Swindon Village Early YearsOfsted report card, 22 Sept 2026

Swindon Village Early Years

Unique reference number (URN): 2808547 Address: Swindon Village Hall, Church Road, Swindon Village, Cheltenham, GL51 9QP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 23/09/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Swindon Village Early Years

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders have embedded a harmonious, respectful culture where children consistently demonstrate positive behaviour and attitudes to learning. Expectations and routines are firmly established. Children respond promptly to familiar warnings and the bell, tidy up together and join group times without repeated direction. They understand why expectations matter, explaining, for example, that 'walking feet' keep themselves and others safe.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Practitioners consistently model kindness, respect and positive behaviour. They praise children's efforts and achievements, helping them develop confidence and motivation. Children cooperate during games and activities, take turns and show genuine empathy when others are upset. During physical challenges, children persevere, maintain their focus and increasingly attempt difficulties independently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Practitioners know when children need additional reassurance or support. They use familiar interests, calm explanations and sensitive adaptations to help children manage their emotions, while maintaining high expectations for participation and behaviour. Consequently, children increasingly regulate themselves, show resilience in the face of challenges and engage positively with others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders closely monitor attendance and punctuality and promote their importance through positive and open communication with families. Where barriers arise, they work decisively with families and other professionals to address them. This has helped children improve their attendance, establish more consistent routines and become better prepared for starting school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from consistently thoughtful and highly responsive care that reflects their individual needs, circumstances and stages of development. Practitioners know children and families extremely well, including those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers to their learning. They adapt routines sensitively so that children feel secure, included and able to participate fully.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Warm, trusting relationships are deeply embedded. Children confidently seek familiar practitioners for comfort, reassurance and encouragement, while practitioners respond promptly and sensitively to children's emotions. Younger children remain close to familiar adults when joining the wider provision, enabling them to explore with confidence and develop increasing independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Healthy habits are woven naturally through the day. Children independently wash their hands, choose and pour drinks and confidently talk about healthy foods, oral health and different textures. Through sand, water, pipes and the mud kitchen, children test ideas, strengthen coordination and physical confidence, and learn to manage everyday risks safely. Children also understand simple safety expectations and why these help to protect themselves and others. Leaders rigorously review care practices and adapt them when guidance or children's circumstances change. Safer sleeping and eating arrangements are carefully implemented, and mealtimes are closely supervised and responsive to individual health, dietary and family needs. As a result, children develop secure foundations for self-care, physical health and emotional wellbeing.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where children's individual needs are understood quickly and support is shaped around them. Practitioners draw on observation, assessment, families' knowledge and specialist advice to identify barriers early. They then adapt provision in practical ways. For example, children may have carefully phased settling arrangements, sensory experiences or targeted physical activities to help them feel confident, engage successfully and participate alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders systematically evaluate the effectiveness of support and refine it as children's needs change. Individual plans, shared strategies and regular supervision help practitioners provide consistent support. Professional development strengthens staff knowledge, while close work with families, health professionals and other agencies ensures advice is put into practice promptly. This helps to ensure that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, is coordinated effectively across the setting, home, and external professionals.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Early years pupil premium funding is used according to identified need. Leaders track spending and use it for resources and experiences, including physical activities and music sessions, that widen children's experiences. Children known or previously known to social care benefit from sensitive work with families and professionals, including flexible attendance arrangements where needed. As a result, barriers are reduced and all children are increasingly confident, engaged and included.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly positive and professional culture in which children's best interests are central to decision-making. They have an accurate understanding of what works well and are highly receptive to feedback, change and new ideas. They continually look for ways to improve children's experiences and respond promptly when areas for development are identified. For example, they have prioritised staff development and are taking action to strengthen consistency in curriculum implementation.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders know children's individual needs extremely well. They make thoughtful decisions for disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other barriers, working closely with families and professionals and maintaining effective oversight of targeted funding and support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders build positive and trusting relationships with parents and value their contribution to children's learning and development. Families are kept informed about children's progress and next steps, and leaders work closely with them when children need additional support. Parents describe staff as caring, supportive and communicative and value the help they receive through assessments, plans, appointments and transitions. Leaders also maintain

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Expected standard

positive links with the local primary school, church and wider village community, helping to strengthen continuity and support for children and families.

