Stripy Horse Day Nursery

Stripy Horse Day Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2742278 Address: Long Croft, Preston Patrick, Milnthorpe, LA7 7PF Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/08/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Leading & Learning Ltd

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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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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is very well embedded across the setting and is a clear priority for leaders. Leaders work closely with families to understand children's needs from the start and put support in place quickly. They listen carefully to parents' and carers' views and use observation to identify emerging needs early. For example, when some children become unsettled or anxious, staff use simple counting strategies to help them regulate their emotions and calm themselves. These strategies are used consistently to ensure continuity of care between home and the nursery. Leaders direct additional funding carefully to reduce barriers for disadvantaged children and monitor progress to refine support where needed. This ensures children who need additional help feel well supported.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff use a well-established graduated approach consistently. Leaders provide regular training and guidance on special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including how to assess needs, plan targeted support and review impact. Staff apply this confidently in daily practice. They use visual prompts, small-step targets and tailored routines to support communication and engagement, and they work effectively with external professionals, including speech and language therapists. As a result, children with SEND receive timely, well-matched support that helps them engage and learn alongside their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress from their starting points and develop confidence, independence and positive attitudes to learning. They show curiosity and motivation as they take part in activities, sustain their attention and complete tasks that interest them.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show increasing independence as they manage routines, make choices about their play and take responsibility for simple tasks. They develop communication and social skills as they play alongside others, share ideas and explain what they are doing. Children persist during activities, remain engaged for appropriate periods and show pride in their achievements. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities also make progress, as support is well matched to their individual needs. This enables them to take part fully and build securely on what they already know.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the self-care, social and learning skills they need for their next stage. They adapt well to change, manage transitions within the nursery confidently and are appropriately prepared for the move on to school. However, because interactions are not yet consistently strong across all parts of the day, children's learning is not always extended as fully as it could be.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and enjoy their time in the nursery. They play happily alongside one another and readily join in with play. For example, children work together to solve problems, such as building a train using loose parts. They talk about their ideas, take turns, share resources and try different approaches when something does not work. This helps children develop teamwork, problem-solving skills and sustained attention while learning to manage their behaviour during play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are warm and respectful. Staff model calm language and clear expectations, helping children understand what is expected of them. They take account of children's age and stage of development when supporting behaviour. For example, younger children are given simple explanations and gentle reminders, while older children are encouraged to reflect on their choices and consider the impact on others. Children respond positively to this guidance and show increasing self-control.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Clear routines support children to manage daily transitions. When getting ready to go outdoors, children put on coats and shoes with minimal support. Older children naturally help younger children, showing patience and care. Leaders monitor children's attendance closely and follow up absences promptly with families. This helps to maintain consistency in children's routines and supports their positive attitudes to the nursery.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff support children's wellbeing through responsive care routines that promote comfort, safety and emotional security. Staff tailor babies' sleep, feeding and personal care routines to their individual needs. This helps them to feel settled and secure. As children grow, they become more independent. Older children manage self-care tasks, such as toileting, confidently, which supports their sense of responsibility and growing independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children of all ages show curiosity, confidence and a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. Even the youngest babies respond positively to visitors, babbling, smiling and waving, which reflects their secure attachments and confidence in familiar adults. Older children engage confidently, proudly showing visitors their toys and creations and asking questions about who they are and why they are there. This demonstrates children's growing confidence in communication and their curiosity about the wider world.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children generally benefit from a healthy and nurturing environment. Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable, encouraging children's independence and positive attitudes towards food. The nursery is safe and well organised. Children receive support to explore and manage age- appropriate risks during outdoor play. For example, older children confidently climb trees under supervision, learning to assess risk, make safe choices and develop physical confidence. However, children's understanding of hygiene in relation to germs is not yet fully secure. Although staff support hygiene routines, they do not support children consistently to understand why handwashing and personal care are important for keeping themselves and others healthy.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders plan a sequenced curriculum that helps children to build their understanding over time. Younger children develop early knowledge through everyday play and routines, such as recognising colours and familiar objects, while also learning to manage routines and develop independence. As children's understanding develops, staff introduce more complex language linked to the environment around them. For example, staff use words such as 'imaginarium'. Children show they understand the meaning by explaining how the room is used for imaginative play. This supports children to make sense of their surroundings and develop language in meaningful and familiar contexts, while strengthening their confidence to share ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support children's mathematical understanding through everyday routines and play that reflect their age and stage of development. Younger children begin to develop early counting skills as they join in number songs, such as 'Five Little Ducks', using actions and repetition to support understanding and coordination. Older children build on this by exploring shape and space during play. They confidently name shapes, such as cylinders, as they construct models and select resources, negotiating roles and sharing ideas with their peers. These experiences help children apply mathematical language and develop cooperation and persistence. However, the quality of staff interactions is not yet consistent. At times, particularly for toddlers, staff focus mainly on supervising play rather than extending learning. At these times, children's learning is not consistently supported.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the nursery well and demonstrate an accurate understanding of its strengths and areas for development. They regularly review practice and make changes where needed. For example, leaders have reviewed how equality and diversity are promoted and have introduced a revised menu. Children enjoy foods from around the world, which staff use to help them to learn about different cultures.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders focus on reducing barriers to learning for children, particularly those who face challenges with attendance. When children are unable to attend the nursery, leaders provide home learning packs so children can continue to engage with learning at home. This helps children to maintain connections with their learning and supports them to make progress, despite periods of absence.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff morale is high, and staff report that they feel supported in their roles. Leaders manage workloads carefully and provide regular supervision sessions. They give staff time to reflect on their practice and discuss day-to-day challenges. However, professional development beyond essential training is not yet sufficiently individualised or targeted to staff roles and experience. As a result, professional development is not yet fully effective in strengthening staff practice further to consistently support children's progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents and carers are constructive. Parents speak positively about the nursery and say they feel listened to and involved. They describe positive communication with leaders and staff, who respond flexibly to children's needs and keep them informed about routines and learning. This supports smooth transitions, inclusion and secure progress for children.

