Ashbourne Day Nurseries At Swanbourne

Ashbourne Day Nurseries At Swanbourne

Unique reference number (URN): 2555137 Address: Winslow Road, Swanbourne, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK17 0SW Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 21/11/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Ashbourne Day 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 are safe and happy. Typically, they go about their day in a positive and energetic way. Children enjoy the activities on offer and the company of staff, as well as learning alongside other children. This supports children to develop positive social skills. They learn to share and develop positive manners. For example, at mealtimes, children learn to use cutlery, sit at the table until everyone has finished, and say 'please' and 'thank you'.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children feel welcome from the moment they arrive at nursery. Generally, they enjoy their learning, as activities are well matched to their needs and interests. This has a positive impact on outcomes. It also helps children to leave nursery with a suitable range of skills and knowledge for their next stage.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who need extra support achieve alongside their peers. Babies enjoy songs and stories, while older children explore the rural environment. This helps to develop their understanding of the natural world.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children behave in a way that is typical for their age. Staff apply consistent expectations for acceptable behaviour. They are attentive to those children who find it more difficult to regulate their emotions. They provide personalised support to help them to manage their feelings effectively. Staff actively support children to play cooperatively. For example, they join in with role play, model turn-taking and demonstrate how to include others. This fosters a culture of kindness and respect. As a result, children learn how to build positive relationships with their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have recently reorganised the room structure and staffing arrangements. Overall, this has had a positive impact, particularly in improving the consistency of staffing across all rooms. This is reflected in children's growing confidence with familiar adults, especially when seeking support or reassurance.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

However, some aspects of the daily routine do not yet fully support children to sustain focus on their learning. For instance, older children are occasionally distracted during story times due to nearby transitions linked to mealtimes and sleep routines for younger children. Leaders recognise this and are taking appropriate steps to review and refine these arrangements. Leaders actively promote the importance of regular and punctual attendance to families. This helps to ensure that children gain the maximum benefit from their time at nursery.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure the nursery is a safe and welcoming space. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face other barriers to learning, develop warm attachments with their key persons. They are comfortable in having their intimate care needs met. Staff follow robust hygiene practices and provide children with the dignity and privacy to which they are entitled. Staff working with babies find out lots of information about their routines at home and successfully follow these at nursery. This helps babies to manage the move from home to nursery care. For example, staff find out how babies like to be settled to sleep. This provides the continuity babies need to sleep well and get the rest they need.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff use mealtimes to teach children about the pleasure of enjoying nutritious food. For example, staff act as role models, eating the same food as children and talking about it positively. Through a well-planned curriculum for physical development staff help children to develop a positive attitude to being outdoors and physically active. For example, children enjoy regular walks around the adjacent farm. Typically, staff follow policies and practices that support children's health and wellbeing effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders have focused effectively on supporting staff to plan and deliver a curriculum. They have ensured that this is much more focused on what children need to learn next. Staff now plan activities based on children's learning needs. They are far more confident in their roles as educators. This has led to significant improvements in the quality of staff interactions with children. However, some inconsistencies remain. For example, staff working with younger children model language well and introduce children to a wide and useful vocabulary. However, they do not consistently leave gaps in conversations for children to think and fully verbalise their own thoughts.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There are some aspects of the curriculum that are now real strengths. Throughout the nursery, staff deliver a well-sequenced programme of learning for mathematics. They are clear about what they want children to learn and in what order. For example, staff working with babies consistently model numbers in sequence and use mathematical language to describe what children see and are doing. The programme for physical development is equally well planned and delivered. Staff explicitly teach children movement skills. For example, they show older children how to move their bodies in circular motions to develop core strength. Leaders recognise that some aspects of the curriculum still need further development. For example, children do not have a wide range of experiences to help them to learn about cultures different to their own.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders support staff to identify children who may need additional help to reach their full potential. They have embedded a clear cycle of planning and review. This enables staff to closely monitor children's progress. Leaders support staff to put targeted plans in place. This ensures children receive the specific support they need to catch up with their peers and fully enjoy their nursery experience.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, staff meet children's needs well, and gaps in their learning begin to close. For example, staff identify very young children who are not yet meeting developmental milestones in physical development. They plan additional time and opportunities for activities that support this area. As a result, children quickly gain confidence and begin to crawl and walk securely. Similarly, when children need support with their speaking skills, staff plan specific and focused activities to develop this aspect of learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

However, while overall support is effective, some staff are more confident delivering support through planned and adult-led activities, rather than embedding it consistently during everyday interactions and routines. Leaders work effectively with other professionals involved in children's learning. This ensures consistency in approaches and a secure understanding of each child's individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Since the last inspection, leaders have successfully raised the quality of the provision, particularly in the delivery of the curriculum. They have supported staff effectively to understand their roles as educators. This has led to improvements in the quality of interactions with children. Leaders have focused professional development on strengthening staff's understanding of child development. They have supported staff to use this enhanced knowledge to plan and deliver a more focused curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recognise the need to continue monitoring and supporting staff so that any remaining inconsistencies in the quality of the curriculum and teaching are addressed swiftly and supportively. They have built a more stable and positive staff team. Staff report that changes have been beneficial and that they feel valued and appreciated. Those with oversight of the provision have ensured that leaders feel supported and empowered to make the necessary improvements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders establish close working relationships with parents and carers. They encourage them to engage in their children's learning journey and to support learning at home. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure they meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively.

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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 are safe and happy. Typically, they go about their day in a positive and energetic way. Children enjoy the activities on offer and the company of staff, as well as learning alongside other children. This supports them to develop positive social skills. Children learn to share and develop positive manners. For example, at mealtimes, they learn to use cutlery and to sit at the table until everyone has finished. They say 'please' and 'thank you'.

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

Children feel welcome from the moment they arrive at nursery. Children and their families receive a warm greeting from staff, who ask about their wellbeing. Staff ensure that they are escorted safely into the nursery building. Generally, children enjoy their learning. This is because, since the last inspection, activities are better matched to children's learning needs and interests. This has a positive impact on outcomes. It ensures that children leave nursery with a suitable range of skills and knowledge in preparation for their next stage of learning.

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

Children who need extra support to reach their full potential, or to get the most from their time at nursery, receive effective support to achieve alongside their peers. For example, children benefit from a flexible approach to transitions between rooms. This ensures moves happen at a time that best supports their emotional and educational needs. Babies and very young children delight in songs and stories throughout the day. This supports their developing language. Children become confident in their movement because this is carefully planned for. Older children benefit from the opportunities that staff use within the rural location. For instance, they meet real animals and explore woodland and farmland. This supports their understanding of the natural world and living things.

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Inspectors:

Sarah Holley Hayley Marshall-Gowen Jayne Godden

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Address:

Winslow Road Swanbourne Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK17 0SW

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Next steps

Leaders should further embed systems for supporting staff to develop their skills and knowledge so that any inconsistencies in staff practice are addressed. Leaders should support staff to develop children's thinking and processing skills so they can practise and build on what they are learning. Leaders should refine the curriculum for learning about the wide and diverse world in which children live. Leaders should review and refine transition times during the day so that distractions are minimised and children can continue to learn well and focus at these times.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, 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.

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About this inspection

The inspection started on 29 April 2026. Inspectors returned on 3 June 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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About this inspection

Registered person: Ashbourne Day Nurseries Limited

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

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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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