Oakley Kindergarten

Oakley Kindergarten

Unique reference number (URN): 2769629 Address: Chapel Pound, Oakley, MK43 7RQ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 30/01/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Oakley Kindergarten CIO

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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 Strong standard

Children show excellent listening and attention skills. They follow instructions well and become fully absorbed in activities, confidently sharing their ideas and solutions. For example, younger children work together during a treasure hunt to find items that are small, medium and large, carefully placing them in order.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children make rapid progress in their communication and language development. They confidently acquire and use new vocabulary to explain their understanding, for example when discussing the different types of dinosaurs and sharing the facts and knowledge they have gained. Children greatly enjoy stories and songs, taking an active role as the staff use props to enrich these experiences.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. They demonstrate fully embedded independence, confidence and social skills, for example, by feeding themselves and supporting one another in putting on their shoes and coats. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make consistently good progress in their learning and development.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff provide highly effective teaching that supports children in expressing themselves and managing their feelings and emotions. They use a consistent, calm and respectful approach, with clear boundaries and expectations that help children understand routines. Staff have high expectations for behaviour and actively promote key social skills, such as taking turns and sharing, from an early age, which in turn creates a harmonious learning environment for all children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff build positive attachments with their key children, planning thoughtful settling-in processes and using tailored strategies to support individual emotional needs. Their highly effective teaching fosters children's motivation to learn and promotes positive attitudes. For example, staff's enthusiastic and engaging approach during outdoor play leads to children showing sustained interest, enjoyment and deep involvement as they explore nature, harvest rhubarb for their lunch and prepare the allotment ready for growing vegetables.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff recognise the importance of supporting children to develop effective independence and self-care skills. From a young age, children wash their own hands, serve their own food and feed themselves using cutlery.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Attendance is closely monitored by leaders, with prompt action taken to support regular attendance. Parents are helped to understand the importance of consistency so that all children benefit from regular routines and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders and practitioners create a harmonious environment in which children can thrive through well-planned, structured routines that foster self-help skills and motivate them to be independent learners who enjoy their experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Highly effective partnerships with parents and carers ensure children's individual needs are clearly understood. Staff make excellent use of the information gathered when children first start, enabling key persons to form secure attachments and support children's emotional wellbeing by following familiar home routines. The key-person system is highly effective, with children showing an embedded sense of security and trust, settling quickly and seeking comfort from familiar adults when needed. All parents are able to name their child's key person.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff celebrate each child's individuality and draw on their detailed knowledge of each child to provide tailored activities that reflect their interests and needs. This child-centred approach enables children to fully engage in the learning opportunities provided. Children choose activities they enjoy and use these experiences to practise and develop their emerging skills.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff promote healthy lifestyles effectively. Younger children take part in activities linked to oral health, and staff use meaningful interactions to talk with them about brushing their teeth, helping to develop their understanding of good hygiene. Staff actively encourage healthy eating habits, and children enjoy freshly prepared cooked meals.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum centred around child-led play. It responds closely to children's individual needs, helping to ensure every child has the best possible start to their education. The curriculum is carefully organised so that staff build on what children already know and can do, while clearly identifying their next steps in learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Activities ignite children's curiosity and imagination, while fostering respect for and understanding of the natural world. Staff interactions are consistently purposeful and of high quality, with every moment used as a learning opportunity to skilfully introduce new skills and concepts. For example, as children explore insects while digging, the importance of handling them gently is seized upon, recalling earlier discussions about extinction. This approach enables children to build on prior experiences and steadily develop their skills and knowledge, ensuring they are very well prepared for future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff prioritise children's communication and language throughout the day. They model clear speech, extend vocabulary and use sign language. Staff organise circle times based on children's ages and stages, ensuring learning is appropriate to their development. As a result, children listen attentively and begin to express their ideas clearly. For example, staff point out that the letter 't' is in the title of a book, and children correctly recognise that the letter 't' is also in their own names.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders prioritise children's physical development throughout the nursery. Babies and younger children confidently develop physical skills during focused physical activities. They climb, balance and build with sensitive adult support.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children are at the centre of all planning within the setting. The curriculum is carefully structured to meet the needs of every child, regardless of background or additional needs. Staff respond effectively in the moment, building on children's interests and development needs, to maximise learning opportunities. Detailed assessment and reporting systems enable staff to identify next steps and set personalised targets for each child. Regular meetings to review children's progress also help staff reflect on and evaluate the impact of their teaching on outcomes for children, while also working alongside parents.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff work in close partnership with families and a variety of external professionals to ensure appropriate plans are in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who speak English as an additional language. Funding is used in meaningful ways to support individual children, such as individual one-to-one interventions or dance classes. Staff confidently describe the hugely positive impact these have on children's progress. Supporting children's emotional regulation is a key priority, with the use of golden rules, books and props. This fosters a calm, harmonious environment where children feel safe, secure and ready to learn while managing their emotions.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for what they want all children to experience and achieve during their time at nursery. They promote a culture of genuine care for staff and families, creating an environment where everyone feels respected, supported and able to flourish.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders maintain high expectations for all and respond promptly and effectively to any emerging concerns. Their proactive approach drives ongoing improvement. Processes to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are securely embedded. Leaders proactively seek additional training opportunities and partnerships to widen the support available to children and families.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff wellbeing is given high priority. Leaders demonstrate a knowledgeable awareness of individual staff needs. Staff have access to high-quality training, which is identified through regular appraisals and professional development meetings, to further enhance their practice. This contributes to a highly productive and positive atmosphere in which all staff report feeling well supported by leaders, as well as motivated and valued.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders work closely with families to ensure their views help shape children's care and learning. Parents describe the nursery as a safe, inspiring place where their children make excellent progress through consistent communication.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Engagement with the wider community is a key strength, supported by Easter egg hunts and seasonal scavenger trails in the local village. These experiences help children build confidence in new environments, develop a sense of belonging and strengthen their understanding of the world around them.

