Summary
What we read, and from where
Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.
- Achievement verified
Expected standard
- Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified
Strong standard
- Children's welfare and wellbeing verified
Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
- Inclusion verified
Strong standard
- Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
- Framework verified
Report card
- Group verified
The Childcare Corporation Limited
- Inspection datesingle source
9 Sept 2026
- Inspectors verified
Sonia Panchal
- Postcode verified
SL5 8RT
- Name on report verified
Ascot Priory Day Nursery and Pre-school
- Safeguarding verified
Met
- URN verified
2785725
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- AchievementExpected
- Behaviour, attitudes and routinesStrong
- Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong
- Curriculum and teachingExpected
- InclusionStrong
- Leadership and governanceExpected
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
In line with other reports of this type.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Parents speak highly of leaders and staff, describing their children as happy, secure and thriving. p.5
- Highly effective procedures ensure that families and their children are welcomed and valued and that individual care needs are understood and met. p.2
- Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning make excellent progress from their initial starting points. p.5
- Leaders have high expectations of the children and set clear routines that shape the flow of the day. p.2
- Children experience an ambitious and rich curriculum and are suitably prepared for their next move in education. p.5
Concerns
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
No strong criticism found.
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- Leaders should enhance staff's use of assessment and observation procedures so that planning builds precisely on what each child already knows and can do to consistently deepen their learning. p.6
- Leaders should strengthen individualised professional development by precisely identifying and addressing staff's specific training needs, to raise consistency in the quality of teaching and secure even better outcomes for all children. p.6
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Behaviour5
“Children's behaviour is exemplary.” p.2Wellbeing & mental health5
“Leaders consistently prioritise staff wellbeing and manage workload effectively.” p.5
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 9
- Words of findings
- 1,827
- about usual (typical 1698)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 36, typical 43
- Average sentence
- 16 words
- Next steps
- 2
- typical 3
- Hedged sentences
- 5%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Ascot Priory Day Nursery and Pre-school
Unique reference number (URN): 2785725 Address: Ascot Priory, Priory Road, Ascot, SL5 8RT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 06/06/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: The Childcare Corporation Limited
p.1
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.
p.1
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
p.1
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.
p.1
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children's behaviour is exemplary. From an early age, they show kindness and consideration for others and play collaboratively. When minor disputes occur, staff support children to manage these situations and consider the impact of their actions on others. Staff know children well and anticipate situations before they escalate. Leaders have high expectations of the children and set clear routines that shape the flow of the day. Staff deliver these routines consistently. They model and clearly narrate the steps to follow, which particularly helps children with barriers to learning understand what is expected and move confidently through each transition. Children readily take on responsibilities with enthusiasm, such as preparing lunch tables with their friends' placemats, which supports calm entry into the dining room and helps everyone settle quickly for lunch.
p.2
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Key-person arrangements are effective, particularly for children who have recently transitioned from the setting's sister nursery. All staff take time to know children well and understand the importance of building secure attachments. As a result, children settle quickly and are happy and confident in the nursery. Staff act as positive role models, treating children and each other with respect and kindness. Children's views and contributions are highly valued. For instance, staff seek children's ideas during imaginary play, encouraging them to express themselves and develop a firm sense of self.
p.2
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders and staff proactively promote regular attendance and punctuality. They readily support families to establish routines and positive habits that support children's learning and future success. Leaders monitor and evaluate children's attendance effectively, enabling them to identify concerns promptly and take appropriate action to help keep children safe.
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders demonstrate a secure commitment to promoting children's welfare and wellbeing. Highly effective procedures ensure that families and their children are welcomed and valued and that individual care needs are understood and met. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers through daily conversations, termly meetings and information shared on the nursery's online application. This ensures families are well informed, involved and supported. Leaders use information shared by parents to agree consistent strategies, particularly for children who face barriers to development. This inclusive approach ensures children receive well-coordinated support that promotes their welfare.
