Pepper Royd Day Nursery & Forest School

Pepper Royd Day Nursery & Forest School
Unique reference number (URN): 2823907
Address: 49c Bath Street, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 2JR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 30/01/2025
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Pepper Royd Day Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 27 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.

Expected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders set high expectations for children's behaviour, and children generally understand
what is expected of them. For example, when children help build a fire to cook their lunch
on, they listen intently to the rules and follow these well. Children listen for their name, and
when the practitioner calls them, they carefully approach and place sticks on the fire. This
develops children's listening skills and how they begin to understand and manage risk.
Practitioners have secure bonds with children and their families and know them well. They
take time to get to know children during settling-in sessions, which are tailored to meet
children's needs. Parents and carers speak highly of the setting, and the relationships that
practitioners and children develop. Practitioners generally encourage children well to work
together on tasks. For instance, when using the water dispenser, older children help
younger ones to turn on the tap, helping develop their self-esteem and sense of
responsibility.
Leaders adapt routines to ensure that all children's needs are supported. For example,
children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to
their learning have the option to leave the area that is used for meals when it is busy and
return when it is quieter. This helps to ensure that they do not become overwhelmed.
Practitioners notice key indicators of children's emotions and intervene quickly, when
needed. Leaders have effective procedures in place to promote and monitor children's
attendance.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and practitioners prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development,
helping them to enjoy their interactions. Children ask where their friends are as they wait for
them to arrive, showing great excitement when they do. Practitioners develop bonds with
children, who feel secure and benefit from the positive attachments. For instance, the babies
show delight in playing a game of peek-a-boo with a familiar practitioner, maintaining focus
on the game for a period of time.
Leaders and practitioners adapt routines to meet the individual needs of children, including
those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers
to their learning. For example, when children show signs of tiredness, practitioners help
them to settle by taking them to a quieter area and notify parents and carers of any change
to their usual routine. Positive relationships with parents enable practitioners to have
supportive communications with them.
Leaders offer children a variety of healthy foods, and children and practitioners sit together
at mealtimes. Practitioners role model sociable and polite practice by eating alongside
children and encouraging the use of manners. For instance, children are encouraged to say
'please' and 'thank you' and to use cutlery to eat their food. Practitioners talk to children
about the food they are eating, although teaching opportunities during these conversations

Needs attention
are not always used effectively. Leaders have implemented procedures for children who
have dietary requirements and/or allergies.
Inclusion Expected standard
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face
barriers to their learning typically make progress. Leaders have implemented support plans
for children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning. This assists practitioners
with adapting environments and breaking learning down into smaller steps. For instance,
children can access a sensory room to regulate their emotions, away from the larger group.
Leaders and practitioners' complete regular assessments of children to ensure that any
gaps in learning are identified. They have developed positive relationships with parents and
carers, enabling valuable 2-way communication.
Practitioners have secure relationships with children with SEND and those who face barriers
to their learning. They carefully adapt the ways in which they communicate with children to
meet their individual needs. For instance, practitioners use visual prompt cards and 'now
and next' boards to communicate with children who are non-verbal and those who speak
English as an additional language.
Leaders support parents well in making referrals to external agencies for additional support.
They use additional funding effectively, for instance, to develop and enhance the outdoor
space to support the physical needs of children.
Achievement Needs attention
Older children make progress and build on what they already know. They typically develop
the skills they need for the next stage of learning. However, inconsistencies in teaching and
insufficient adaptation to reflect children's ages and stages of development impacts younger
children's progress.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to
their learning make progress in their communication skills, with the use of visual prompts.
Children with speech delays proudly begin to repeat single words.
Children develop independence skills, self-serve their meals, access their own drinking
water and, when appropriate, access the bathrooms independently, with an adult close by.
This helps children to develop resilience and perseverance.
Curriculum and teaching Needs attention
Older children are given opportunities for extended thinking. For instance, during forest-
school sessions, children are asked about the rules of using the saw when cutting wood.

Older children within the group respond to these questions confidently. However,
discussions are not tailored to meet all children's needs, which, in turn, leads to children
becoming disengaged from learning. This has an impact on how well children become
confident learners.
Leaders and practitioners regularly assess children's development and monitor progress
from their starting points. However, practitioners do not always understand the curriculum
well enough and what they want children to learn. This means that not all children are
making the progress that they are capable of. Some mathematical language is used. For
example, while children play hopscotch in the garden, practitioners count as children jump
on the squares. However, this is not thoroughly embedded into practice and is often
incidental.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to
their learning are supported well. Leaders implement support plans to provide targeted
support.
Children are supported to develop their physical skills, indoors and outdoors. Practitioners
allow babies the space to develop independence and are close by to support them, when
required. Babies confidently sit down on the step, turn around and come down backwards to
access a different area of the room, for instance. Practitioners offer praise, and babies smile
at their achievements. Leaders and practitioners generally support children's communication
and language skills appropriately.
Leadership and governance Needs attention
Leaders make decisions based on the interests of children attending. They demonstrate the
ability to identify when changes are needed and monitor the impact of these generally well.
There have been recent changes to leadership and the staff team. Although leaders have
begun implementing changes, they are not yet having an impact due to needing more time
to embed into practice.
Although leaders have general oversight of the setting's areas for development and conduct
observations of staff's practice, practitioners' development and training are not yet
sufficiently effective, which leads to inconsistencies in teaching.
Leaders have a sound understanding of safeguarding and ensure that practitioners are
regularly questioned on safeguarding topics to maintain their knowledge. Leaders support
practitioners' wellbeing through regular supervision sessions, which helps to ensure that
their workload is manageable.
Leaders promote children's attendance and quickly follow up on any child who does not
attend their usual sessions. Leaders have developed partnerships with parents and carers,
and typically communicate effectively with them, sending out newsletters and using an
electronic system to keep them up to date about their children's learning. Parents speak
positively about the updates they receive about their child's day and the support they receive
as a family.

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's learning is not fully supported as the curriculum is not consistent across all areas
of the nursery. Teaching is not always delivered at a level that is age- and stage-appropriate,
leading to children not making the best possible progress.
Children are welcomed into the warm, safe environment and are eager to greet their friends
and begin their day. Children are made to feel safe and secure. Therefore, they show
confidence as they explore their surroundings independently. Children play alongside their
peers and develop their social skills as they take turns with the hoops in the garden.

Children access outdoor and forest-school areas, where they plant, grow and look after
vegetables and flowers. Children spend a lot of time outdoors, helping to develop their
knowledge about the natural world. Children cook their lunch on the campfire and learn
about managing risks in a safe and controlled environment. Physical development is
prioritised, and children of all ages have lots of opportunities to develop physical skills.
Children develop strong bonds with the practitioners. Parents share information about
children's previous experiences and routines prior to them starting at the setting. This
enables practitioners to provide care that is individual to the child. Leaders closely monitor
children's attendance.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to
their learning are supported through the use of support plans. Practitioners celebrate
children's successes. For example, when children, at lunchtime, are able to remove lids from
their yoghurt pots, practitioners cheer and children show delight in their achievement. This
builds children's self-esteem and motivation to learn.
Next steps
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
ensure that teaching is consistent, high quality and in
line with children's age and stage of development to
fully support children's learning
04/06/2026
implement robust systems for training and development
of practitioners to enhance their knowledge and skills to
support high-quality teaching.
04/06/2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
children 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.

Inspector:
Lisa Watson
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2823907
Address:
49c Bath Street
Dewsbury
West Yorkshire
WF13 2JR
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 30/01/2025
Registered person: Pepper Royd Day Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Kirklees
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 27 May 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 11
Total number of places
64

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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