Muddy Boots Acomb

Muddy Boots Acomb

Unique reference number (URN): 2834038 Address: Westfield Primary School, Askham Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO24 3HP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/03/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Muddy Boots Nursery 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

Staff consistently observe children and know them extremely well. This ensures that any gaps in children's learning or development are swiftly addressed. Leaders and staff use refined assessment tools to ensure the early identification of any delays in children's language development. This supports staff to deliver well-planned interventions that help all children to develop their communication skills in line with their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff with responsibility for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are motivated and well trained. They work in close partnership with staff and external agencies to continuously review and adapt the plans for children's learning and development. Staff break down children's learning targets into smaller steps to support children with SEND to achieve and make progress. They skilfully adapt group activities and learning experiences to ensure inclusion for all. As a result, children with SEND or those known (or previously known) to children's social care, make consistent progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders know that some children have limited opportunities to develop their physical skills at home. They have used early years pupil premium funding to buy equipment to promote children's physical development. This promotes children's activity levels indoors as well as outdoors and supports their learning and wellbeing needs especially well.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children typically achieve well and make appropriate progress in their development and learning. They hold conversations with their friends, take part in pretend play and think of their own ideas. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are especially happy and settled at the nursery. They make superb progress towards managing their behaviour and emotions. This supports them to play and learn alongside their peers. Children with disadvantage build their confidence as they join in with group activities. They concentrate and keep trying as they play and learn. Older children are ready for their move on to school. They are confident and self-assured. Children develop the necessary skills to manage their self-care needs. They are generally prepared to thrive in life.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff are very nurturing and caring towards children. They respond quickly to children's emotional and care needs. Children from the youngest age are confident to approach staff and seek cuddles or assurance. Staff enthusiastically join in with children's play. They help to support children to work together and play collaboratively. Staff promote positive manners. For example, children sing the 'please and thank you' song before mealtimes. Daily routines for older children are generally well organised. Children typically know what is expected of them and happily listen to instructions. For instance, older children are keen to help at tidy up time. They line up quickly and sensibly for staff to carry out headcounts when it is time to go inside after outdoor play. However, on occasion, the routines for younger children, such as changing out of outdoor clothes or getting ready for mealtimes take too long. This has an impact on children's engagement and ability to concentrate.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders are kind and sensitive in their approach to promoting children's attendance. For example, staff offer supportive home visits to families. This helps staff and families to work together to minimise or remove any barriers to children's attendance and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff are vigilant in supporting children's health and hygiene. For example, they ensure that children's noses are clean and offer regular opportunities for children to practise handwashing. The outdoor area supports children to safely assess and manage risk during play, under close supervision by staff. Children confidently climb and balance on tyres or play on rope-swings and learn how to manage their own safety. Staff encourage children to spend as much time as possible playing outside to promote their physical and mental wellbeing. Staff sing and talk to young children as they change their nappies. This promotes children's emotional security and creates a positive experience. Mealtimes are a pleasant time for children and they learn to use cutlery well, developing independence skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders previously identified that the settling-in procedures for babies and toddlers were not as effective as they could be. Staff have been successful in addressing the issues and this has positively promoted children's ability to settle. Babies and toddlers are typically happy and safe in the care of their key persons. Staff talk to children about emotions and help them recognise how others are feeling. This is particularly impactful for children who benefit from the further support for their behaviour and learning about how their actions may affect others, such as those with specific needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The nursery provides a wonderful outdoor space that is specifically planned for each group of children. This positively promotes children's development in all areas of learning as they work towards their move on to school. Children thrive in the outdoor area as they learn about nature and practise riding the wheeled toys. Sometimes they rest with staff to read a story. Staff ensure that there is always something interesting to talk about, which in turn promotes children's speaking skills. However, some staff would benefit from further support to enhance the strategies used to develop children's language skills, broaden their vocabulary and make even further progress in their speaking and listening skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support children to play well together, and as a result they form lovely friendships. Staff introduce younger children to mathematical language, such as 'big' and 'small', and older children learn and enjoy number songs. This supports children's early understanding of numbers and simple mathematical problems. Staff carry out regular assessments to establish the skills and knowledge that children need to learn next. Leaders support staff to adapt their teaching to extend children's learning as they play. However, they have not considered how to enhance some daily routines, such as mealtimes, to further extend children's personal and social skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted one-to-one support. Staff sensitively consider the needs of children with disadvantage. They provide purposeful learning experiences that specifically support children's needs. Staff support all children to successfully access the learning opportunities and daily routines.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders show their commitment to the continuous improvement of the nursery. They work with leaders from other settings to provide further oversight and identification of areas to develop. For example, leaders acknowledged that staff needed more support in providing a balance of adult- and child-led activities to support children's learning. This support has been put in place and is having a positive impact on staff's practice and children's learning. Leaders acknowledge that further improvements to staff's interactions with children and the ways in which daily routines are organised would further raise children's progress. They are continuing to embed the processes for evaluating the nursery. This helps to ensure that the quality of care and education for children continues to be extended and enhanced.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders carry out regular staff surveys to support their oversight of staff's wellbeing. This helps to ensure that staff's happiness and welfare are promoted. Staff receive regular opportunities for professional development to support their skills and knowledge. For instance, some staff are working towards higher-level childcare qualifications. Other staff take part in training to enhance children's learning in the outdoors. Staff who are new to the childcare sector report high levels of support and mentoring from leaders. Those staff with responsibility for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to liaise with local authority advisers and access professional development opportunities. All staff show dedication to the ongoing development of the nursery.

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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 happy and excited to start their day at the nursery. They develop great bonds with staff and thoroughly enjoy playing and learning alongside their friends. For instance, babies enjoy splashing in water or digging in sand. Toddlers develop their listening skills when they sit together to hear familiar stories. Older children play well together as they look after dolls, push toy pushchairs or host an imaginary birthday party. Children especially look forward to exploring the wonderfully resourced forest-school area. They delight in climbing in the play houses and using the mud to make a pretend chocolate cake. Children show a great sense of adventure and imagination as they play and explore.

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

Staff know children well and swiftly identify what they need to learn next. They provide fun and engaging experiences to support children to be ready for the next stage in their education. Leaders and staff expertly tailor the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who face other disadvantage. For example, staff teach children how to communicate their specific needs and regulate their behaviour. This promotes high levels of inclusion and children with SEND move very successfully towards the next steps in their development. Parents and carers appreciate the high priority that staff place on supporting their children. They report that their children overcome barriers to their learning and grow in confidence.

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

Staff encourage children to share their knowledge of special events and festivals that are meaningful to their families. This supports children's appreciation and understanding of diversity. Staff warmly welcome parents into the setting. They provide them with regular updates about children's daily routines and learning. Leaders continue to promote the

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Address:

Westfield Primary School Askham Lane York North Yorkshire YO24 3HP

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises importance of attendance, follow up on any unexplained absences and liaise with other agencies to ensure children's safety and welfare.

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Next steps

Leaders should support staff to extend their interactions with children to develop their speaking and listening skills, to make even further progress in their communication development. Leaders should review and strengthen times of transition during the day to provide an even smoother flow for younger children, to enhance their engagement and concentration. Leaders should support staff to enhance daily routines, such as mealtimes, to provide further opportunities to extend children's personal and social skills.

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, special educational needs coordinators, 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 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. Registration date: 28/03/2025

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About this inspection

Registered person: Muddy Boots Nursery Ltd.

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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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