Little Skippers Nursery

Little Skippers Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2863036 Address: Springs Christian Fellowship, New Road, Ware, SG12 7BU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 10/11/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Phinn, Tedessa

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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 Needs attention

There are inconsistencies in the frequency and quality of interactions between staff and children. This means that not all children achieve as well as they could across all areas of learning. Children who face barriers to learning do not consistently receive the targeted support they need. For example, staff do not routinely adapt their interactions and teaching strategies to reflect children's individual needs and interests. Consequently, these children do not make the progress they are capable of.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children develop some skills that help to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. They build independence through daily routines. For example, babies independently access resources stored at low levels, enabling them to make their own choices. Older children develop appropriate self-help skills during mealtimes, where they are encouraged to wash their hands independently, pour their own drinks and serve their own food.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders have established clear expectations for children's behaviour. However, they do not ensure that all staff consistently implement these expectations across the setting or use positive behaviour management strategies effectively. As a result, children receive mixed messages about expectations, which limits their understanding of boundaries and their ability to make positive behaviour choices.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders have identified the need to strengthen routines across the nursery and have started to introduce changes to improve children's experiences. Some routines successfully support children's independence. For example, children relish the responsibility of serving their own food and pouring their own drinks, and work collaboratively together to help to tidy away. In addition, regular story times in the toddler and pre-school room support children to engage with books, and help them to develop a love of reading from an early age. However, leaders do not ensure that staff establish and maintain consistent routines throughout the day. Consequently, staff do not always use daily routines as opportunities to support children's behaviour, independence and learning. Children do not always understand what is expected of them, which limits their ability to develop positive attitudes to learning. Although leaders

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

have taken steps to improve practice, these changes have not yet become embedded enough to demonstrate a sustained difference to children's experiences.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff work with parents to help them to ensure their children attend regularly and benefit from the routines on offer.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have identified the need to strengthen the thoroughness of risk assessments to ensure they consistently support effective practice. They recognise that they do not always identify environmental hazards during routine checks, meaning some risks require inspectors to bring them to leaders' attention. However, leaders respond swiftly when risks are identified and take appropriate action to address them, ensuring that potential hazards are removed and children remain safe. Children build warm and trusting relationships with their key people. Staff, particularly in the baby room, respond sensitively to children's needs and provide prompt reassurance and support when children become upset. Children comfortably seek out familiar adults, helping them feel secure and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff create a welcoming environment that generally meets children's needs. Children have access to some resources that engage their interests and supports independent play. While interactions between staff and children are inconsistent in quality, children feel comfortable and secure with familiar adults. They are confident to express their emotions and let the staff know how they feel.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff follow safe sleep procedures effectively, ensuring that children rest safely and comfortably. They recognise that some babies use a dummy for comfort while sleeping, and work in partnership with parents and carers to support this appropriately, particularly when discussing children's communication and language development. The nursery provides nutritious meals and snacks that promote healthy lifestyles and positive eating habits. Staff manage children's dietary needs effectively and consistently sit with children as they eat, ensuring they remain safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders understand what high-quality teaching and an ambitious curriculum should look like in practice. However, they do not yet ensure that staff deliver this effectively across the nursery. Although leaders have begun to take action to strengthen the curriculum and teaching, this work remains at an early stage and has not yet brought about the improvements needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff provide some age-appropriate learning opportunities and assess children's learning and development to identify areas where children may need further support. They use this information to inform planning. Older children enjoy building towers with interlocking bricks. Staff encourage them to count the bricks and see which tower is the tallest. Younger children use mirrors to explore facial expressions and develop their hand-eye coordination as they select and move the blocks. However, staff do not consistently adapt activities and interactions to meet the individual needs, interests and abilities of all children, including those who face barriers to learning. They do not always use children's interests to plan experiences that motivate and sustain their engagement. For example, when children show an interest in making marks in the sand, staff do not use this interest to move their learning forward. Instead, they watch children, but do not interact with them to build on their