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

Babies and children are well supported when they start at the nursery. They experience a carefully planned settling-in period in which leaders and staff work closely with parents to gain a detailed understanding of each child. Staff are warm and attentive, providing comfort and reassurance to help children feel secure.

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

Babies and children settle quickly on arrival at the nursery, greeted warmly by nurturing and attentive staff. They enjoy a rich and engaging learning environment, where they confidently explore and show a genuine enthusiasm for discovering new things. Leaders and staff are vigilant in recognising any barriers to children's learning and wellbeing, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They develop a strong understanding of each child and their family, allowing them to identify emerging needs early and provide timely support, helping every child to stay involved and motivated in their learning.

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

Children are confident communicators who relish exploring a stimulating environment that encourages them to try new experiences and pursue their interests. All children take great pleasure in the inspiring outdoor spaces and are very well supported to develop their physical skills. For instance, the older children climb a tree stump and celebrate each other's achievements, showing pride and excitement. Younger children enjoy participating in loose- parts play using a variety of resources to build and then balance on. They demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, supporting one another as they balance and then jump into the large tyre.

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

Babies and children demonstrate excellent behaviour. They listen attentively and respond to one another with kindness and respect, contributing to a harmonious and calm environment that reflects the positive practice of staff. Children confidently and politely listen to each other and take turns. Leaders and staff are positive role models, ensuring that every child feels valued and treated with care and consideration. They use clear explanations and consistent, gentle reminders to help embed the nursery's golden rules.

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

As children move through the nursery, transitions are managed sensitively to ensure they remain settled, with additional support put in place for their emotional development when needed. Leaders and staff continue to work in close partnership with parents, sharing

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Oakley Kindergarten CIO

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Address:

Register(s): EYR information through termly assessments and open evenings, and supporting families to help maintain positive attendance.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should continue to build on their work to maintain high standards and drive ongoing improvement. In particular, they should strengthen their focus on achieving a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who are known (or have previously been known) to children's social care.

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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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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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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