URN 2671793 · Inspected 2026-06-03 · Published 2026-07-15 · Inspector: Louise Chinyuku
Small Talk Nurseries Unique reference number (URN): 2671793 Address: 10-12 High Street, Dawley, TELFORD, TF4 2ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 01/03/2022 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Rak Day Care Ltd Inspection report: 3 June 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 Expected standard Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Children form deep bonds with the staff who care for them. Staff are dedicated to supporting all children, including babies and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to understand the routines. For example, they use signs and visual aids to support non- verbal children understand what is happening now and next. Babies show their familiarity with routines as staff show them their nappy to indicate it is time to change them. Older children eagerly line up as they transition to different parts of the day, such as toileting, sleep time and lunchtime. Staff adopt a vast range of strategies to support and manage children's behaviour. They praise and reward children when they show care towards others and when children keep on trying. This helps to support children's perseverance. Staff swiftly intervene to remind children of the rules and how they can play safely. Older children quickly go over to staff to inform them of a conflict. Staff thoroughly support children during this time to express themselves. They find out what went wrong and support children to learn how they can overcome these issues. Staff prioritise children's emotional needs. For example, they talk about their feelings and support children to learn about the impact their behaviours have on others. All children sustain high levels of engagement as they play. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to develop their concentration skills. For instance, they offer one-to-one activities and lots of praise to support them to join in. Leaders take proactive steps to ensure that all children receive their full entitlement of their funded hours. Achievement Expected standard All children make continued progress in their learning from their starting points. They typically leave each room ready for the next stage of their learning, including school. Children develop a range of skills. For example, babies develop the muscles in their body as reach out to grab resources, pull themselves up and learn how to take steps. Toddlers learn how to throw and kick balls. Older children learn how to move themselves on bicycles and cars. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally learn how to express themselves, using gestures or signs. Older children use words and sentences and are confident communicators. Children learn how to count in sequence. They develop their imagination skills, as they pretend to put out 'fires' using water. Children develop their social skills well, such as learning how to take turns and share. They generally play cooperatively with and alongside their peers. However, at times, children do not extend their knowledge even further as some of their next steps in learning are not precise. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Settling-in and transition processes are well thought out. These help to support children to build bonds with staff, and for children to get to know their environment and their peers. Staff follow children's cues and respond swiftly to children's individual needs. For example, they ensure that babies and younger children have opportunities to take a rest during the day. Staff have secure knowledge of safer sleeping. Staff typically supervise children well in the day, including when they are eating. Children of all ages help themselves to water. Staff provide children with a range of balanced and healthy meals. All children have regular access to outside. Staff set out obstacle courses for children to learn how to move in a variety of ways. Children have lots of space to practise their physical skills, such as crawling and climbing. Older children receive support to learn about the importance of oral health as they practise brushing teeth. Staff generally support children to wash their hands and wipe their noses as they learn how to keep themselves clean. Leaders provide parents and carers with menus and ingredients that they can take home to cook for their children. However, when staff identify gaps or concerns in children's health, they do not specifically focus or target children's next steps on these to help fully promote children's health. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard The curriculum is rich. Staff set out an array of learning experiences that captures children's interests and curiosity. They support children to develop their hand-eye coordination and develop the muscles in their arms, hands and fingers. Babies use their hands to explore a range of sensory experiences, such as gloop and rice play. Toddlers eagerly use their hands and equipment as they explore in the mud kitchen outside, filling and emptying. Staff provide a mixture of herbs and talk to children about the textures, smells and colours. Older children thoroughly enjoy water play and exploring with play dough or oats. They use the tools to manipulate the resources into different objects. Staff surround babies with language as they play. For example, they name objects and narrate what children are doing. This helps to promote babies' speech development. Staff provide older children with lots of space and time to express themselves. Older children are confident communicators. Staff generally teach mathematics well, providing multiple opportunities for children to learn about size, shapes and numbers as they play. However, there are times where staff do not focus children's next steps in learning specifically enough on what children need to learn next or where children require further support. This does not ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are able to consistently extend their knowledge. Leaders typically evaluate the learning experiences on offer to children well. They have started to take steps to help develop staff's questioning techniques. Staff sing a range of