Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Achievement verified
Expected standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified
Expected standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing verified
Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
- Inclusion verified
Strong standard
- Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
- Framework verified
Report card
- Group verified
Aveley Pre-School CIC
- Inspection datesingle source
25 Mar 2026
- Inspectors verified
Anca Sandu
- Postcode verified
RM15 4AA
- Name on report verified
Aveley Pre-School CIC
- Safeguarding verified
Met
- URN verified
2753178
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- AchievementExpected
- Behaviour, attitudes and routinesExpected
- Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong
- Curriculum and teachingExpected
- InclusionStrong
- Leadership and governanceExpected
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Staff and leaders are highly skilled and experienced, with consistently high expectations for all children. p.2
- Staff and leaders create a warm, welcoming environment where children feel safe and able to thrive. p.2
- Children form warm, trusting relationships with the attentive and intuitive staff, who consistently offer comfort and reassurance. p.5
- Warm, trusting relationships between staff and children are clearly evident. p.2
- Staff and leaders hold consistently high expectations for every child. p.3
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
No strong criticism found.
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Staff should use all opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning for better outcomes. p.5
- Staff should use all opportunities to support and guide children to better understand the expectations for behaviour and consequences for their actions. p.5
- Leaders should continue to mentor and support staff to improve their practice and expertise to deliver high-quality care and education. p.5
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 8
- Words of findings
- 1,613
- about usual (typical 1698)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 35, typical 43
- Average sentence
- 17 words
- Next steps
- 3
- typical 3
- Hedged sentences
- 4%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Aveley Pre-School CIC
Unique reference number (URN): 2753178 Address: Aveley Pre-school CIC, c/o Aveley Primary Academy, Stifford Road, Aveley, Essex, RM15 4AA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 03/10/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Aveley Pre-School CIC
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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.
p.1
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Staff and leaders create a warm, welcoming environment where children feel safe and able to thrive. Well-established routines help children feel confident and settled throughout the day. Children enjoy exploring both the indoor and outdoor areas, making independent choices about the activities they wish to engage in. For example, outdoors, children follow staff instructions to walk safely along stepping stones, taking turns with their peers. When using bikes and trikes, they demonstrate good control and an awareness of obstacles and hazards around them.
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Staff provide meaningful opportunities for children to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle. They encourage children to put on their coats independently and to wash their hands before meals. Children take pride in preparing their own healthy snacks, such as safely cutting bananas and cucumbers. Through frequent practice, they grow steadily in independence and confidence.
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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Warm, trusting relationships between staff and children are clearly evident. Staff consistently support children to recognise, understand and express their feelings, offering guidance through any challenges that arise. As a result, children develop strong emotional wellbeing and feel confident in managing their emotions with support.
p.2
Inclusion Strong standard
Staff and leaders are highly skilled and experienced, with consistently high expectations for all children. They use robust systems, such as home visits and precise assessments, to quickly identify any emerging needs. They then adapt all educational programmes to ensure children's needs are met promptly and effectively.
p.2
Inclusion Strong standard
All staff and leaders have a clear and confident understanding of how to assess children's needs, provide targeted support and review progress, supported by regular training that deepens their expertise. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from targeted interventions. This includes focused speech and language programmes that develop children's understanding and expressive communication. These tailored strategies, outlined in detailed intervention plans, help strengthen children's communication and social interaction skills.
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Inclusion Strong standard
Staff closely monitor each child's progress, giving particular attention to those who require additional support. They use any extra funding purposefully to enhance their provision and practice to improve outcomes. Strong partnerships with parents and professionals, such as inclusion teams and health visitors, ensure that all children receive timely, well-coordinated support, helping to remove barriers to learning from the very start.
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Achievement Expected standard
Overall, children achieve well from their starting points and make good progress across all areas of learning. Gaps in their development are closing. At times, learning is not consistently deepened and extended, which limits the progress some children make over time.
p.3
Achievement Expected standard
Children acquire the age-appropriate skills and knowledge they need to move confidently from one stage of education to the next. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities also make steady progress from their starting points, meeting their targeted next steps in a timely and well-supported manner. For example, children count in sequence with increasing accuracy and can recognise some numerals. They rapidly learn new vocabulary, including names of dinosaurs, and are increasingly confident in conversations with both peers and adults. Children also demonstrate remarkable fine motor control when using mark-making tools. They show precision when building towers with wooden blocks, which enhances their hand–eye coordination. Outdoors, they confidently operate bikes and trikes, skilfully avoiding obstacles and staying safely on the designated path.
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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Staff and leaders hold consistently high expectations for every child. They build warm, nurturing relationships that create a calm, purposeful atmosphere where children remain deeply engaged in their play. Staff ensure that children understand and confidently follow daily routines, promoting a strong sense of security and belonging.