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

emerging interest to make marks and inspire further learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The curriculum, teaching and learning environment do not consistently support children's learning effectively. The quality of teaching and staff interactions varies across the nursery. At times, staff adopt a supervisory role rather than using interactions to extend children's thinking, develop their vocabulary and build on their individual needs. Staff do not adapt the curriculum consistently to ensure that activities and children's next steps reflect their individual learning needs. As a result, children, particularly those who face barriers to learning, do not have positive attitudes to learning and do not consistently make the progress they are capable of across the curriculum.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of working in partnership with other professionals, agencies and parents to meet children's individual needs. They value professional advice and support staff to implement some recommended strategies within the nursery. For example, staff introduce activities using contrasting colours to support children with visual impairments, and, at times, provide targeted group times to support children's individual needs. This helps ensure that children receive appropriate, targeted support which matches their individual needs.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leadership and governance require further development. Since the nursery opened, there have been changes in the leadership and staffing team, leading to a period of instability. This has affected staff morale and the consistency of practice across the nursery. Consequently, staff do not always provide well-planned learning experiences or deliver the curriculum effectively.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders undertake a wide range of operational responsibilities, which limits the time available to maintain effective oversight of practice and to further develop the knowledge and skills needed for their roles.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the quality of provision and creating an environment where children, families and staff can thrive. They have identified several priorities for improvement and have introduced appropriate actions to strengthen practice. However, leaders do not consistently identify all areas requiring further development independently, including some aspects of the learning environment that would benefit from closer review. However, they respond positively to professional challenge and support, and quickly implement advice and recommendations. This enables them to address potential environmental risks promptly and strengthen practice where needed. Although changes are being implemented, they remain at an early stage, and it is too soon to determine whether they will secure sustained improvements in practice and children's outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures and complete appropriate suitability checks before staff begin work. However, the organisation of recruitment records does not always enable leaders to access and review information efficiently when required. Leaders provide staff with regular training to develop their knowledge and skills. They have appropriate plans to strengthen supervision and arrangements so they can identify individual development needs and target professional development more precisely.

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

The quality of children's learning experiences requires further development. Although children take part in some activities, these are not always planned carefully enough to reflect children's individual needs, interests and stages of development. At times, children move between activities without becoming fully engaged or developing deeper learning. As a result, they do not consistently benefit from opportunities to build on what they already know and can do. Staff do not always respond to children's behaviour in clear and consistent ways. This means that children do not always develop a secure understanding of expectations, positive relationships and how to manage their own behaviour effectively.

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

Children experience a warm and nurturing environment where they are welcomed positively by staff, who are attentive to their welfare and emotional wellbeing. Leaders ensure familiar adults are available to support smooth transitions between home and the nursery, helping children to feel safe, settled and secure. As a result, children show growing confidence in separating from their parents and are comfortable exploring the environment.

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

Children appear to enjoy their time at the nursery and develop positive relationships with adults and other children. They seek reassurance and comfort from trusted adults when needed, demonstrating secure attachments. Children begin to build friendships with peers, often playing alongside one another, sharing resources and joining in with familiar routines and activities. For example, children enjoy exploring woodland creatures in soil and help to sweep up loose soil as it falls on the floor.

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

Children are beginning to develop independence through familiar daily routines. Older children enthusiastically join in with tidying away when singing the 'tidy-up song', helping to care for their environment and follow established expectations. Children benefit from opportunities to be physically active and enjoy regular access to outdoor play. Younger children explore a range of natural materials and textures through sensory experiences, supporting their curiosity and early exploration skills. Older children use their imagination during pretend play, creating simple role-play scenarios with their peers, negotiating roles and sharing ideas. Experiences such as these, support children's physical, social and creative development.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

strengthen risk assessment arrangements to ensure that they are implemented consistently and continue to support a safe and suitable environment for all children 13/08/2026

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Address:

Springs Christian Fellowship New Road Ware SG12 7BU

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Action Completion Date

ensure better oversight of the quality of staff interactions to further support staff practice, particularly for those children who may face barriers to learning 20/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that managers have sufficient time and capacity to fulfil their roles effectively, so that they can provide consistent oversight of the quality of provision and drive continuous improvement 20/08/2026

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with the general manager, site manager, staff, children and parents 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

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. Registered person: Phinn, Tedessa

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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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