Early years · Early years inspection (EIF)
Wonderland Nursery
Summary
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection date verified
16 Jul 2025
- Inspectors verified
Caroline Brooks
- Behaviour and attitudes verified
Good
- Leadership and management verified
Good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Good
- Personal development verified
Good
- Quality of education verified
Good
- Name on report verified
Wonderland Nursery
- URN verified
2803262
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- OverallGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Quality of educationGood
79% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (17,905 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
Reads more warmly than most reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
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- Staff create a friendly environment and develop extremely strong partnerships with parents and carers. p.2
- They enthuse about the exceptional care and support that staff offer, especially for children with SEND. p.3
- Staff have developed excellent relationships with local schools so that transitions p.2
Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Reading & phonics6
“Children enjoy stories, songs and activities at group times.” p.2Teaching & assessment5
“Children enjoy a wide variety of experiences, activities and interactions.” p.2Communication & language5
“They become playful and confident users of language.” p.2Leadership & governance2
“Leaders consult with parents and staff to understand the needs of families.” p.2
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 6
- Words of findings
- 785
- about usual (typical 803)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 58, typical 54
- Average sentence
- 12 words
- Next steps
- 2
- typical 2
- Hedged sentences
- 3%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection of Wonderland Nursery Wonderland Nursery, The Old Pond School, Barnsley Road, Cudworth, Barnsley S72 8UT
p.1
Overall effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable
p.1
The provision is good
Children arrive happy and are welcomed into the nursery by cheerful staff. Staff create a friendly environment and develop extremely strong partnerships with parents and carers. Children are eager to come to nursery. They are confident and develop close bonds with staff as well as friendships with other children. This helps children to feel safe and valued. Children enjoy a wide variety of experiences, activities and interactions. Staff make learning and remembering fun. Children enjoy stories, songs and activities at group times. Staff read clearly and engage authentically with children to promote their language skills. Staff ask real questions so that children develop thinking skills and use language to explain their ideas. Staff adapt group-time activities so that all children are included.
p.2
The provision is good
Younger children learn the routine, and staff give clear instructions so that children know what is happening now and next. Staff are affectionate and support children to take turns and be polite. Children's behaviour is excellent. They become playful and confident users of language. Staff sit on the floor among babies and younger children so that they are available. Staff are calm and playful. They use sign language and speak clearly. As a result, children are eager to communicate. Staff are sensitive to the needs and well-being of babies. For example, they ask babies for permission and gently wipe their noses so that babies are respected.
p.2
need to do better?
n Leaders consult with parents and staff to understand the needs of families. They have developed a curriculum that is sequenced and adapted to meet the needs of all children. Leaders take particular care to adapt the curriculum for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps all children to make good progress. n Staff sit with children as they share healthy food so that mealtimes are sociable events. Children make choices and develop their independence as they practise serving themselves. Staff make adjustments so that all children are included. They closely monitor children's food allergies and intolerances to support children's individual needs. n Staff promote a love of books and reading. They read to children and create areas where children can choose books to read alone. Staff create role-play activities and encourage children to act out favourite stories, such as pretending
p.2
need to do better?
to go on a bear hunt. Staff promote democracy, such as by teaching children to vote on which story they would like. n Children enjoy a wide range of activities and resources that promote inclusion. Staff introduce children to cultures, languages and beliefs in a way that children can understand. Staff invite parents to share books from home and food from their home cultures. This helps children to develop an understanding of diversity.
p.2
need to do better?
16 July 2025 n Staff promote healthy lifestyles. They ensure that children wear protective sun cream and hats and drink water to stay hydrated. However, staff do not consistently organise some transition times effectively. For instance, the preparations to go outside take time. As children wait in line, they lose focus and become restless and are not engaged in their learning. n Children enjoy time outside each day. However, staff take all older children outside together. As a result, areas are overcrowded, and options for children's creative play are limited. This means that some children spend time waiting for their turn. n Staff give older children responsibilities. For example, children use a clipboard and checklist to join in the risk assessment process, and others lay the tables for lunch. This helps children to feel trusted and valued. n Staff have developed excellent relationships with local schools so that transitions
p.2
need to do better?
are smooth. Staff take children to make visits to schools and invite teachers to visit children at nursery. This supports continuity in children's learning. n Staff are passionate and enthusiastic about their work. They participate in training and say that they enjoy their work and feel valued. Staff work closely as a team to deliver effective and inclusive teaching for every child. Staff are knowledgeable and work with other professionals to create individual learning plans for children. They collaborate with other professionals and contribute to children's education, health and care plans. n Parents speak very highly of the nursery and say that their children love coming. They enthuse about the exceptional care and support that staff offer, especially for children with SEND. Parents say that they trust staff and that their children are well cared for and make remarkable progress.
p.3
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
p.3
Safeguarding
There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.
p.3
should:
n enhance the organisation of transition times so that children are engaged in their learning n plan more opportunities for children to engage in self-chosen exploration and play when they are outdoors.
p.3
Setting details
Unique reference number 2803262 Local authority Barnsley Inspection number 10365197 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care
p.4
inspection
Total number of places 89 Number of children on roll 97 Name of registered person ZR Wonderland Nursery Ltd
p.4
reference number
Telephone number 01226713837 Date of previous inspection Not applicable
p.4
Information about this early years setting
Wonderland Nursery registered in 2024 and is located in Barnsley. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery is open all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. It offers the government-funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.
p.4
Inspection activities
n Leaders showed the inspector the areas used by the nursery and explained the curriculum and how the provision is organised. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the leaders and staff. n Leaders showed the inspector relevant documentation. n The inspector observed interactions between children and staff. n Leaders participated in joint observations of staff with the inspector. n The inspector observed planned activities and play, inside and outside. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.
p.5
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.
p.5
Inspection activities
16 July 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.
p.5
Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
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