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders and staff actively develop children's understanding of how to care for their physical and emotional wellbeing. Children demonstrate impressive self-care skills as they independently persevere when preparing for outdoor play, putting on wellington boots and fastening coats. Children who feel overwhelmed or need to regulate use the cosy, quiet area and return to activities when ready. Staff use books and stories effectively to help children explore emotions and understand how these affect their bodies.
p.2
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders promote healthy lifestyles effectively. Robust systems ensure children's dietary needs are safely managed. The nursery chef provides nutritious and balanced meals that
p.2
Expected standard
children thoroughly enjoy. Children who were initially reluctant to try new foods now do so readily, supporting their healthy food choices. Staff teach children how to stay safe, such as when eating. Children remain seated and take manageable mouthfuls when eating, helping to reduce the risk of choking. As a result, children build lifelong healthy habits that support their physical health and wellbeing.
p.3
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff strive to create a highly inclusive culture where children participate and succeed. They ensure that children, especially those who face barriers to their learning, have access to an adapted broad and balanced curriculum. From the outset, children's individual needs are identified and assessed swiftly. Robust systems monitor children's progress, enabling concerns about development to be acted on promptly. Leaders gather detailed information about children's needs from the start, which helps to build secure relationships with families. Effective 2-way communication supports a collaborative approach and ensures that children with barriers receive the right support at the right time.
p.3
Inclusion Strong standard
Strategic support is put in place by leaders, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Leaders and staff implement targeted adult-led interventions designed to develop attention, listening and shared-focus skills. Leaders and staff make purposeful use of pictures and discussion to help children know what is happening next. Children remain highly motivated throughout, particularly enjoying the opportunities to play and learn cooperatively with their friends and staff. They demonstrate that they feel heard, involved and valued.
p.3
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders proactively work with external professionals to shape and strengthen children's support. They respond positively to advice and make thoughtful adaptations to practice. For instance, leaders have focused on embedding smoother transitions between the woodland areas and indoors. This has significantly reduced disruption, maximised engagement and accelerated learning, especially for children with barriers.
p.3
Achievement Expected standard
Overall, children achieve well through the curriculum from their starting points, particularly those who face barriers to learning. In general, an emphasis is placed on communication and language, and children typically become confident communicators. Effective strategies support children who face barriers to learning to make progress and, over time, catch up with their peers. For example, children at the earlier stages of language acquisition talk with enthusiasm about their models and ask for help when needed.
p.3
Achievement Expected standard
Children successfully gain important skills in personal, social and emotional development. They learn to share and take turns and readily negotiate whose turn is next. Children play collaboratively, confidently lead their own play and test out their own ideas with determination. However, occasionally, some staff unnecessarily interrupt children's focused play, which distracts them from completing tasks and fully consolidating their learning. When intervening, some staff do not always consistently deepen children's learning and build on precise next steps. Despite this, children are suitably prepared for their next stage in education.
p.3
Achievement Expected standard
Children demonstrate a growing curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. They recognise what they have done well, as staff provide specific and meaningful praise. As a result, children are excited to learn new things and beam with pride when they persevere and succeed. They relish showing staff what they have accomplished.
p.4
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders design a broad and ambitious curriculum that reflects children's evolving interests, needs and abilities. They typically support staff to have a secure understanding of child development. Staff know that children develop at different rates and target their communication effectively. Across the curriculum, staff use rich language and encourage children to communicate with confidence. For example, they model words associated with positions, such as 'on', 'under' and 'beside', when children build a 'town' with small-world models. For those children who speak English as an additional language, leaders and staff gather and skilfully use key words in their home languages, alongside the English words with the same meaning. However, on occasion, opportunities to build on what children already know and can do, as well as deepen their understanding, are not always fully maximised. For instance, staff know that some children are competent at applying their
p.4
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
mathematical knowledge and set them problem-solving tasks. However, they do not give children enough time to process and try to work out the problem. As a result, some children do not always progress to their full potential.
p.4
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff use books and stories to support understanding and help children to think beyond the present. During a group activity in the woodlands, staff draw children's attention to 'minibeasts'. They then find information books to learn more. At times, staff spot when children misunderstand something and help them make sense of it by linking new ideas to what children already know. This is particularly effective for those who face barriers to learning.
p.4
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders plan an exciting outdoor curriculum, which staff typically implement with increasing understanding. In the woodland area, staff support children to practise small-muscle development, such as threading string through holes in leaves. They also encourage children to strengthen their large-muscle development, such as balancing on parallel ropes.
