Wendy House Nursery (Carlisle) Limited

Inspection of Wendy House Nursery (Carlisle) Limited Blackwell Road, Carlisle, Cumbria CA2 4AB

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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

Leaders understand their responsibilities but do not always apply them effectively to promote children's good health. They share information with parents but do not give clear advice about supporting children's good health at home. Leaders have not consistently notified Ofsted of significant events, as required. They do not always support staff well enough to deliver consistently good quality of teaching across the nursery.

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The provision requires improvement

Many children show positive attitudes and are interested in their play and learning, although some are less clear about what staff expect of them. Staff help children to use technology appropriately and enjoy joining in role play with toy computers. Babies have space to practise new physical skills. Staff support them warmly as they listen to songs and stories. Children explore seasonal activities, such as painting with leaves and conkers, and use their imagination to build a pretend train from chairs. Staff join in conversations to extend their ideas and develop language.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not always apply their knowledge and understanding of how to promote children's ongoing good health effectively. For instance, they do not promote children's nutritional needs and oral health well enough. At times, leaders do not ensure daily access to outdoor areas. Leaders also do not communicate clearly to parents how to support children's good health, which reduces consistency between home and nursery. n Staff monitor children's progress and identify what they need to learn next. They target gaps in learning and help children to catch up where possible. Staff discuss progress with parents each day. However, staff do not always make next steps clear or explain what parents can do at home, so continuity of learning is not maximised. n Staff deployment does not fully support the consistent delivery of the curriculum. Staffing difficulties mean that less confident staff do not benefit consistently

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need to do better?

from colleagues' experiences to support their practice. However, children benefit from some supportive and sensitive interactions with staff who are good role models. This helps children's learning and progress, although practice remains variable across rooms. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding well. Staff know these children well and understand their individual needs. They work with other agencies to support children and their families. Children make progress from their individual starting points. However, variability elsewhere means progress is not yet consistent across the nursery. n Older children learn about the needs of others and how to understand and

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need to do better?

26 September 2025 manage their own emotions and responses. For instance, they understand that some children learn in different ways and how to be inclusive in their attitudes and in their play. This supports children's social skills and helps them to build friendships and relationships with others. This is less secure for some younger children where expectations are not consistently reinforced. n Staff understand how to sequence children's learning and promote their independence skills. For example, children move on from using lidded beakers to pouring their own drinks and drinking from open cups. Children learn to manage their own self-care needs, such as toileting. Children acquire skills that support them as they prepare to move on to school, though these routines are not yet embedded across all rooms. n Leaders have systems in place to monitor staff's practice. However, leaders do not use monitoring to inform focused training and coaching to help staff

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need to do better?

continually develop their teaching skills. Therefore, the overall quality of practice across the nursery is inconsistent which hinders the development of some children in certain areas of their learning. Leaders acknowledge this and are prioritising coaching to improve consistency. n The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of significant events, as required. However, leaders show commitment to their roles. For instance, once oversights and weaknesses are pointed out, they act promptly to correct these areas. They gather the views of staff and parents and are receptive to new ideas through their work with other professionals. Leaders have positive attitudes towards making improvements to the provision and to the quality and consistency of children's experiences.

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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

ensure that children's good health is promoted effectively through providing healthy food that meets nutritional guidance, daily access to outdoor play and sleeping arrangements that are conducive to effective rest 17/10/2025

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Due date

26 September 2025 ensure that communication with parents is clear about how they can support their children's learning and development, particularly around nutrition and oral health, and what children need to learn next 17/10/2025

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Due date

ensure that staff deployment, coaching arrangements and training needs are managed effectively to support staff to continually improve their practice. 17/10/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 317413 Local authority Cumberland Inspection number 10399737 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 101 Number of children on roll 114 Name of registered person Wendy House Nursery (Carlisle) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01228 402 102 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Wendy House Nursery (Carlisle) Limited registered in 1998 and is located in Carlisle. The setting employs 30 members of childcare staff. Of these, 21 hold an appropriate qualification at level 3 and four at level 2. The manager holds an appropriate qualification at level 4. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, year round, and offers government funded places for childcare and early education.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff and children spoke to and communicated with the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager and the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

26 September 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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