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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 demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure from the moment they arrive. Leaders and staff establish calm and predictable routines. This helps children to separate confidently from their parents and carers and move through the setting with ease. Children know where to place their belongings, choose activities independently and settle quickly into play. Babies show contentment and security through relaxed body language, eye contact and vocalisation during songs and sensory experiences. This supports their early communication and emotional wellbeing.

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

Children engage in purposeful play and develop positive friendships. They show curiosity and motivation. Children often return to activities to develop their ideas further or select resources independently to support their play. Staff use regular outdoor experiences in the rural environment to enable children to explore natural materials, begin to manage age- appropriate risks and learn about animals. For example, through caring for the nursery's cat and dog, children develop empathy, responsibility and respect for living things. Staff recognise and support children's individual needs so they can take part fully in daily routines and play.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and those who face disadvantage join in activities alongside their friends and enjoy the same experiences. Staff make small adjustments to help children to communicate, stay involved and build positive relationships. This helps children to feel included, confident and part of the setting.

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

Staff support and encourage children to recognise and express their emotions and to develop strategies to manage feelings. Children feel listened to and reassured, which helps them to regulate their behaviour and remain engaged in their learning. Children show positive attitudes to learning and increasing independence as they move through the nursery. These experiences help children to build the confidence, social skills and self-care they need to be ready for their next stage of learning. This includes transitions within the nursery and, where appropriate, preparation for school.

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Next steps

Leaders should consider ways to support staff to consistently provide high-quality interactions to better support children's overall development and learning. Leaders should ensure consistent hygiene routines are followed across the nursery to fully support children's understanding of health and wellbeing. Leaders should ensure professional development is more targeted and individualised to strengthen staff practice and consistency across the nursery.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, parents and carers 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

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Address:

Long Croft Preston Patrick Milnthorpe LA7 7PF

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Leading & Learning Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

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Address:

Local authority: Westmorland and Furness

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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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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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