Dottie Tots Nursery School

Inspection of Dottie Tots Nursery School Kingsley Centre, Forge Road, Kingsley, Bordon GU35 9ND

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

On arrival, children show an eagerness to enter this inviting nursery with its home- from-home atmosphere. Staff are warm, nurturing, and highly responsive to children's emotional needs. Children are highly motivated and quickly engage in the learning experiences staff have provided. For example, they excitedly work together to use large wooden planks and foam bricks to build complex constructions. Staff engage in playful interactions with children and encourage them to use and develop their physical skills. For instance, children show delight as they run, balance on, and jump off tree stumps safely.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff have created an inclusive, child-centred curriculum that is shaped around children's interests and what they need to learn next. There is a strong focus on independence to prepare children for school. For instance, babies learn to feed themselves with spoons, and older children learn to use safety knives to chop up their fruit. Staff are always close by to provide support and positive praise for children, which empowers them to have a go.

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The provision is good

The key-person system and bespoke settling-in processes ensure that children's emotional well-being is at the heart of everything they do. Staff gain a wealth of information on the children and get to know them very well. The detailed information they gather is effectively used to plan activities around children's interests, needs, and abilities.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding are well supported. Leaders and staff act promptly when they have concerns about children's development. Staff work closely with other professionals to identify and implement interventions to help support children with SEND. Additional funding is used effectively to enhance children's learning experiences. For instance, leaders have used the funding to provide special resources and activities to support these children. n Staff feel well supported in their roles, with regular supervision and access to ongoing training. For example, recent training has improved staff knowledge in how to support babies' development. However, leaders recognise there are still areas for improvement, especially with supporting less confident staff with their interactions with children. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the nursery. Parents receive daily

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need to do better?

feedback and updates on their children's progress through conversations, parents evenings and via the online app. They comment on the lending library, where children enjoy choosing books to read at home. This helps to promote continued learning at home. Parents say the nursery and staff are amazing and

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need to do better?

6 May 2025 they cannot express their gratitude for all the support they receive. n Staff use books to teach children new knowledge. For example, when children listen to the story about a sunflower, the staff link this knowledge to a planting activity. Children enjoy planting seeds, tending to them, and observing them grow into sunflowers. Staff explain how plants use their roots to drink water, which helps them to grow. Children confidently use new words, such as 'stem' and petals'. n Generally, staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the curriculum and know what they want children to learn. However, mathematical language or concepts are not yet consistently woven into children's play and experiences to build on what they already know. For example, at times, staff do not extend their learning about capacity as they fill and empty containers using water. n Staff value the diverse family backgrounds of the children. They encourage

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need to do better?

families to share their cultures and be involved in the celebrations. For example, children wear traditional outfits when learning about Eid and taste traditional dishes. This helps them to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. n The nursery is a highly valued part of the community. They support community projects by organising sponsored walks and donate funds raised to a local charity. Children enjoy helping people who are less fortunate than they are. n Staff are good role models and treat children with kindness and respect. They have implemented strategies, such as the use of sand timers, to support children to learn to share and take turns. Children are kind and play well together. n Children demonstrate that they have learned the routines of the setting very well and are confident and comfortable. They form close bonds with the nurturing staff. For example, babies receive cuddles, and older children confidently ask for

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n strengthen the procedures for coaching and mentoring staff to provide more consistency in the quality of interactions n develop further the curriculum for mathematics to improve children's knowledge of mathematical concepts.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2731868 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10394750 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Dottie Tots Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 023 8251 3285 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Dottie Tots Nursery School registered in 2023 and is located in Bordon, Hampshire. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery employs seven members of staff. They all hold appropriate early years qualifications up to level 5. The nursery accepts early education funding for eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The leadership team and the inspector discussed how the curriculum for the setting is organised. n Parents spoke directly to the inspector and their comments were taken into consideration as part of the inspection. n A range of documentation was sampled, including evidence of suitability checks. n The inspector observed teaching and learning, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's development. n The inspector and leaders carried out a joint observation together and discussed plans for evaluating and areas identified for improvement in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

6 May 2025 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.

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Inspection activities

6 May 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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