URN 2832264 · Inspected 2026-05-19 · Published 2026-07-01 · Inspector: Sarah Roberts
Secret Garden Day Nursery (Dawlish) Ltd Unique reference number (URN): 2832264 Address: 3 Barton Villas, Dawlish, EX7 9QJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 02/06/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Secret Garden Day Nursery (Dawlish) Ltd Inspection report: 19 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 and staff create a happy environment where warm, respectful relationships help children to feel secure. Leaders and staff model consistently positive behaviour and warm relationships with all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They establish highly effective routines from the start so babies and children quickly grow in confidence and assurance. Staff work closely with parents to reflect home routines, such as sleep times, which helps babies and young children transition confidently into the setting. Staff hold high expectations of children's behaviour and actively promote sharing and turn- taking throughout the day. They expertly model positive behaviour and reinforce expectations through consistent routines and boundaries, expressed with compassion and clarity. This thoughtful approach helps children feel secure and supports them to manage their feelings and understand how to be kind to themselves and others. When children become distressed, staff respond swiftly and sensitively, using their strong knowledge of each child to re-engage them in learning. This support helps all children, including those who face barriers to learning, develop positive attitudes, engage enthusiastically and grow into confident, increasingly independent learners. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to promote regular, punctual attendance. They take the time to understand each child's context and put tailored plans in place to remove barriers. Their proactive approach ensures children benefit fully from the curriculum and daily routines. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Staff prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. Leaders and staff show a strong commitment to ensuring that children and their families feel supported, valued and welcomed. Staff remain highly attuned to children and show professional curiosity when they notice changes in behaviour. They hold timely discussions with parents and carers to gain valuable insights into children's home lives so they can implement consistent strategies. This responsive approach ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive support that meets their individual needs. Staff are diligently focused on helping children become independent from an early age, celebrating each small step children take as they learn new skills. For example, staff in the pre-school room select daily helpers to prepare the fruit snack station every morning. This gives children the opportunity to learn how to cut fruit safely and to think about and plan what they need to provide for a successful snack time. Staff further support children's independence and help them understand how to stay safe by involving them in risk assessing new activities both indoors and outdoors. This gives children practical opportunities to solve problems and make decisions, which are important skills for future learning and success. Expected standard Leaders have a robust understanding of current nutritional guidance and recognise how a healthy diet strengthens children's learning and wellbeing. The on-site healthy, home- cooked lunches are a firm favourite with both children and parents. Leaders work closely with families to identify practical changes that improve the quality of children's diets. This has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the food children choose and enjoy at lunchtime and helps to build healthy habits for the future. Achievement Expected standard Children, including those who face barriers to learning, make steady progress from their starting points across all 7 areas of the curriculum. Babies develop early physical skills as they climb and scramble through tunnels in the indoor soft-play area. Toddlers build confidence, form friendships and learn to take turns during familiar routines and activities. For example, 2 children take turns choosing a book to look at together. Older children focus well during more structured group times, which helps prepare them for school. Staff engage children in conversation and help them develop early negotiation skills that are vital for collaborative learning. However, staff do not consistently maximise opportunities to build and extend younger children's vocabulary. As a result, children do not acquire new words as quickly as they could. Praise and encouragement at appropriate times boost children's confidence and willingness to try new tasks. As a result, children are generally well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders understand the curriculum's quality accurately, and staff know what they want children to learn. Since the last inspection, leaders have strengthened staff confidence in teaching mathematics, and staff now use regular opportunities throughout the day to help children learn to count. Teaching is fun, warm and engaging. Children often giggle and beam as they play and learn alongside staff. Staff plan purposeful activities linked to children's interests. For example, in the pre-school room, children can choose play dough, mark making with cars and paint, or a drawing activity; all of which build fine motor skills. The curriculum follows a clear sequence and gives children opportunities to develop skills across all 7 areas of learning. Teaching is inclusive and keeps children engaged. Staff know children well and respond to their needs. Staff support turn-taking and problem-solving, and they encourage children to keep trying when tasks feel tricky. For example, in the toddler room, staff prompt children to persevere when they struggle to stack small blocks to make a tower. Staff generally support communication and language development well, and children of all ages show a love of books. Sometimes, staff do not consistently use every opportunity to model and introduce new words and their meanings during play, which would further deepen and broaden children's vocabulary. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff show a clear understanding of how to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known or previously known to social care. They use ongoing observations, assessments and information from parents and professionals to identify individual needs promptly. This approach enables leaders to plan targeted support and adapt routines, activities and the learning environment so children can access the curriculum and feel included. Leaders take purposeful action to meet children's needs through inclusive practice and reasonable adjustments, such as offering flexible settling-in sessions and tailoring individual session times to support families. They guide staff to assess children accurately and provide appropriate support. Staff monitor children's progress and review the impact of provision through a structured cycle, adapting strategies where necessary to promote continued development. Leaders work closely with parents and external agencies, including speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, to shape children's experiences and strengthen partnership working. Leaders use additional funding effectively to enhance ratios and offer disadvantaged children the opportunity to access a daily 2-course cooked meal. They make these funding decisions in consultation with parents and aim to maximise the impact on improving children's well-being and development. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders maintain a clear overview of the curriculum and wider provision. Staff actively contribute to curriculum development, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of all children attending. Leaders generally understand the nursery's strengths well and focus on the areas most relevant to the children in their care. They recognise the different barriers children may face and keep these at the centre of their decision-making, prioritising these children in their work. Leaders know children well and use this knowledge to shape support that is timely, sensitive and effective. Leaders involve parents and staff in shaping the setting's direction. They are currently consulting parents on their preferred methods of communication. Once they gather and analyse this information, they will strengthen and further develop their communication systems to meet families' varied and changing needs. Leaders ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff reported that they feel supported and respected. Leaders identify staff training needs through regular supervision sessions, and staff feel confident seeking support when needed. This open culture creates a cohesive team. Staff say they are happy in their roles and feel that leaders support their wellbeing. 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 thrive in this nursery because they are known, valued and supported as unique individuals. Staff take the time to understand children's needs, interests and experiences, using careful observations and in partnership with parents and other professionals to shape the right support. This ensures every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face barriers to learning, can take part, feel included and make meaningful progress. Warm, trusting relationships help children feel safe and ready to explore. From babies to pre-schoolers, children grow in confidence because staff create highly effective and predictable routines and respond sensitively when they need reassurance. Staff celebrate children's achievements, no matter how small, which builds pride, independence and a strong sense of belonging. Children enjoy a well-planned curriculum that follows their interest and supports learning across all 7 areas. They giggle, experiment and concentrate as they play, whether they are climbing in soft play, choosing creative activities or practising early mathematics skills throughout the day. Staff encourage turn-taking, problem-solving and perseverance, helping children to develop resilience and positive attitudes to learning. Inspector: Sarah Roberts About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2832264 Address: 3 Barton Villas Dawlish EX7 9QJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 02/06/2025 Registered person: Secret Garden Day Nursery (Dawlish) Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Communication and language are nurtured through conversation, stories and shared experiences. Children learn to express themselves, negotiate with others and develop early friendships. Staff model positive behaviour and kindness, helping children understand their feelings and treat others with respect. Next steps Leaders should continue to ensure that the interactions staff have with children are of a consistently high quality so that children rapidly improve their vocabulary and build their understanding across the early years curriculum. About this inspection The inspector spoke with children, leaders, staff and parents 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. Local authority: Devon Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 19 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 5 Total number of places 75 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. 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