URN 2786898 · Inspected 2026-05-22 · Published 2026-07-06 · Inspector: Naomi Beck
The Snug Childcare Unique reference number (URN): 2786898 Address: Lanjeth & High Street Memorial Hall, Coombe Road, Lanjeth, High Street, St. Austell, PL26 7TL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/03/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: The Snug childcare Inspection report: 22 May 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement 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. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: 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. Strong standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders have established consistent expectations for behaviour. Staff develop warm, supportive and attentive relationships with children. Even the youngest children settle well, readily approaching staff to join in activities. Leaders ensure that staff are positive role models, gently supporting children to take turns, share and be mindful of others. For example, older children learn the importance of turn-taking and being aware of younger children as they play together. Staff have consistently high expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. They provide motivation and encourage children to solve their own problems during play. For example, children work together to create fishing rods that reach the pond. All children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. For instance, they demonstrate high levels of confidence in making choices and exploring their environment. Staff consistently embed routines well. For example, children wait patiently holding a custom-made rope as they prepare to walk to the nursery's forest school area. Staff adapt the routines to support children's individual age/ stage of development or those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities. For example, children who need a calming environment spend time in the sensory room. During the settling-in period, staff follow routines from home. Babies and younger children sleep when they need to, while other children play, and others enjoy their snack. Staff work with parents to help them understand how regular attendance helps their children to develop emotionally and academically. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Staff are highly responsive to the needs of children, offering calm and affectionate interactions. This helps all children feel safe, settled and emotionally secure. Leaders have established an effective and inclusive key-person approach. Effective transitions are in place when children move between rooms. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities, form secure attachments to their key person and to other staff in the room. Staff support children to develop independent self-care and hygiene habits. Each room has portable handwashing stations for children to wash their hands independently. Children learn good hygiene practises, such as knowing to wash their hands after playing outside or before meals. Children enjoy a range of healthy meals and snacks. Staff are vigilant, and they supervise children closely to ensure their safety. Staff provide a calm and comfortable environment for children who need to sleep. Leaders consider the adaptations they can make to rooms to support safe sleep. For example, babies now sleep in a separated area within the room to ensure that they can be monitored regularly during children's nap times. Staff provide meaningful opportunities for children to embrace a healthy, active lifestyle. Leaders are passionate about children learning outdoors. Children enjoy exploring both the indoor and outdoor areas. Outdoors, children follow staff's instructions to walk safely. Inclusion Strong standard Staff are consistently highly attuned to children's needs across the setting. This means children are included and can participate fully. Leaders have a strong focus on inclusion. The nursery has robust policies and procedures in place. Staff complete highly effective observations and assessments on children. They identify gaps in children's learning and development to inform planning and target support. They work closely with advisory professionals to create individual plans and meet children's needs. Children benefit from this targeted support, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities. Leaders create a tailored curriculum and thoughtfully design the space to meet children's needs. Staff make effective adaptations, providing the resources children need to support their wellbeing, for example special chairs and tables for their comfort. This enables children to feel safe and secure and confident to learn in the environment. Staff consistently recognise when children need additional support with activities. For example, staff will work individually with children to engage them in small-group activities. This is highly effective in supporting children's developmental needs across all rooms. Leaders recognise and understand which children are entitled to additional funding. They identify where staff are best deployed to support children. Leaders support staff to share information when key persons change and, as a result, transitions between all rooms are exceptionally smooth. The strong leadership ensures consistency, supports staff's knowledge and promotes high expectations for all. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders have created a highly ambitious vision for the nursery. They work collaboratively with staff, children and families to promote the best outcomes for children. They recognise their strengths and priorities for improvement. Leaders are very reflective with clear plans of how to implement their vision. They provide support and guidance to staff. They are highly committed to embedding high-quality care and education across the nursery. They provide supportive and thorough supervision sessions for staff. Staff feel valued and appreciate the collaborative environment that encourages teamwork. They attend regular supervision meetings and are provided with high-quality training . This means they are well-equipped to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Partnerships with other professionals are meaningful. Leaders work closely with advisers to support the needs of children with SEND. Leaders encourage staff to pursue higher qualifications and develop expertise. Staff attend meetings and incorporate ideas from professionals to support all children's learning. Leaders are proactive and passionate about providing a setting where children and families can thrive. Leaders and staff build very trusting relationships with parents. Parents who have children with SEND appreciate the extensive support the nursery provides. