Little Deers Day Nursery

Inspection of Little Deers Day Nursery Deer Hall, Campden Park, Ringwood Road, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 4BU

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children benefit from staff support to challenge and extend their physical skills during play at this lively nursery. Staff help babies develop hand-eye coordination as they reach for picture books and learn to crawl. Staff build obstacle courses that challenge older children to balance and jump independently. In addition, staff take children on local walks through the forest to explore nature and climb logs. This develops children's physical skills and love of the outdoors while keeping them active throughout the day.

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The provision is good

Staff follow children's interests closely. They encourage children's curiosity, such as when pre-school children investigate tree bark in search of minibeasts. Staff help children to describe and identify the insects they collect, which helps to extend their knowledge. Children engage well with activities, with staff linking learning to fun experiences that they can relate to. For instance, staff support toddlers to prepare and 'cook' pretend birthday cakes. Staff also use this task to help young children apply their emerging understanding of number. For example, children count the cakes on their baking trays and observe that a cupcake can be split into two halves.

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The provision is good

Nurturing staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour. Children show their understanding by giving their peers a 'thumbs up' to congratulate them when they follow the rules. Consequently, children learn to play well together and keep each other safe.

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need to do better?

n Staff use skilful questioning techniques that help older children talk about what they know in more detail. For example, staff support children to think about what happens to water when it is absorbed by the earth. Staff link this to previous activities where children learned that plants need water to grow. Consequently, children learn to apply their evolving knowledge of the world in different practical contexts. n There is good support for children's speech and language. Staff collaborate with specialist professionals to provide language activities that help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make rapid progress. Leaders have used early years pupil premium funding to buy role-play resources that spark conversation to support children to become confident talkers. This has helped children narrow any emerging gaps in their speech and language. n Staff follow the nursery's ethos of planning in the moment, which they explain

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need to do better?

builds on children's natural curiosity. Staff know their key children well and, as a result, seize opportunities to teach new knowledge through play. However, the aims of the curriculum have not been consistently explained to all staff. As a

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need to do better?

11 July 2025 result, staff's understanding varies as to what it is they want children to learn over time. This does not enable staff to target children's ongoing development precisely enough. n Leaders take care to support staff's well-being, especially during periods of substantial change. Recently, leaders and staff have helped children and parents manage a significant move to temporary accommodation while waiting for the completion of new purpose-built premises. Staff engaged children in the transition process by arranging visits to see diggers at the developing building site. Additionally, staff's positivity for the project has helped all children settle quickly into the new building and make full use of the expanded outdoor learning areas. n Staff embed the teaching of fire safety awareness throughout the nursery. Staff run fire drills with children and encourage them to recall together the instructions they must follow. Staff also organise practical role-play activities that

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need to do better?

teach children how to stay safe around fire, for example when roasting marshmallows around a fire pit. Staff link these demonstrations to children's own experiences of making campfires with their families. As a result, children can confidently talk about the dangers of fire. n Staff create an inclusive environment by teaching children about a diverse range of families. For example, staff show books to children with characters who have two mums or two dads. In addition, on Mother's Day and Father's Day, staff help children celebrate any family member that is important to them. Parents and carers praise these celebrations of modern family life that help children understand an array of family backgrounds.

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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 enhance staff's understanding and teaching of the curriculum to consistently build on what children know and can do.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509539 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10364233 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Little Deers Day Nursery Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01425 404167 Date of previous inspection 31 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Deers Day Nursery registered in 2001. It is situated in Burley, Hampshire. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks a year. It is closed for two weeks over the Christmas period. The nursery provides funded early education for children up to four years of age. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff, of whom 11 hold appropriate qualifications from level 2 to level 4. The nursery employs one unqualified member of staff.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support all children, including those with SEND. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n Staff showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure that the premises are safe and suitable.

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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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