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Early years · Report card

Cub Headingley

Inspected 11 Aug 2026 · URN 2859120

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Vicky Wood

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Achievement verified

    Strong standard

  • Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified

    Strong standard

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing verified

    Strong standard

  • Curriculum and teaching verified

    Strong standard

  • Inclusion verified

    Strong standard

  • Leadership and governance verified

    Strong standard

  • Framework verified

    Report card

  • Group verified

    KME Headingley Ltd

  • Inspection datesingle source

    11 Aug 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Vicky Wood

  • Postcode verified

    LS6 2TN

  • Name on report verified

    Cub Headingley

  • Safeguarding verified

    Met

  • URN verified

    2859120

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • AchievementStrong
  • Behaviour, attitudes and routinesStrong
  • Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong
  • Curriculum and teachingStrong
  • InclusionStrong
  • Leadership and governanceStrong

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+91Very positivemore positive than 91% of reports of this type

Reads more warmly than most reports of this type.

Praiseexcellenthighly effectivepositivehigh-qualityfeel saferapid progressconfidentvery well
Criticismconcernsgaps

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1045w+97
  • Leadership208w+72
  • Safeguarding51w−11
  • What needs to improve29w+60

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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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
1,332
shorter than usual (typical 1698)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 41, typical 43
Average sentence
15 words
Next steps
1
typical 3
Hedged sentences
0%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 56%Leadership 11%Safeguarding 3%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 28%

Full report text

Cub Headingley

Unique reference number (URN): 2859120 Address: 2 Shire Oak Road, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 2TN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/09/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: KME Headingley Ltd

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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

All children make excellent progress from what they know and can already do. They develop an early love of books. This is demonstrated through them sharing books with staff throughout the day. This helps children to make rapid progress in their speech, language and communication. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. They benefit from targeted intervention plans, enabling them to make good progress. Transitions to the next room are carefully coordinated and discussed with parents so that they know what to expect. This helps children to continue their learning successfully.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children's overall wellbeing is central to the setting, helping them become confident learners. Children develop independence quickly and from an early age. They are encouraged to tidy and are given praise and encouragement while doing so. Children show that they have a sense of pride in their achievements and environment. They listen attentively to stories, ask thoughtful questions and grow into articulate learners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children behave very well throughout the setting. Leaders ensure that staff provide consistently effective support and guidance. This helps children to develop positive attitudes towards learning and others. Staff are excellent role models. They show kindness, respect and calm interactions. This consistent positive modelling helps children to use polite language, take turns and show consideration towards others, even from a very young age. Staff build warm, open relationships with children, who rarely become upset. When children do need support, staff respond quickly. They offer reassurance and help them re-engage in play.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders respond promptly to non-attendance. For instance, they promote the importance of regular attendance with families from the home visit onwards. This ensures that parents understand the attendance policy. Staff support children during times of transition during the day. They help children to adapt to routines, for example by singing a song when it is time for them to wash their hands. This helps to manage children's expectations about what is going to happen next and contributes to the harmonious environment.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have a clear ethos of supporting and guiding parents, offering advice when needed to promote security and consistency for children. Positive working relationships are established from the point of registration. This enables leaders to signpost families to external agencies and professionals for additional support, if needed. The setting also provides in-house guidance when parents need help with aspects of parenting, such as accessing advice from a sleep consultant. This helps to build trust and highly effective partnership working with parents. Staff are nurturing and responsive, supporting children's development and guiding their learning. The on-site chef works closely with parents to provide healthy meals that meet children's individual needs. For example, he uses an app to share information about raw ingredients and snacks. Children with allergies, food intolerances or special dietary requirements are fully catered for, and robust systems prevent cross-contamination. Leaders

