Dolphins Childcare Centre

Dolphins Childcare Centre

Unique reference number (URN): 2864114 Address: North Petherton Community Primary School, North Petherton, Bridgwater, TA6 6LU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/11/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Millfield Nurseries Limited

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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 make steady progress from their varied starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they need for later learning. They grow in confidence and show curiosity, exploring and observing the world around them. For example, they dig in the garden to see what they can find and examine their reflections in cutlery at lunchtime. Communication and language skills develop securely across the setting. Babies use gestures and simple signs to express their needs, while older children articulate their thoughts and feelings clearly with staff and peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children strengthen their ability to focus, such as repeatedly rolling a ball down a coloured track while tuning out distractions. They also develop problem-solving skills, for example, working out how to free a tricycle wheel when it becomes stuck. Children grow in independence, progressing from cutting soft fruit in toddlers to removing stones from plums in pre-school. These experiences help children gain confidence in their abilities and prepare them well for their next stage of learning, including starting school.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have created a calm and predictable environment where routines are well established and understood by children. They promote regular attendance and are adjusting session timings to allow more focused time in the setting for all children. Staff purposefully promote independence from the earliest stages. For example, babies learn to use their spoons with growing control, toddlers pour their own drinks at lunchtime, and older children develop confidence with knives and forks. These consistent expectations help children feel secure and capable.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children respond positively to the setting's routines. They sit patiently at tables while waiting for lunch, serve themselves vegetables, and show consideration for their peers by waiting for others to finish. They learn to collaborate and support one another, such as working together to ride a two-person tricycle or helping each other share toys when this is challenging.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships between staff and children are warm, and incidents of poor behaviour are typically addressed promptly. Staff use positive praise to encourage children, and children respond well to expectations. However, staff do not always explain why behaviour needs to change, meaning children do not consistently develop a clear understanding of their actions and how to manage them.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders prioritise children's welfare and have established practices that support their well being from the earliest stages. Children eat well and are encouraged to explore new tastes and textures with confidence. Babies examine and squeeze broccoli before tasting it, while older children describe their meals as 'yummy' and learn about balanced, healthy choices. Staff understand children's individual routines and adapt their approach accordingly, such as supporting children to transition from two naps to one or offering shorter, gradual settling sessions when needed.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff build secure and responsive relationships with children. These are particularly strong in the baby room, where care needs are met promptly and consistently, helping babies feel safe and emotionally secure. Older children become increasingly independent in managing their own needs, such as hanging their jumpers on a radiator to dry. At times, they require additional support; for example, staff do not always notice when children need their noses wiped.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff know the children well and take interest in their likes and dislikes, regularly using this knowledge to aid children when settling or to engage them in learning. Children learn to keep themselves safe and assess potential risks, such as warning peers to 'watch out' before they roll a toy down a slope.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious, and leaders are taking impactful steps to strengthen consistency in teaching through their ongoing action plan. Typically, staff demonstrate a secure understanding of child development and know what children need to work on. The curriculum provides meaningful opportunities for children to develop their language and early literacy skills. For example, children show a keen interest in books and enjoy linking stories to real objects, such as matching farm animals to those in a story.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mathematical language and concepts are woven naturally into daily routines. Toddlers learn to show the same number of fingers as the play dough cakes. They count with staff while pre-school children count shapes and use the language of money in shop role play. Staff use open-ended questions to extend children's thinking and communication, encouraging them to explain their ideas, such as when exploring seed pods in the mud. Babies repeat key words and sounds modelled by staff, such as animal names and the noises they make.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is generally effective; however, it is not yet consistently purposeful or fully aligned with what staff know children need to work on. As a result, the implementation of the curriculum is not yet fully consistent across the setting.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture in which children's individual needs are identified promptly and accurately. Staff draw effectively on baseline assessments and information from parents to build a clear picture of each child's starting point. This ensures that children who need additional support, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or facing other barriers, receive timely intervention and make steady progress over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand the specific challenges faced by children in the setting and take appropriate action to reduce barriers. Additional funding is used thoughtfully, for example to provide suitable resources, offer extra sessions for disadvantaged children, and ensure regular access to nutritious meals. These decisions directly support children's wellbeing and readiness to learn. Leaders have the skills and experience to guide staff in implementing effective support, which is regularly reviewed and adapted. They work closely with staff to refine practice and respond swiftly to emerging needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders also seek timely support from external professionals, such as speech and language services, to inform children's next steps. Ongoing communication with families and wider agencies ensures that children known to social care, and those with additional vulnerabilities, are supported consistently and with care.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The setting has experienced a period of considerable change, and leaders have responded with clarity and purpose. They have a clear vision for the setting and a secure understanding of its strengths and areas for development. Their action plan is driving improvement. For example, staff are making increased use of open ended questioning to extend children's thinking because of recent impactful training in this area. Now, leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently purposeful and linked to children's next steps.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with the wider company and benefit from a shared vision that supports coherent decision making in the best interests of children, including those who may be disadvantaged or have additional needs. Staff feel respected and well supported. They value the regular opportunities for training and professional development and report that their workload is managed appropriately.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents appreciate the clear communication they receive about their children's experiences and progress. They value the thoughtful settling-in process that helps their children feel secure. Leaders know the setting's families well and ensure that they are well supported, such as helping them embed consistent routines at home.

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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 grow in confidence and independence as they move through the setting. Staff know the children well as individuals, which enables them to shape experiences that spark curiosity and joy, such as squelching peas and shaving foam or spotting birds in the garden. Across the setting, children explore a variety of learning opportunities. They skip energetically in the garden, dig for treasure in the forest school and compare capacity with sand indoors. These varied experiences help them develop physical skills, early mathematical understanding and the ability to sustain concentration. For example, pre- school children persevere as they push cocktail sticks into play dough, while babies carefully balance metal pebbles with staff beside them.

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

Babies settle quickly because they form warm, trusting relationships with staff. Staff know and understand their routines, ensuring a seamless link between home and the setting. Staff prepare them thoughtfully for their next steps, such as developing early communication of needs before moving into the toddler room. This careful attention helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face additional barriers, to feel secure and ready to learn.

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

Children generally behave well and learn to feel part of a supportive community. They collaborate naturally, such as when working together to roll giant cotton reels down wooden beams. As they approach school age, children benefit from close links with the on-site school, including regular visits that help them feel confident about the transition.

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

Leaders have a clear oversight of the provision and act promptly to strengthen practice where this is needed. Staff care deeply about the children, and this nurturing culture enables children to explore, experiment and take appropriate risks in their learning. As a result,

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Address:

North Petherton Community Primary School North Petherton Bridgwater TA6 6LU

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Millfield Nurseries Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 children flourish, achieving well from their varied starting points, forming close relationships and developing the confidence they need to progress.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop staff practice to ensure that all learning experiences are consistently well matched to children's ages and stages of development. Leaders should ensure staff consistently explain why behaviour needs to change, enabling children to reflect on and manage their actions effectively.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, 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. Local authority: Somerset

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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. 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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