Watership Downs Nursery

Watership Downs Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2554158 Address: Brickhouse Farm Community Centre, Poulton Close, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6NG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/08/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Watership Downs Nursery School C.i.c

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate engagement and enthusiasm throughout all activities. For example, older children actively engage in group activities where they learn to notice word sounds through rhymes and songs and experiences rich in language. This lays a solid foundation for future reading and writing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop key skills in independence. For example, they make choices during free play, and their social skills flourish through positive friendships and strong bonds with staff. Younger children show curiosity during sensory play and explore textures and changes in materials. Children practise counting and size comparison, displaying growing mathematical understanding. Staff implement effective strategies, such as visual prompts, to ensure inclusive access to learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children of all ages love looking at books and singing familiar songs and nursery rhymes with staff. Babies confidently express themselves through gestures, sounds and first words. As a result, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning and development, including the transition to school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards their learning and play. They engage well in activities, showing appropriate levels of concentration and enthusiasm for their age. Children behave well across the setting. They interact politely with peers and adults, reflecting the emphasis that staff place on kindness and cooperation. Staff actively support children in learning to take turns and to play collaboratively. This fosters positive social skills, a sense of community and readiness for future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's warm and responsive attachments with staff create an emotionally secure environment. Children feel confident to express their ideas and communicate effectively. This nurturing approach underpins children's positive behaviour and attitudes, enabling children to thrive socially and emotionally. Clear and well-established routines contribute to a calm atmosphere.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Secure attendance procedures safeguard children's welfare and reinforce consistency. Children move freely and confidently in the setting, demonstrating independence and trust in the routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted effectively through warm and consistent interactions that foster secure attachments and their emotional stability. Staff gather detailed information from parents and carers when their children start. This ensures that children's individual dietary and cultural needs and special educational needs and/or disabilities are met. Daily routines embed health and hygiene practices, such as handwashing before meals and after using the toilet. This supports children's understanding of healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Through close observation and nurturing interactions, staff guide children in understanding and managing their emotions, offering reassurance and modelling positive ways to express themselves. Staff encourage children's independence through promoting toilet training, self- feeding and dressing skills, providing positive guidance. Clear routines help children to feel safe and confident during transitions between activities. Staff plan outdoor play to offer children fresh air and exercise, promoting their physical development and wellbeing. Sleeping areas are clean and comfortable, and routines around rest and transitions are respected.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Managers and staff demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and supporting children's all-round development. This ensures that children feel valued, respected and ready for the next stage of learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well sequenced and embedded in what children know and can do, with clear intent for next steps in communication, personal and physical development. For example, a communication programme has a secure impact on children's progress in communication and language. As a result, children show improving listening, attention and speaking skills, enabling confident participation in group activities. The provision for younger children supports their attachment, physical development, problem-solving and turn-taking effectively. For example, staff plan thoughtfully chosen experiences, such as inset puzzles to build children's fine and gross motor control, sensory picture books to introduce texture and early literacy, and a themed tray to promote imaginative play and exploration. However, while interactions are generally warm and purposeful, there are occasions when staff ask children closed questions and do not allow sufficient wait time for children to think and

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

respond. This can limit opportunities for children to process their ideas and develop independent thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff are positive role models. They use simple vocabulary and consistent narration to scaffold children's early language. Staff plan activities informed by timely observations and ongoing assessment. This ensures that learning is personalised and ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who make progress as a result. However, during some routine activities, such as mealtimes, staff do not consistently engage meaningfully with every child. Consequently, some children do not have valuable opportunities to develop their social, emotional and language skills during these times. Staff introduce early number concepts through hands-on experiences, such as counting games, number rhymes, sorting activities and opportunities to explore shape, space and measure within daily play.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The setting demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusion, ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make secure and meaningful progress. Staff work effectively in partnership with external professionals, such as speech and language therapists and physiotherapists, to implement tailored strategies that support children's individual learning and development. These collaborative efforts extend to parents and carers, fostering positive relationships that enhance children's education and care. This is particularly evident during times of transition, where staff provide well-planned support to help children settle quickly and confidently as they move through the nursery or on to school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff benefit from ongoing SEND training, enabling them to confidently implement effective strategies that support all children's learning and development. Managers and staff have a secure understanding of each child's needs and act promptly to identify and address barriers to learning. The use of early years pupil premium funding is purposeful and well monitored, with managers working closely with key persons to close developmental gaps effectively. Inclusive practice is embedded across the setting, ensuring that every child receives high- quality experiences that promote their engagement, confidence and progress. Effective partnerships and consistent approaches underpin the setting's success in creating an environment where diversity is valued and all children thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The managers demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery, with a commitment to continuous improvement. They strengthen the nursery's special educational needs and/or disabilities provision by giving staff clear, practical training and weaving Makaton into everyday routines, helping young children communicate their needs confidently during play, care routines and group times. Staff work closely with parents and professionals to support children's progress. Staff manage children's individual needs with sensitivity, giving families reassurance and trust in the setting. Professional development opportunities to support staff's wellbeing and workload, including coaching and mentoring, are in place to build staff's confidence and skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Managers and staff maintain strong partnerships with parents and carers. They share detailed information about children's progress and strategies to support their learning at home. This collaborative approach promotes consistency and enhances outcomes for children. Risk assessments and safety procedures are thorough, creating a secure environment where children thrive. The leadership team's reflective approach and commitment to raising standards underpin the nursery's positive ethos. As a result, children benefit from a well-organised setting that prioritises their wellbeing and development, preparing them effectively for their next stage of learning, including the transition to school.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive confident and ready to start their day. They are happy, engaged and eager to learn. Children benefit from a curriculum that combines play with purposeful teaching, preparing them well for school. They experience a warm, nurturing and inclusive environment, where staff understand and meet their individual needs. Staff build secure relationships that help all children to feel safe and confident. They thoughtfully plan activities to support all areas of children's development, including their communication, physical skills and emotional wellbeing. For example, staff provide babies with opportunities to explore large sensory trays, which promotes their curiosity. Staff read books that encourage early language and motor skills and encourage children to turn the pages of the book. Older

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Inspector:

Tina Mason children engage in structured sessions that are specifically designed to develop vocabulary, speech sounds and essential social skills, including turn-taking.

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Inspector:

The managers are proactively strengthening the nursery's provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) by ensuring that staff new to the role receive training and embed Makaton to enhance communication. This enables all children to express their needs effectively. Children with SEND receive robust care. Staff work closely with parents and carers and professionals to support children's progress. They manage children's individual needs with sensitivity, giving families reassurance and trust in the setting.

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Inspector:

Children's independence is promoted from an early age. They learn to feed themselves, use the toilet and put on their coats. Staff plan group activities to support turn-taking, sharing and friendships, while outdoor play aids children's physical development. Staff model kindness and respect, creating a positive atmosphere where children's behaviour is consistently positive.

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Next steps

Managers should support staff to promote high-quality interactions with children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke to managers, staff, parents and carers, children and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality 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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Address:

Brickhouse Farm Community Centre Poulton Close Maldon Essex CM9 6NG

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Watership Downs Nursery School C.i.c

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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