider must take - ensure the curriculum is implemented through well planned and purposeful activities that link to children's individual learning needs - support staff to strengthen the quality of their interactions to ensure that teaching is responsive to the individual learning needs of children What it's like to attend Children at Tiddlywinks Preschool experience varying levels of support in their play and learning, hindering consistent development of vocabulary, listening, and speaking skills. Despite this, children settle well, enjoy their time, and make choices about their activities, including moving freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. Staff are consistently caring and kind, providing comfort and reassurance, and praise children to motivate positive behaviour and boost self-esteem. Inspector highlights - Children's communication and language development is a central focus of the pre-school's curriculum. - Leaders and staff work with parents and external professionals to make sure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support and funding. - Staff help children learn to be responsible and independent by involving them in tasks and supporting them with ceramic plates and teapots and using a toaster. - Leaders and staff build strong, positive relationships with parents, gathering details to ensure a smooth transition and keeping parents well informed. - Leaders and staff show they understand the needs of children who attend and are aware of the curriculum's learning intentions. - Leaders are aiming to provide high-quality experiences to children. Areas to develop - 1 Not all children achieve consistently well in all areas of their learning to give them the secure foundational knowledge they need as they move on to school. Children's skills and knowledge do not always build and develop rapidly over time and learning is often incidental. - 2 Not all children receive consistently high-quality education due to inconsistent implementation of the curriculum. Some staff do not yet consider how to build on children's existing knowledge and skills when planning activities. - 3 Leaders are still in the early stages of implementing plans to improve quality of education and staff practice, and these changes are not yet fully embedded to ensure improvements happen quickly enough. Inspection #10390081 · Source: Ofsted [View full Ofsted report](https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50302002) Inclusion & environment ## How they support every child SEND provision Leaders and staff work with parents and external professionals to make sure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate support and funding. They secure additional resources and use them effectively to help children take part in pre-school activities and remain safe. Children with SEND are supported by on a one-to-one basis, by staff who are guided in their roles by leaders. Tailored strategies are in place to support children with SEND to make progress from their starting points. This ensures barriers to learning are reduced and children receive targeted support that reflects their individual circumstances and needs. Additional funding is used effectively to support children's individual needs and parents are involved in decisions about how funding is used. Outdoor space Pre-school children move freely between indoor and outdoor spaces to suit their interests. Staff plan a range of outings in the local community, including visits to a local orchard and walks to the local postbox, which helps to widen children's experiences. Children spend time outdoors daily. They make pretend cakes in the mud kitchen, build castles using recycled materials and help plant seeds. ## Parent Reviews of Tiddlywinks Preschool 5.0 (2) ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjVlZx_VlXLVxWxT3MPSQhVUCtiPwa9uT0WNvr5myFMJ9WIZOlSV7w=s128-c0x00000000-cc-rp-mo-ba3) julia Walkinshaw 7 years ago [Read on Google](https://www.google.com/maps/reviews/data=!4m6!14m5!1m4!2m3!1sChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURJdnZPN0lnEAE!2m1!1s0x47d90404efbdd591:0xc2c74f2206560566) ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjURSSb29TT1ajINzB_mubzCwlpjHHDiCdd0KZ5haneVLLg9GN8=s128-c0x00000000-cc-rp-mo-ba4) Robert 9 years ago [Read on Google](https://www.google.com/maps/reviews/data=!4m6!14m5!1m4!2m3!1sChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUNRcHNUb053EAE!2m1!1s0x47d90404efbdd591:0xc2c74f2206560566) Reviews from Google for Tiddlywinks Preschool. [See all on Google Maps](https://maps.google.com/?cid=14035273771277223270&g_mp=CiVnb29nbGUubWFwcy5wbGFjZXMudjEuUGxhY2VzLkdldFBsYWNlEAIYBCAA) Inspection history Date: September 2011 The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Requires improvement ). We're re-checking it against the original report. - August 2025 Requires improvement - January 2020 Outstanding - December 2015 Outstanding - September 2011 Good ## Frequently asked about Tiddlywinks Preschool ### How does settling in work at Tiddlywinks Preschool? ### How many places does Tiddlywinks Preschool have? ### What is the staff team like at Tiddlywinks Preschool? ### What outdoor space does Tiddlywinks Preschool use? ## Nearby day nurseries in COLCHESTER Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Tiddlywinks Preschool. - [ Ofsted: Good 0.4 mi ### Holmwood House Nursery Colchester · CO6 4DY ](/nursery/holmwood-house-nursery-co6-4dy-2499293) - [ Ofsted: Good 0.8 mi ### Chesterwell Day Nursery Colchester · CO4 6AZ 5.0(5 reviews) ](/nursery/chesterwell-day-nursery-co4-6az-2750504) - [ Ofsted: Good 1.1 mi ### Bright Horizons Colchester Day Nursery and Preschool Colchester · CO4 6BT ](/nursery/bright-horizons-colchester-day-nursery-and-preschool-co4-6bt-2788198) - [ Ofsted: Good 1.3 mi ### Chestnut House Kindergarten Colchester · CO4 5LE ](/nursery/chestnut-house-kindergarten-co4-5le-ey301874) - [ Ofsted: Good 1.6 mi ### Sunhill Early Learning Colchester Colchester · CO4 5QJ 5.0(10 reviews) ](/nursery/sunhill-early-learning-colchester-co4-5qj-2525608) - [ Ofsted: Outstanding 1.7 mi ### Nannas Day Nurseries Colchester · CO4 5XT ](/nursery/nannas-day-nurseries-co4-5xt-ey562114) [See all nurseries in COLCHESTER →](/search?q=COLCHESTER) ### Are you the owner of this nursery? 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