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

have developed weaning strategies with specialist input, and all staff working with the youngest children understand the importance of safe and appropriate weaning. Sleep arrangements are carefully managed so that children can rest safely in a calm, soothing space and wake refreshed, ready for their next learning opportunity.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders and staff work together effectively to plan an ambitious curriculum that inspires children through rich experiences, exciting themes and enthusiastic teaching. Leaders review the effectiveness of the curriculum in conjunction with room leaders, ensuring a fully inclusive curriculum. Staff adapt activities and resources based on planning led by children's interests and insights from parents. Staff then use this information to plan what children need to learn next. This encourages all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning, to access what they want in ways that meet their individual needs. Staff plan activities well, for example those inspired by the nursery's 'artist of the month'. They set out resources that interest children, such as flowers and sensory items. This provides an effective balance between

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

children's self-chosen play and exploration, adult-led activities and high-quality interactions. This allows children time to return to resources to repeat and practise skills and experiences, helping them consolidate their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children have access to outdoor play where they explore climbing, running and taking risks in a controlled way. This helps children become resilient, confident learners. Children have access to a bike track, where they fine-tune their skills on wheeled toys while being encouraged in their endeavours by sensitive staff.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff identify children's individual needs quickly through assessments and daily observations. Regular progress checks are promptly completed. This helps them understand what children know and can already do, as well as their emerging needs, so that support can be tailored effectively. Leaders take rapid action to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing by working in partnership with parents. Staff adapt teaching by using 'first and then' boards. They use visual cues, giving children time and space to process information. This helps to aid transitions within routines. These reasonable adjustments help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children and those facing other challenges to take part fully in learning and routines alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

A highly effective key-person system supports continuity of care and emotional security. Children confidently seek out their key person when requiring support and reassurance, particularly during times of transitions, which helps with emotional regulation for all children, including those with SEND. This ensures that children feel safe and are ready to learn. Leaders monitor children's progress closely. They have excellent working relationships with parents and review support for children regularly. This helps to ensure that children make progress, while improving children's engagement, communication and independence. Leaders and staff work sensitively with parents. Where appropriate, they know when and where to seek advice from external professionals.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are passionate, committed and dedicated to their roles. They set very high expectations that promote high-quality care and education. Regular supervision and reviews of practice help identify individual and team development needs. The plus-one staffing system enables staff to spend more time with children, deepen their understanding of each child's learning journey, close gaps and intervene quickly when needed. Staff are valued, listened to and supported, with their wellbeing treated as a high priority. Leaders use purposeful supervision to work collaboratively with staff and drive improvement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff can access on-site mental health first aiders, and an open-door culture supports each staff member's professional development. Ongoing development is strengthened through training, networking with other agencies and professionals, and access to courses through the local authority and professional bodies. This helps staff to keep their knowledge current and relevant.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders use their strengths to drive improvement and identify clear priorities for further development, such as engaging in the Maths Champions programme to strengthen mathematical understanding across the setting. Their well-structured induction programme sets high expectations for professionalism, supporting staff to work consistently and helping children make significant progress. Leaders also prioritise strong engagement with parents. Partnerships with families are positive and well established, benefiting both children and their families.

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

Children thrive at this inclusive setting. They receive an extremely high standard of education and care. Leaders and staff are passionate about providing the best possible outcomes for all children, including for those children who face barriers to their learning, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, all children make excellent progress from their starting points.

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Address:

2 Shire Oak Road Headingley Leeds LS6 2TN Each child is provided with a tailored programme that meets their individual needs, regardless of what they know and can already do. For example, staff closely observe babies in their play to identify patterns and learning preferences. They use this information to provide an extensive range of stimulating and educational activities that contribute to babies' positive wellbeing and involvement, creating independence and anatomy. As a result, babies settle extremely quickly and demonstrate a strong sense of security and a sense of belonging. Older children are encouraged to be independent outside, where staff skilfully support children to go from crawling to running, climbing and balancing with increasing confidence. They freely access and have autonomy over their own learning and are strongly encouraged to be collaborative in their play and learning, with sensitive adults modelling

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Address:

language, play and behaviour. Children are keen to share their ideas and thoughts, and this enables all children to develop skills for their future learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should maintain their high standards and build on existing successes so that the highly effective support provided results in a transformational impact on children's wellbeing, achievement and independence.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and the special educational needs coordinator 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. Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 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

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 .

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Urgent improvement

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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