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children thrive in the purposeful and well-planned environment. Children work well with others. Older children share resources with babies and younger children. They work and learn together. This strengthens their cooperation, patience and kindness. Children typically achieve well. However, opportunities to further learning, particularly in mathematics, are sometimes missed. For example, younger children's problem-solving skills are not developed, such as deciding how to sort objects by colour, size or shape. Those who face barriers to their learning or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum. As a result, all children reach their potential from their individual starting points. Children confidently recall their learning from core books. For example, they remember key phrases and talk about what happens next with enthusiasm. Children throughout the setting develop a love of books. Overall, babies listen and respond to simple instructions, and older children engage in small-group times. This develops their listening and attention skills. Children learn about the world around them and what makes them special and unique through events such as 'Snugfest'. The setting has a positive relationship with local schools. Children have a well-planned series of transition opportunities. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders know the children and families well. They use this knowledge to shape an ambitious curriculum that responds to children's individual needs. The nurturing environment enables children to feel safe and secure. This supports their personal, social and emotional development. Staff adapt activities effectively to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can participate successfully. For instance, children are offered manageable, sensory experiences alongside their peers. Learning is linked and consolidated through core books. Children experience the story through repetition and in different ways over time. Overall, staff engage children in their learning, although not all staff, across the nursery and use high-quality interactions and questioning to maximise learning opportunities. For example, some staff did not enrich children's learning through encouraging them to think and explain their ideas. Staff embed early mathematics well, providing play-based experiences to develop mathematical vocabulary. For example, children create 'long' and 'short' worms with play dough. Younger children are given the opportunity to count objects as they play. However, not all staff maximise learning opportunities to further children's understanding of mathematical reasoning and problem-solving. For example, children were not consistently provided with opportunities during group activities to combine groups and compare amounts or size. Staff provide activities that support children's dexterity alongside their creativity, such as using paintbrushes and rolling dough in their hands. In general, staff develop children's communication and language skills. They ask thoughtful questions to extend ideas and share new vocabulary. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive happy and settle quickly in this nurturing and welcoming setting. They are greeted by friendly staff and quickly engage in activities. Children form warm relationships with staff. This helps their attachment and feeling of belonging. Young children communicate their wants and needs through gestures and signals, and staff immediately respond. This means children become confident and self-assured learners. Children show emotional security and trust in the staff who care for them. Calm, consistent and predictable routines throughout the day help children to feel safe, secure and confident in the environment. Children approach staff readily for reassurance, comfort or support. The nursery offers a broad and inclusive curriculum. Children's starting points are identified, and activities are planned to build on what they already know and can do. Children's interests are followed, and gaps in knowledge and any barriers to learning are identified swiftly. Targeted strategies are implemented to help all children make progress in their learning and development. Children concentrate and focus on their learning. Babies benefit from rich sensory experiences supported by nurturing staff. For example, in the garden, even the youngest children enjoy taking part in messy play activities. Children respond to purposeful questions and talk confidently about what might happen next. Children's fine motor control is encouraged, and they use small tools with increasing skill, pouring and stirring. Independence is a strength of this setting. Children build on their independence as they transition through the rooms. For example, the oldest children can manage their own self- care, such as putting on their outdoor clothing and making their own lunch during Forest Inspector: Naomi Beck About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2786898 Address: Lanjeth & High Street Memorial Hall Coombe Road, Lanjeth, High Street St. Austell PL26 7TL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 28/03/2024 School. These skills prepare children well to move on to their next steps in education as motivated and enthusiastic learners. Leaders ensure that parents understand the importance of punctuality and attendance and the positive impact they have on children's learning and development. Next steps All staff need to make better use of opportunities to develop children's mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills by providing regular opportunities for children to compare, sort, count and discuss mathematical concepts during play and routine activities. All staff should use high-quality interactions and questioning more consistently to maximise all learning opportunities across the provision. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the 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. Registered person: The Snug childcare Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Cornwall Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 22 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 62 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. 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. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. 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. 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. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? 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