Dingley And Family Specialist Early Years Centre

Dingley And Family Specialist Early Years Centre

Unique reference number (URN): 2782894 Address: Moore Avenue, West Howe, Bournemouth, BH11 8AU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/04/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centres

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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 Strong standard

Children make rapid and remarkable progress from their starting points, despite their complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are very well supported to explore and engage in this safe environment. This ensures that all children, including those who are disadvantaged and those known to social care, achieve well. Children develop increasing independence, particularly in managing their own needs, and their communication skills strengthen at pace.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children demonstrate confidence and emotional security in this positively adapted setting, enabling them to engage, explore and thrive. Children build the foundational knowledge they need for later success across all areas of learning.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children and families are very well prepared to move on to the right schools to meet their needs. They benefit because staff adapt support to settle them into their next placements, such as with online contact for families who are moving away. This means that every child is able to make the best possible start.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff keep children safe, help them feel happy and care for them deeply in this setting. Leaders place children's welfare at the centre of every decision. They review provision regularly and adapt swiftly to ensure that each child's needs are met, holding consistently high expectations for all children's wellbeing. This is always closely matched to their special educational needs and/or disabilities and additional barriers.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Secure, responsive relationships underpin children's emotional stability. Staff tune into children's cues and provide sensitive support, helping them recognise, express and manage their emotions. This strong attachment enables children to feel confident and ready to explore. Leaders work very closely with families to promote healthy, lifelong habits. They offer practical support, such as toothbrushing workshops and links with a local hairdresser who provides specialist sessions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Snack times are thoughtfully managed. Children are encouraged to try healthy foods and learn why these choices matter, while routines are adapted sensitively, such as offering floor-level snacks or supervised whole foods when needed. Staff support children to make healthy decisions at a level appropriate to their development, for example choosing to put on a coat before going outside as they learn how to keep themselves warm and dry.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where children's needs are identified swiftly and supported with precision. Home visits ensure that staff gather detailed information before children start, enabling staff to tailor arrivals sensitively. For example,

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Expected standard

staff encourage some children to bring a familiar item from home to ease separation. This thoughtful approach helps children feel secure.

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Expected standard

Leaders respond immediately when children experience big emotions, drawing on on-site specialist partners whose expertise makes an instant difference. They take a cohesive, whole-family approach, recognising that children's wellbeing is closely linked to the support their parents receive. This ensures that barriers to learning are reduced in a meaningful way.

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Expected standard

Leaders and staff monitor progress regularly, review support plans and adapt strategies so that each child can flourish at their own pace. Leaders use funding purposefully to enhance children's experiences and to accelerate progress for disadvantaged children. For example, staff create individual 'calm' boxes to include children's favourite things.

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Expected standard

Leaders work closely with local authority specialists, case workers and external agencies, creating a seamless experience for children known to social care and those with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. This collaborative approach ensures that every child receives the right support at the right time.

