URN 2597939 · Inspected 2026-05-14 · Published 2026-06-25 · Inspector: Nicky Chambers
Rock of Ages Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2597939 Address: Newington Free Church, St. Johns Avenue, Ramsgate, CT12 6JD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 26/08/2020 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Tarmo, Grace Inspection report: 14 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. Urgent improvement Achievement Urgent improvement Children do not achieve well due to the poor quality of the curriculum and teaching. There is very little support in place for children to help them overcome barriers to their learning. While leaders and staff work with other professionals involved in children's care and learning, strategies are inconsistent. Consequently, children are not able to communicate what they want or need, and this often leads to them not joining in with activities. Often, children run around the setting or lie on the floor without any interest or enjoyment in their learning. Children do not make the progress they are capable of. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Urgent improvement Leaders and staff are not clear on their behaviour expectations for children. For example, staff do not teach children why using climbing apparatus incorrectly and throwing toys across the room are not acceptable. Consequently, children continue to display these behaviours as they do not know that they are not acceptable. Staff do not consistently implement agreed strategies by other professionals working with children. Visual prompts are not embedded into daily routines to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This does not help them to understand the structure of the day and communicate their needs. As a result, children do not understand what is happening next, and this limits their ability to fully engage in their learning. Staff build positive relationships with children and provide some opportunities for them to be independent. They generally encourage children to do things for themselves, such as washing their hands and putting on their own coat. Leaders promote regular attendance at the nursery. There are established systems for following up with parents if children do not attend. Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement Leaders do not ensure that care practices meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have failed to ensure that there are suitable facilities to enable children to sleep or rest comfortably. Furthermore, leaders have not ensured there is a separate baby room with suitable resources for children under the age of 2. This is a breach to the requirements, and does not meet children's individual needs and compromises their wellbeing. Generally, children have developed bonds with staff. They settle well and leave their parents with confidence as they arrive. However, the key-person approach is not implemented effectively. Children do not always receive the support they need to help them to feel emotionally secure. Often, children are left to wander in the environment without meaningful interaction or support from staff. Some children, including those with SEND, spend extended periods of time alone without timely intervention from their key person. This impacts on children's wellbeing. Leaders and staff follow safer food guidance, including cutting food into appropriate small pieces to reduce the risk of choking for the youngest children. Staff use mealtimes to support children's growing independence. For example, they encourage children to pour their own drinks. Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement Leaders' oversight of the quality of the curriculum and teaching is poor. They fail to focus on priorities for children's learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to their learning. The curriculum design is weak, and leaders do not have sufficient oversight of what children are learning. In general, staff know children's interests and provide some activities that they know children will enjoy. However, they are not always clear on what they expect children to learn. As a result, much of the day is spent on incidental, unstructured play. Consequently, children do not engage meaningfully in their learning or sustain enjoyment in activities. Leaders and staff do not promote children's communication and language development effectively. Staff use inconsistent strategies to support speech and language development, which hinders children's progress in their communication skills. As a result, children do not receive the support they need to make sufficient progress in their development, in particular children with SEND or those facing barriers to their learning. Activities available for children are mundane and lack purpose, and are not at the correct level for children's stage of development. For example, staff provide painting activities without clear learning intentions. Consequently, children quickly lose interest and disengage from learning experiences. Inclusion Urgent improvement Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those facing barriers to their learning do not adequately receive the support they need. Staff recognise when children's development does not meet expectations and take action to gain additional support from professionals. They do not use agreed strategies to support children's needs. For example, when staff do not use the visual aids with children it does not help children to understand what is happening next, which compromises their emotional wellbeing. The ineffective curriculum, poor leadership oversight and weak quality of teaching mean children are learning by chance and are not supported well enough to make the progress they are capable of. Children do, however, form suitable relationships with staff. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement Leaders do not have robust oversight of all aspects of the provision. Therefore, they do not ensure the statutory requirements for the early years foundation stage are consistently met. There are key weaknesses within the provision that leaders fail to identify. The curriculum does not build on what children already know and can do. This is particularly evident for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders understand the importance of working in partnership with other professionals in supporting children's individual needs. However, they fail to identify when children do not get the support they need, including children with SEND. This has a direct impact on the quality of children's learning and development. Staff training and supervision are not effective in addressing gaps in their skills and knowledge, including supporting children's behaviour. Overall, leadership is weak, and this is having a significant impact on children's development. Leaders and staff do not work well enough with parents, particularly with regard to supporting children's learning between the setting and home. While staff share some general information about the children's day, this is not consistent and parents are not informed about what their children are learning in the setting. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not 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 Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has not met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Breaches to the early years foundation stage requirements have an impact on children's welfare and wellbeing. Leaders have failed to provide a separate baby room for children under 2 years that is suitable and meets their care needs. Furthermore, leaders do not provide suitable sleeping arrangements to enable children to rest or sleep. This compromises children's health and wellbeing. Significant weakness in leadership and governance means that children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing barriers to their learning, do not benefit from well-planned learning experiences. Children do not make secure progress. Leaders and staff have low expectations and lack ambition for children. This hinders their motivation for learning. Leaders do not have effective oversight of the provision for children and fail to provide staff with effective support, guidance and professional development opportunities. The impact of this is particularly evident for children with SEND, as their needs are not met. Staff fail to consistently implement strategies that have been advised by other professionals to support children's care and learning needs. Consequently, the lack of support significantly impacts children's emotional wellbeing. Leaders and staff do not have a secure understanding of how to implement a curriculum and provide experiences to support children's individual learning needs. Staff put activities and resources out that they know children enjoy, which at times keeps them occupied. For example, children like playing with bubbles and explore with paint to create pictures. However, there is little support from staff to help children focus and engage in meaningful learning. Staff identify some next steps in children's learning. However, these are not always appropriate to support children in the next stage of their learning. As a result, children, including those with SEND, receive poor-quality care and education. Children do not benefit from high-quality provision that enables them to reach their full potential. Next steps The provider is not meeting the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action. We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to have taken the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure suitable sleeping arrangements are followed when children require sleep or rest to meet their individual care needs 04/06/2026 Action Completion Date ensure there is a separate baby room with suitable facilities for children under the age of 2, to meet their individual needs 04/06/2026 implement an effective key-person system to ensure staff can fully support the needs of all children 04/06/2026 ensure that staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively to help them make the progress of which they are capable 04/06/2026 ensure staff use effective behaviour management strategies and give children consistent support and guidance to help them to follow routines and understand the expectations of the setting 04/06/2026 implement suitable training and support to ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities to meet the needs of children 04/06/2026 ensure that staff have regular supervisions to help them identify areas for improvement and raise the quality of the curriculum and teaching 04/06/2026 To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date develop and implement an ambitious curriculum that suitably meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities 04/06/2026 ensure that information is shared with parents effectively to help support children's care and learning 04/06/2026 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 Inspector: Nicky Chambers About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2597939 Address: Newington Free Church St. Johns Avenue Ramsgate CT12 6JD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 26/08/2020 Registered person: Tarmo, Grace Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00 Local authority: Kent Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 14 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 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. Total number of places 25 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. 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