The Wendy House Nursery

Inspection of The Wendy House Nursery Wendy House Nursery, Rydon Crescent, Cannington, BRIDGWATER, Somerset TA5 2JT

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

The quality of education is variable and lacks consistency. Although children make progress, this is not always a result of intentional or well-planned teaching. Leaders have identified communication and language as a key focus of their curriculum and aim to create a language-rich environment to support children in becoming confident communicators. While staff can describe how this should be implemented in practice, this is not consistently reflected in their interactions with children. High noise levels often hinder the quality of communication and staff do not always recognise or respond to factors that limit effective interactions. This can restrict children's opportunities to develop their language skills and ability to communicate effectively.

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders of the provision are clear about what they want children to learn and why. However, they do not monitor the curriculum implementation well enough to help identify and address some inconsistencies in staff's teaching. As a result, not all children make the progress they are capable of.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are welcomed into the setting with a warm and friendly approach from staff, helping them to feel safe and settled from the moment they arrive. Staff support older children's independence by encouraging them to hang up their coats and bags. Children display positive behaviour and form kind and supportive relationships with one another. They enjoy playing cooperatively and often help during routine transitions, such as tidying up.

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need to do better?

n The communication and language curriculum is not always fully effective. Staff do not help children to develop their speaking skills. For example, children often use dummies for prolonged periods of time, despite being happy and settled. Staff do not recognise this as a barrier to developing children's speech. At other times, staff focus more on supervising children rather than actively engaging with them. This means children do not participate in back-and-forth conversations with staff or develop their listening and attention skills further. n Leaders in the nursery can identify children with emerging needs and often put their own strategies in place to support them. However, they do not consistently work with external professionals to get expert advice. This means that some strategies do not fully meet children's individual needs, and support is not always as effective as it could be. n Staff say they enjoy working at the nursery and speak highly of the leadership

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need to do better?

team. They benefit from an induction process and are aware of the expectations and ethos of the nursery. However, leaders do not monitor the quality of staff practice. As a result, staff do not receive the support they need to build on and

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need to do better?

11 July 2025 improve their knowledge. For example, staff do not receive specific training tailored to their development needs, and leaders lack clear oversight of the quality of practice. n Children behave well and demonstrate positive relationships with their peers. They are kind, respectful and are seen sharing resources and playing cooperatively during free play. However, during some adult-led activities, the organisation and delivery do not capture children's interest. For example, staff read a story to all the pre-school children. Although they engage at first, some children lose focus and wander off. n Staff know their key children well and confidently discuss how to meet their individual care needs. Babies benefit from positive relationships with staff and enjoy cuddles to have their milk. Staff are good role models for children and there are strengths in the curriculum, which help some children to develop self-

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need to do better?

regulation. For example, staff help young children learn how to identify and manage their feelings. They praise them when they share resources with others and encourage them to be kind. n Children demonstrate good physical skills. Staff ensure that children have daily access to the outdoor play area. Young babies are supported to sit and pull themselves up. This helps to build their large-muscle skills. Pre-school children have opportunities to develop their finger muscles through messy play and mark-making activities. Children's physical development is supported well.

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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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Due date

implement robust systems to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for the supervision of staff, with particular focus on their understanding of the curriculum and continuous professional development 29/08/2025

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Due date

strengthen staff's understanding of how to support children's communication and language development through high- quality interactions 29/08/2025

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Due date

11 July 2025 build effective links with external professionals to ensure children with additional needs or emerging concerns receive the right support. 08/08/2025

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should:

n improve the planning and delivery of adult-led activities to ensure they are engaging, purposeful and appropriately matched to children's interests to sustain their attention and maximise learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY421204 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10409244 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person The Wendy House Nursery Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01278653775 Date of previous inspection 4 November 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The Wendy House Nursery is privately owned and re-registered in 2010. It is situated in a residential area of Cannington, Somerset. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year, with the exception of bank holidays. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education. There are seven members of staff, including the owners. One of the owners has early years professional status and the other is a qualified forest school leader, who holds an early years qualification at level 2. Of the other staff, two hold a qualification at level 4 and three have qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and an inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspectors observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspectors carried out two joint observations with the manager. n The inspectors held a meeting with the management team. They reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with an inspector. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

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

11 July 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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