Buttercup Preschool

Buttercup Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2812224 Address: Fanshawe Crescent, Dagenham, RM9 5QA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 07/11/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Buttercup Preschool 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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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have an infinite understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children, those who are known or previously know to children's social care and those who may face other barriers. Practitioners are making a demonstrable difference to the opportunities and experiences for those children and are consistent in identifying barriers to their learning. Children with physical disabilities receive systematic reasonable adjustments, and adaptations are skilfully made in relation to supporting the physical development of individual children. Early years pupil premium funding is closely aligned with the provider's improvement priorities, with those disadvantaged children providing their preferences for new resources and activities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children's individual needs are identified and assessed accurately by practitioners, with referrals made swiftly to external services for support, including access to an educational psychologist. Children who speak English as an additional language and those with other barriers to their learning feel fully supported, with communication shared in the home language of individual families. Staff are well trained in identifying and supporting children's individual needs. They use timely assessments and work closely with families and other professionals to ensure children receive the right support at the right time.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate strong and effective practice across safeguarding, inclusion, staff development and curriculum delivery. Detailed and perceptive analysis by leaders enables the strengths to be celebrated and a culture of continuous improvement instilled. Safer recruitment processes are robust, and safeguarding procedures are well embedded. Leaders demonstrate confidence in identifying concerns, completing referrals and working effectively with external agencies to help to protect children.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established positive partnerships with families, ensuring communication is inclusive and accessible, particularly for families who speak English as an additional language. Families are encouraged to be active participants in their children's experiences through events and shared opportunities. Leaders use allocated funding for disadvantaged children effectively, identifying children's interests and needs to enhance provision and provide targeted opportunities, including supporting physical development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

There is a clear and ambitious vision for high-quality education and care that prepares children well for their next stage of learning, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Assessment systems, early identification of need and effective partnership working with professionals ensure children receive timely, tailored support that meets their individual needs.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make good progress from their starting points and develop the skills needed for a successful transition to school. Practitioners support early writing effectively, evidenced by children confidently demonstrating secure pencil control and an established tripod grip. Disadvantaged children benefit from tailored support and achieve well from their starting points. Through carefully planned sensory experiences and play-based activities, practitioners successfully increase the children's confidence in exploring different textures. Children are active learners and show high levels of curiosity in their play. They demonstrate effective independence skills through tidying up their learning environment and develop healthy habits such as maintaining good hydration throughout the day.

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Achievement Expected standard

Practitioners promote communication and language through daily story times, nursery rhymes and early mathematics as part of purposeful group activities. The use of visual choice-making encourages children's engagement, while 'What's in the bucket?' sessions develop the children's listening, concentration and readiness to learn effectively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and behave well because leaders and practitioners have established consistent, high expectations across the setting. Mixed groupings of children and staff deployment support children's individual developmental needs effectively, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Targeted interventions, such as 'bucket' sessions with children who require additional support, successfully develop attention, listening and engagement, enabling children to participate more confidently in learning. Practitioners implement a well-embedded behaviour policy and promote kindness, respect and care through the consistent application of the setting's 'Golden Rules'. Practitioners specifically teach skills including self-control and turn- taking, using visual supports such as sand timers. These strategies help children develop patience, resilience and positive social interactions.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Daily routines are highly effective and well understood by children. Consistent auditory cues for transitions and advance warnings enable children to move calmly between activities, maximising learning time and promoting emotional security. Rolling snack sessions further encourage independence, with practitioners recognising and celebrating children's achievements, such as pouring their own drinks, while ensuring individual dietary and physical needs are fully met.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Warm, trusting relationships between practitioners and children underpin the setting's positive culture. Children collaborate confidently in both indoor and outdoor environments, demonstrating cooperation, communication and respect for one another.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established a nurturing and inclusive environment where children's welfare, wellbeing and individual needs are prioritised. Staff work very closely with parents to ensure children settle confidently. However, opportunities for children and families to spend time together as a pre-school community within the setting are not fully developed, such as marking national occasions together. Policies and procedures are embedded effectively, with staff and parents demonstrating a shared understanding of expectations and implementing these consistently to support positive outcomes for children. Children develop independence through well-established hygiene routines. Practitioners provide sensitive and appropriate care for children with additional needs, ensuring dignity and comfort while promoting independence wherever possible. Children confidently manage handwashing routines before snack, demonstrating an understanding of personal care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Practitioners know children well and respond sensitively to their individual communication styles, interests and needs. The secure relationships between all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their key person, demonstrate how practitioners recognise and respond to non-verbal communication, including vocalisations and gestures, helping children feel valued, understood and a strong sense of belonging.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are encouraged to develop confidence, independence and an understanding of safety through carefully managed risk-taking opportunities. For example, children are supported to assess and navigate physical challenges, developing resilience and self- confidence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The setting provides a nurturing emotional environment where children form secure friendships and engage positively in collaborative and independent play. Leaders focus on inclusion, relationships and wellbeing, ensuring children feel safe, confident and ready to learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established an effective curriculum that has developed over time and supports children's development across all areas of learning. Practitioners deliver the curriculum confidently, using high-quality interactions, and model language to extend children's communication and understanding. Small, targeted group experiences provide children with the appropriate support while maintaining opportunities for learning in a shared, stimulating environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Assessment systems enable practitioners to monitor children's progress effectively and prevent children from falling behind. Regular 6-monthly reviews through an online learning journal help practitioners identify children's starting points, needs and stages of development. Alongside termly tracking for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) using the local authority's descriptors and checkpoints, this provides a consistent approach when identifying, monitoring and supporting children with additional needs. These assessments help practitioners identify next steps and work collaboratively with parents and external professionals where appropriate. Information regarding the children's individual needs is shared with the schools that the children go on to attend.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a commitment to inclusion by ensuring children with SEND participate fully in all aspects of the curriculum. Practitioners use funding for disadvantaged children well. For example, an external sports coach promotes physical development, confidence and positive attitudes towards physical activity. Activities and equipment are adapted to meet individual needs, ensuring access for all children.

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

Children feel safe, secure and valued. They build warm and trusting relationships with staff, who know them well and respond to their individual needs. Children are supported to develop confidence, independence and the skills they need to give them the best start in life.

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

Children experience a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects their interests, abilities and developmental needs. They take part in a range of learning opportunities indoors and outdoors, where staff support and extend their learning through thoughtful interactions. Children who need additional support benefit from carefully planned activities and targeted support, helping them to make progress from their individual starting points.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported, and families feel valued as partners in their child's development. Children benefit from inclusive experiences where activities and resources are adapted to enable everyone to participate. For example, all children access weekly outdoor sports sessions, where equipment and games are adjusted to ensure children with SEND can join in alongside their peers. This supports children's physical development, confidence and ability to work together.

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

Children enjoy their time at the setting and are encouraged to explore, investigate and use their imagination. They engage in pretend play, such as creating a restaurant role-play area where they take on different roles and use props, including a waiter's notepad to take food orders. Children develop their independence through everyday routines, such as choosing their own snack and pouring their own drink.

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

Children's development is carefully monitored, and parents are kept informed about their child's progress and any concerns. This means children receive timely support to help them continue to develop and thrive.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen occasions for all families to be actively involved in children's experiences by providing a wider range of planned engagement opportunities, including workshops and events that support children's wellbeing and development.

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Buttercup Preschool Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:15 - 14:45

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. Practitioners should extend opportunities for children to develop greater independence, resilience and self-care skills by strengthening partnerships with the local feeder school.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator 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. This data is from 3 July 2026

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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. 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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