Halstead Nursery

Halstead Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2794437 Address: Halstead Nursery, C/O Halstead Community Primary School, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 7EA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/07/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Halstead Nursery

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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 make impressive progress from their starting points, particularly in personal, social and emotional, and physical development. Practitioners engage purposefully with children in small groups, such as in the mud kitchen and creative areas, following their interests and encouraging meaningful conversation to build confidence and expressive language. Outdoors, children independently select from trikes, balance bikes, wheeled cars, and bikes without stabilisers; some confidently ride without stabilisers, demonstrating strong coordination and balance. All understand safety routines, including wearing helmets, while turn-taking is supported effectively through timers, promoting fairness and cooperation.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who experience barriers to learning and those who are disadvantaged are carefully assessed, with targeted support addressing gaps quickly. Consistent routines and positive adult interactions help children feel secure, particularly during transitions. Practitioners work closely with families to tailor support and prepare children for their next stage. As a result, children develop confidence, resilience, and essential skills for future learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The nursery has a calm, positive and nurturing environment where expectations for behaviour are clear, consistent and well understood. Practitioners model respectful language and positive interactions, which children confidently mirror in their play and daily routines. As a result, children demonstrate kindness, cooperation, and an ability to share and take turns. For example, during outdoor play, when one child accidentally fell from a trike, another immediately stopped, checked if they were okay, and sought help from an adult. This thoughtful and spontaneous response reflects children's growing empathy, emotional awareness, and sense of responsibility for others. Strong, trusting relationships between staff and children are central to this positive ethos.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Practitioners are attentive and responsive, listening carefully, offering comfort, and celebrating achievements to support children's wellbeing and sense of belonging. Consistent routines provide clear structure, with transitions supported effectively through visual timers and cues, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence. Children remain settled, engaged, and motivated, showing positive attitudes to learning. Leaders work closely with families to promote attendance and inclusion, ensuring all children are supported to develop strong social and emotional foundations for future success.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Care practices across the setting are carefully considered and consistently applied. Staff ensure that children's health, safety and emotional wellbeing are well supported. Practitioners develop strong, nurturing relationships with children and their families, particularly through the key person system, which underpins a sense of security and belonging. Staff respond attentively to children's individual needs, helping them to feel safe and confident, which in turn supports the development of secure attachments and emotional resilience.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Daily routines are purposeful and promote independence. For example, children confidently wash their hands, manage personal care and take responsibility for their environment by sorting waste appropriately, such as placing peelings in designated recycling bins. These experiences help children develop an early understanding of responsibility and healthy living. Practitioners are skilled in adapting routines to meet differing developmental stages and needs, including the use of visual prompts and additional support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enabling all children to engage successfully. Through these consistent, thoughtful approaches, children become increasingly independent and self-assured. They develop important self-care skills and a secure understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and safe, providing them with strong foundations for future learning and everyday life.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The leader demonstrates a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching, regularly reviewing provision and making purposeful decisions that drives continuous improvement. Practitioners are skilled in supporting language development, consistently modelling rich vocabulary and embedding meaningful communication opportunities across all areas of learning. Personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is prioritised effectively. Children share, take turns, and remain engaged during focused activities, supported by staff who model positive interactions and promote emotional regulation. Physical development is well embedded, with opportunities such as riding trikes, bikes, and balance bikes, pre-school children demonstrate growing confidence and control. Activities including picking plants and digging vegetables, exploring sand, mark making with water, and painting further strengthen coordination and exploration.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Mathematical development is woven naturally throughout the environment. For example, children recognise numerals on a washing line, sing counting songs, and compare sizes when digging potatoes in the garden. Practitioners reflect on how to maximise mathematical thinking in both planned and spontaneous moments. Through observation, reflection, and professional dialogue, leaders ensure the curriculum remains ambitious, well sequenced, and aligned with the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage requirements, supporting inclusive, meaningful learning and strong outcomes for all children.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The nursery leader has established a strong, deeply inclusive culture in which every child's individuality is valued and barriers to learning are actively reduced. Practice for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or those who experience barriers to learning is highly effective. The leader works confidently within the graduated approach to ensure that interventions, strategies, and specialist advice are consistently implemented. There is rigorous oversight for individual support, multi-agency communication, staff training needs, and careful evaluation of how funding is used for maximum impact. Staff promote equity, belonging, and high expectations, ensuring children with SEND and those known to social care are well supported through personalised approaches and strong partnerships with families.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Parents report feeling listened to, respected, and fully included. Leaders ensure the environment is thoughtfully adapted to meet children's needs. Timers effectively support routines, independence, and smooth transitions. Inclusive strategies include calm corners, visual supports, sensory tools, and the use of Makaton. The SEND lead is Makaton-trained, all staff are trained in communication strategies, and specialist expertise is shared across the team. A calm, well-resourced space enables children to regulate emotions and re- engage. Children also access a loft area for targeted one-to-one speech and language support. These adaptations create a predictable environment where children gain confidence, develop independence, and make sustained progress.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leadership and governance are highly effective, driven by a passionate and knowledgeable leader who sets ambitious expectations and consistently models strong, reflective practice. She ensures the curriculum is rich and meaningful. Planning in the moment is embedded, and highly skilled staff adapt learning opportunities in response to children's interests, such as harvesting vegetables, outdoor exploration or spontaneous mathematical learning during play. The leader has a precise understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development, using tracking and observations to respond swiftly to emerging needs. This is particularly evident in the targeted support for disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Early referrals, tailored interventions and close multi- agency working ensure children receive the right help at the right time.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