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Dedicated leaders are committed to providing high-quality education and care that improves the lives of all children, particularly those who face barriers to development. They are passionate about inclusion and understand the importance of getting it right for every child. Overall, leaders have a strategic approach to improvement, with decisions focused on prioritising the best possible outcomes for children. For example, they adapt the learning environment to successfully promote children's engagement and attention, such as moving a large sandpit indoors to the centre of the room. In the main, leaders maintain effective oversight of the provision and use observations, quality assurance checks and feedback to identify priorities and drive improvement. This includes mentoring and coaching staff to develop their practice in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, leaders do not yet consistently work
p.4
Leadership and governance Expected standard
with individual staff to identify and target specific training needs to further strengthen their teaching skills and secure even better outcomes for children.
p.5
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders consistently prioritise staff wellbeing and manage workload effectively. Overall, regular supervision and daily catch-up meetings enable staff to share concerns, reflect on practice and seek support. This contributes to a positive team culture where staff feel valued and supported.
p.5
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders work in partnership with parents and carers and engage with other organisations to enrich children's experiences. For example, external companies provide sports sessions that develop children's physical skills well. Parents speak highly of leaders and staff, describing their children as happy, secure and thriving. These secure partnerships contribute to children's wellbeing and development.
p.5
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are eager and excited to come to nursery. Those new to the nursery settle with ease into well-established morning routines, such as putting away their belongings with appropriate support. Children transition smoothly from the sister setting because rigorous procedures are in place to ensure detailed information is shared effectively between the 2 settings. They delight in the wide variety of activities on offer and demonstrate impressive attitudes to learning. Children beam with pride as they share information about themselves, as well as their accomplishments. They confidently talk about their family members and home experiences, knowing they are listened to with genuine interest. This is particularly evident during children's imaginative play when their contributions are expanded on well. As a result, children develop a secure sense of belonging. Children's regular attendance and punctuality are rigorously monitored, helping them benefit consistently from their
p.5
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children experience an ambitious and rich curriculum and are suitably prepared for their next move in education. They play harmoniously with friends, and when minor disputes arise, they are skilfully supported to manage their emotions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning make excellent progress from their initial starting points. Their needs are identified swiftly and appropriate strategies put in place to reduce learning gaps. Children benefit from
p.5
Address:
Ascot Priory Priory Road adaptations made, which are discussed regularly with parents and carers to ensure support is personalised. For example, children who start nursery speaking English as an additional language learn English words through adult modelling and confidently apply them in their play. This enables children to participate fully, achieve and thrive.
p.6
Address:
Children's uniqueness is highly valued. All children readily express their evolving interests, which are reflected in the curriculum. For instance, children who are fascinated by 'minibeasts' remain focused while searching for insects in the woodland area. They enthusiastically make pretend 'bug soup' for adults. Children clearly relish these experiences, demonstrating curiosity, confidence and a genuine love for learning.
p.6
Next steps
Leaders should enhance staff's use of assessment and observation procedures so that planning builds precisely on what each child already knows and can do to consistently deepen their learning. Leaders should strengthen individualised professional development by precisely identifying and addressing staff's specific training needs, to raise consistency in the quality of teaching and secure even better outcomes for all children.
p.6
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and carers, children and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection.
p.6
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. Ascot SL5 8RT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
p.6
About this inspection
Registered person: The Childcare Corporation Limited
p.7
About this inspection
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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.
p.7
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
p.7
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.
p.7
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.
p.8
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.
p.8
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.
p.8
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.
p.8
Urgent improvement
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p.8
Urgent improvement
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p.8
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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