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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Staff and leaders model positive behaviour well. They communicate boundaries and expectations clearly and in age-appropriate ways. Children generally behave well, and staff respond promptly and sensitively to any behaviour challenges. However, there are times when staff do not fully maximise opportunities to verbally reinforce positive behaviours. For example, while they offer gentle distraction and comfort, they do not always discuss behaviour expectations to help children fully understand the impact of their actions.
p.3
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Gentle staff consistently guide children to work together, share resources and take turns. During a sensory activity, for instance, they support children to share dinosaurs and incorporate them into imaginative play, such as 'stomping' over cereal. Children respond well to this guidance, quickly following instructions and becoming deeply absorbed in the activity. They show high levels of respect and consideration towards both adults and peers.
p.3
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have effective systems in place to monitor children's attendance. They work closely with the parents to establish positive and consistent punctuality routines.
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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a clear vision for what they want children to learn and have designed an inclusive curriculum that covers all areas of development. Their aim is to equip children with a robust foundation of skills and knowledge that prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Staff carry out regular progress assessments to understand what children know and can do, using this information to plan purposeful next steps. These are shared with parents so that learning can be supported at home. However, on occasions, staff do not consistently build on children's learning. For example, when children successfully identify the numbers one and 2 during play, this is not always extended to include other numerals.
p.3
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Developing children's communication and language skills is a great focus for all staff. During sensory play, for instance, staff hold meaningful conversations with children about their actions and introduce new vocabulary, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller', to promote mathematical language and early concepts of size. Staff also model and support the use of tools, such as a teabag strainer, to strengthen children's fine motor skills and dexterity. Children listen carefully, follow instructions well and show great enthusiasm when they successfully use the strainer to pick up small pieces of cereal.
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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff promote children's emotional development effectively. They encourage children to identify and express their feelings and offer gentle guidance during moments of slight frustration. They also provide meaningful opportunities to support children's gross motor development, balance and coordination. For example, during singing and dancing sessions, children confidently squat, jump and hop in time with the music, laughing and giggling with excitement.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and priorities for development. They are ambitious and deeply committed to giving every child the best possible start to their early education. Leaders prioritise mentoring and professional support. However, this does not yet have a consistently robust impact on staff's practice. Consequently, not all staff confidently or effectively implement the inclusive curriculum.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders place high value on staff wellbeing and professional development. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings and tailored training opportunities that enhance their practice and expertise. For example, they complete targeted training on supporting children's speech and language development. As a result, staff experience significant professional growth and express high levels of job satisfaction in the setting.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Robust, positive relationships with parents and the wider community contribute significantly to the setting's success. Parents feel welcomed, involved and well supported by the staff team. They recognise and praise the impressive progress their children make. Leaders' proactive approach ensures that all children, including those facing barriers to learning, receive tailored support and thrive in this inclusive environment.
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What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are very happy in this setting. They settle quickly, separating confidently from their parents, and they are greeted by nurturing, supportive staff. Children attend regularly, and leaders use effective systems to monitor attendance, ensuring children do not miss out on valuable learning experiences. Staff and leaders create a warm, stimulating environment that supports all areas of children's learning. They thoughtfully consider children's interests, needs and next steps when planning meaningful activities. For example, home visits are arranged before children start, enabling staff to get to know each child well and tailor learning experiences to their specific needs and preferences.
p.5
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Staff are highly supportive and continuously encourage children to explore and investigate the environment independently, fostering their curiosity. For instance, when children choose to play in the pretend restaurant, staff join in enthusiastically by placing their own 'orders'. They engage children in conversations about their play to strengthen communication and language skills. Staff gently prompt and guide children to work collaboratively and share resources, helping to develop positive social interactions. Children become deeply engaged in role play and quickly develop the skills needed to become confident, effective communicators. They show high levels of fascination and a very positive attitude towards learning.
p.5
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children form warm, trusting relationships with the attentive and intuitive staff, who consistently offer comfort and reassurance. Staff support children in understanding and expressing their feelings and emotions. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children who face barriers to learning are fully included and well supported. Children receive frequent praise and recognition for their efforts and achievements. Their artwork is proudly displayed throughout the setting and shared with parents, helping children feel valued and appreciated. This contributes positively to their confidence, sense of belonging and emotional resilience.
p.5
Next steps
Staff should use all opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning for better outcomes. Staff should use all opportunities to support and guide children to better understand the expectations for behaviour and consequences for their actions. Leaders should continue to mentor and support staff to improve their practice and expertise to deliver high-quality care and education.
p.5
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection.
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Address:
Aveley Pre-school CIC c/o Aveley Primary Academy Stifford Road Aveley Essex RM15 4AA
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Address:
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
p.6
Address:
Registered person: Aveley Pre-School CIC
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Address:
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00
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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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Age range of children at the time of 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.
p.7
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.
p.7
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.
p.7
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.
p.7
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
If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .
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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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