There is a strong ethos of equity and inclusion, reflected in practical support for families, including guidance with referrals, flexible attendance patterns and ongoing communication through an online learning journal and messages. Partnerships with the community, including links with the local school and village activities, further enrich children's experiences. The leader actively contributes to and leads a collaborative network, sharing best practice, engaging in joint training and facilitating opportunities like staff swaps to broaden expertise. A clear commitment to professional development underpins practice, with regular training, reflection and mentoring strengthening staff confidence. As a result, staff describe a culture of teamwork, openness and continuous learning.

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

Children at this setting experience a warm, nurturing and highly inclusive environment. They feel safe, valued and confident to explore. Children enjoy their learning because the curriculum is stimulating, flexible and shaped around their interests. They confidently choose what they want to do, engage deeply in activities such as sand play, imaginative outdoor play and group singing.

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

Children show curiosity and enthusiasm throughout the day. Skilled practitioners plan in the moment and respond to children's ideas. Language skills, mathematical thinking and social development occur naturally when practitioners play alongside children. The approach ensures learning is meaningful for all children. Children are cared for extremely well. There are strong safeguarding systems and vigilant, highly trained staff. Children experience consistent routines and responsive adult support. Children feel secure and develop trust in those around them. As a result, children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing.

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

Positive relationships are at the heart of daily practice, with practitioners modelling respectful interactions and supporting children to share, take turns and collaborate successfully. Children play cooperatively together, build friendships and show growing independence. For example, when accessing resources, managing routines or taking turns during shared play such as outdoor wheel time. Children make strong progress from their starting points, and there are tailored strategies for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who experience barriers to learning and wellbeing. Inclusive practices, strong partnerships with parents and multi-agency working ensure that all children, including the most vulnerable, achieve well and are prepared effectively for school. Overall, children thrive in a safe, stimulating and supportive environment where they develop confidence, positive social skills and a genuine love of learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure continued improvement to the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, and practitioners, during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector completed case sampling of children and completed joint observations with the leader to consider the of the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and then assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. Parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and took account of their views. The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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Address:

Halstead Nursery C/O Halstead Community Primary School Sevenoaks Kent TN14 7EA

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 15:15

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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.

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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