songs and rhymes to children. Babies smile and laugh as they listen, while older children join in with some actions and words. Children of all ages have lots of opportunities to practise their physical skills. For example, they learn how to walk, run and climb. Inclusion Expected standard Staff monitor children's progress well. They typically work well with parents and carers to help identify any gaps or barriers children may have in their learning. Staff seek support from leaders and share information about children's development with parents. When staff identify significant gaps in children's development, they make referrals to other professionals. However, staff do not ensure that they consistently seek advice from other professionals, if concerns are raised about a child's health or development, particularly when parents are not on board. This does not ensure that disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the full support they require. Staff make adaptations to activities. This ensures that all children are able to access the learning experiences on offer. For example, staff offer edible resources if children have specific needs. Staff provide effective support for children who are known or previously known to children's social care. For example, they share and gather key information from parents and other professionals. Staff support and encourage children to take part by using praise. Disadvantaged children show a willingness and eagerness to join in with and alongside their peers. Leaders think carefully about how they use any additional funding they receive to help promote best outcomes for children. They monitor the impact the funding is having on individual children and make changes as required. This helps to ensure that the funding meets children's changing needs. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders regularly reflect on the overall quality of the setting. They use this to identify areas of strength and areas that could be developed further. Leaders generally take positive steps to address these. They monitor staff's practice well. There is a focus on supporting staff's wellbeing and their workload. Leaders support staff to reflect on their practice and provide them with coaching and support as required. Staff have lots of opportunities to attend training, with a specific focus on the age of children they are working with. This helps to develop their confidence, knowledge and skills. Leaders and staff typically work well in partnership with parents and carers; this includes for children who are known or previously known to children's social care. They share updates and information with parents regularly. Parents value the support they receive from leaders and staff. They share that they receive support, tips and learning packs that they can complete at home with their child. However, leaders have not consistently developed the strategies used to engage with parents who are harder to reach. This does not ensure that all children, including disadvantaged children or those with barriers to their learning, consistently receive the full support they require. 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 Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has 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 Children are happy and settled. They excitedly wave goodbye to their parents or carers as they enter the setting. Children eagerly seek out staff for reassurance and help where it is required. Staff generally respond sensitively to children during this time, as they follow children's individual needs. Children learn about their feelings. For example, staff talk to them about their emotions and how they can overcome these. Children feel valued and heard. They use words, sentences, cues or gestures to express themselves, and staff listen intently. Staff typically share key information with other settings children are due to attend. Inspector: Louise Chinyuku This helps to ensure that children receive the consistency they require as they leave the setting. The curriculum is varied and ambitious. Staff typically know children well. They provide an array of learning experiences for children to take part in, which excites children's interests. Children thoroughly enjoy painting experiences. They use their hands, brushes and other equipment, such as cars to explore the paint. Younger children smile, laugh and make sounds as they notice some of the marks they are making. Older children start to prescribe meanings to the marks. Staff surround children with language as they play. They ask a range of open-ended questions that help to develop children's thinking skills. Children have lots of opportunities to listen and share stories, books and rhymes. This helps to develop their language and vocabulary. All children, including those with barriers to their learning or with special educational needs and/or disabilities, remain engaged and enthused to learn. They receive effective support to make continued progress in their learning from their starting points. Next steps Leaders should make sure that staff consistently seek advice from other professionals to help ensure that children receive the full support they require in their care, learning and health. Leaders must develop further how they engage and work with harder to reach families to ensure that children receive timely support. Staff should think more carefully about children's next steps in development and how they can extend children's learning further. About this inspection The inspector spoke with staff, leaders and the special educational needs coordinator 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. There is a new leader in post since the last inspection. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2671793 Address: 10-12 High Street Dawley TELFORD TF4 2ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 01/03/2022 Registered person: Rak Day Care Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Telford & Wrekin Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 3 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 6 Total number of places 50 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. 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