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Expected standard

Staff wellbeing and workload are carefully considered. Leaders are approachable, supportive and foster a culture where staff feel valued. Supervision, training and continuing professional development are purposeful, with learning shared across the team to strengthen practice. Leaders remain reflective and ambitious for the setting. They are willing to adapt practice, challenge existing approaches and act on what they learn, ensuring improvement is continuous and firmly focused on securing the best possible experiences for children.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally achieve well from their starting points and develop age- and stage- appropriate knowledge and skills. They communicate confidently, recall familiar stories, use a growing range of vocabulary and sustain conversations with adults and peers. Children demonstrate developing mathematical knowledge, including recognising numbers and using counting in everyday routines. They also apply what they know independently, for example when solving practical problems during play and explaining how to care for their teeth and bodies.

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Achievement Expected standard

Disadvantaged children, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to children's social care, and children facing other barriers generally make secure progress from their individual starting points. Parents describe noticeable improvements in children's confidence, communication and development.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning. They listen, follow familiar routines, take turns, communicate their needs and manage aspects of their own care with increasing independence. However, across the full age range, children do not yet consistently demonstrate the same breadth and depth of knowledge and skills. In some areas of learning, children's knowledge remains less developed or connected over time, which limits how securely some children build on what they already know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum across all areas of learning and development that generally reflects what children need to know and be able to do as they move through the setting. They are ambitious for all children, including those who may be disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Practitioners use assessment and identified next steps to inform planning and adapt experiences so that children can participate meaningfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication and language are promoted well through stories, songs, conversations and real-life experiences. Practitioners model vocabulary, ask purposeful questions and introduce mathematical ideas naturally through play and routines. For example, children explore number, size and position, investigate real vegetables and discuss colour, texture and healthy choices. Books and puppets support storytelling, while self-portrait activities help children explore their own appearance and what makes them unique. Physical, personal, social and emotional development are also prioritised through climbing, independence and emotional support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, at times, the intended learning behind activities is not consistently clear or closely matched to what children need to learn next. This means that children do not always build their knowledge and skills as progressively as they could. Leaders recognise this and are focused on strengthening consistency across the setting.

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

Children arrive at this setting full of excitement and quickly immerse themselves in play and learning. They are confident, curious and increasingly independent. Children move freely between experiences, make choices about what they want to explore and sustain their interest. They remember and apply what they have learned. For example, children enthusiastically use puppets and books to retell 'The Gruffalo', acting out the story with their peers and recalling what happens next. Children confidently explain that sugar can damage teeth and that teeth need brushing at the back, showing that learning about oral health is well understood and remembered. During everyday routines, children are supported to recognise their own names, pour drinks independently and help to tidy the environment with increasing ownership and responsibility.

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

Children have a secure sense of belonging. Warm, trusting relationships are evident throughout the setting. Children confidently seek practitioners for cuddles, reassurance, conversation and help, and practitioners respond with sensitivity and genuine warmth. Younger children remain close to familiar practitioners when joining the wider pre-school provision, enabling them to explore confidently while feeling secure. Children also show kindness and empathy towards one another, noticing when friends are upset and showing genuine concern. Practitioners know children extremely well and thoughtfully adapt experiences so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully alongside their peers. This includes adapting physical experiences to help children develop coordination, balance and confidence while taking part successfully with others.

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

Children thrive within well-established routines that give them confidence, responsibility and a clear understanding of expectations. They respond immediately to familiar warnings and the bell, tidy together and join group times without repeated direction. They understand the reasons behind expectations, explaining, for example, why 'walking feet' help to keep

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Address:

Swindon Village Hall Church Road, Swindon Village Cheltenham GL51 9QP

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises everyone safe. Practitioners weave learning naturally into these routines through counting, songs, signing, name recognition, conversation and recalling previous experiences. Children develop resilience and perseverance through physical challenges and are encouraged to attempt tasks independently. Outdoors, they investigate sand, water, pipes and the mud kitchen, using their own ideas to solve practical problems. These warm relationships, inclusive approaches and embedded routines help children to feel secure, capable and valued.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that practitioners consistently understand and implement the intended learning within activities so children's knowledge and skills build progressively across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all children develop breadth and depth of knowledge and skills across all areas of learning and development and are very well prepared for future learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and children 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. Registration date: 23/09/2024

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About this inspection

Registered person: Swindon Village Early Years

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:45 - 15:15,Friday : 08:45 - 12:30

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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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