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Expected standard

While some staff are newer to their specialist roles and are still developing their expertise, the rigour of the setting's inclusive systems, the precision of leaders' oversight and the highly effective partnerships with families and external professionals mean that all children continue to receive precisely tailored support and make remarkable progress from their individual starting points.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders create a calm and caring environment where staff apply expectations for behaviour with appropriate flexibility. Staff take children's developmental stage and individual needs into account. For example, when a child needs to throw objects, staff redirect this safely by encouraging them to throw into an empty bin. These adjustments help children participate successfully while learning boundaries.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are responsive and consistent. Staff act as excellent role models, demonstrating kindness. They calm the children and show them how to soothe their emotions, such as by massaging their hands. Staff also talk to children about behavioural expectations in simple, meaningful ways, such as explaining that throwing a ball indoors may hurt someone. This helps children begin to understand cause and effect.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff support children to develop social interaction at a pace that is right for them. Some engage in play with friends, while others play alongside one another, with staff gently encouraging. They use specialist strategies to help children begin to focus.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of routines, attendance and punctuality, working with families to establish patterns that help children arrive ready to learn. For example, they provide 'now and next' boards so that children can be prepared for changes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children's individual journeys shape the curriculum, guided by the motto that 'one size fits one'. Staff draw on their knowledge of each child to understand their needs, interests and developmental stage. This enables practitioners to use children's fascinations as meaningful hooks. For example, staff link learning to specific vehicles or a child's favourite book. They tailor this to each child's starting point and stage of development. Staff make learning purposeful and accessible for those who face additional barriers. While the curriculum is well designed and teaching is effective, some staff are newer to their specialist roles and their expertise is still developing, which means teaching is not yet consistently embedded across the whole team.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff respond consistently, using shared strategies that create predictability and security. This supports children's personal development. They prepare specific resources for each learner, such as laminated books that can be explored in water. Leaders ensure that these approaches are understood across the team around the child, so children experience consistent support. Staff identify barriers to engagement quickly and pay close attention to children's cues. They adjust the environment, resources or level of support swiftly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication is prioritised, with staff modelling language and supporting alternative methods, such as sign language. Children enjoy moving in different ways and staff support their physical development in the carefully planned environment. For example, they encourage children to climb, ride and run in the garden.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of the setting's context and are committed to creating the right environment and long-term future for every child who attends. They make decisions that are in children's best interests, particularly for those who face additional barriers to learning or wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel well supported. Leaders are attentive to staff wellbeing and workload, encouraging them to manage their own needs so they can provide the best possible care for children. Recent training in mental health first aid has strengthened staff self-awareness, and ongoing professional development is beginning to enhance the quality of practice. While leaders are committed to continuous improvement, the support and training provided to develop the specialist skills of newer staff and those new to leadership roles is not yet fully embedded, which means the depth of expertise across the whole team is still developing. Staff learn regularly from the specialists who work alongside them on site.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and external partners to support children's wider education and care effectively. They strive to support the whole family to navigate next steps with confidence. Parents comment that they feel involved and supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Overall, leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to continual improvement and have taken positive steps to strengthen provision since opening, and further staff training will embed this and build confidence.

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

Children settle well in this warm, nurturing environment where staff know them deeply and care for them with genuine warmth. From the moment families are welcomed through home visits, staff work closely with parents and professionals to understand each child's needs. This careful planning helps children feel safe, settled and ready to learn. As a specialist nursery for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders allocate places thoughtfully, ensuring that children who require intensive support can access it.

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

Children thrive, and staff build trusting relationships and observe them closely. These insights shape highly personalised experiences that enable every child to access the curriculum. Whether a child communicates through gesture, sound, symbols or emerging words, staff respond consistently so that children feel heard and valued. Children make meaningful progress from their starting points, including those with highly complex needs or who face significant barriers to learning.

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

Leaders develop a carefully adapted environment that allows children to choose spaces that help them engage. Some delight in the sensory room, captivated by bubbles and lights, while others seek the calm water play outdoors. These choices build children's independence and confidence, helping them enjoy learning in ways that suit them best.

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

Children develop a sense of belonging. They learn alongside their peers, join activities and build early social skills. Families feel equally included. The setting's extensive community offer, such as workshops on potty training, dental hygiene and nutrition, alongside weekly stay and play sessions, reduces isolation and strengthens parents' confidence. Many parents describe the setting as impactful for their whole family.

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

Children leave well prepared for their next steps. Staff work closely with families and specialists to secure the right onward school placements. This is a setting where children are celebrated for who they are and supported to flourish every day.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to provide training to support and develop the specialist skills of their new staff team and those who are new in leadership roles.

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Address:

Moore Avenue West Howe Bournemouth BH11 8AU

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centres

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:15 - 12:15,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 12:45 - 14:45

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Address:

Local authority: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, specialists, parents and children 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 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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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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