URN 2747996 · Inspected 2026-01-23 · Published 2026-07-07 · Inspector: Maggie Bellamy Alexandra Brouder
Woodville Pre-School Unique reference number (URN): 2747996 Address: Woodville Youth Centre, Moira Road, Woodville, Swadlincote, DE11 8DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 22/08/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited Inspection report: 23 January 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. Exceptional Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Exceptional Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or any barriers to their learning, behave impeccably well. Staff use incredibly effective methods to manage children's behaviour and understand how to support every child to behave and regulate their behaviour from an early age. These highly responsive actions allow children to focus on their learning and enjoyment and lead to a wonderfully harmonious environment. Staff are experts at recognising changes or triggers that may cause upset to children. They swiftly offer children focused activities and distractions, using bespoke resources, such as vibrating toys or spinning chairs. This precisely considered approach very successfully helps to calm children quickly, before they become upset or distressed. Every child, regardless of their individual starting points, is settled and secure in this setting. This is demonstrated through the exceptional and high-quality interactions they have with staff and with each other. Staff demonstrate superb role modelling and interactions to help those children who struggle to engage positively with their peers. This has a transformational impact on children's social skills, giving them the strongest possible foundation for their future lives and emotional wellbeing. Punctuality and attendance are consistent. Leaders and staff work closely with parents to be sure they understand the importance of their child attending the setting regularly. If there are times that children do not attend, leaders ensure that this is dealt with immediately and reported should there be any safeguarding concerns. Leaders work tirelessly to ensure all children receive the funding they are entitled to. Children's welfare and wellbeing Exceptional Leaders and staff make full use of their comprehensive knowledge of each child to promote their emotional and physical wellbeing. All staff are highly responsive to the very unique needs of each child and ensure well-structured routines are highly effective in supporting every child to feel safe, happy and secure. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face any barriers to their learning. Staff work in full partnership with parents to be sure that every child develops positive health and emotional wellbeing. Families are exceptionally well supported, and staff and leaders work tirelessly to include them in every aspect of their child's day. Verbal feedback and photos are shared each day to help keep parents informed of any changes in their child's learning or regarding their care needs. Leaders provide invaluable practical guidance to promote children's health and wellbeing, including support with oral hygiene, healthy eating and toilet training. Leaders go to tremendous lengths to share information about local health services and coordinate visits from health professionals as they work with parents to jointly support the children. They respond swiftly to wider family needs, such as by providing clothing, food bank access and seasonal essentials. This targeted, and sensitively provided, support significantly enhances children's wellbeing and helps to ensure that they are ready to learn. Children develop excellent physical coordination as they develop the skills to run, jump and ride bikes. They learn the vital skill of assessing and managing risks in their play as, with Strong standard support, they test out their own capabilities. All children are provided with 'puddle' suits to be sure they can access the outdoors in every weather. Children squeal with delight at the pouring rain and talk excitedly about how wet they are. All staff have a deep and secure understanding of the unique needs of every child in the setting. They manage children's emotions exceptionally well. Staff support every child to recognise when they are happy and when they are sad. They also help children to recognise, and to be confident to express, when they want to spend time away from the big room. All staff are highly skilled in helping children to understand that it is okay to feel overwhelmed and offer them tools to help build on their resilience, such as breathing exercises. Inclusion Exceptional Leaders and staff make a transformational impact on the enjoyment and learning of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who have barriers to their learning. This is grounded in a thorough understanding of the diverse and complex circumstances within the community and the knowledge staff have regarding children who attend this setting. Staff recognise and value every child as unique and ensure that their care and learning are precisely tailored to support their very individual needs. This is particularly effective for those children with SEND or who face any barriers to their learning. Staff who lead on coordinating the support for children with SEND are extremely well qualified, experienced and passionate about making a difference. Their expertise is very effectively disseminated throughout the staff team to help ensure all staff are skilled in supporting those with SEND. Staff are highly proactive in identifying and taking action to ensure that all children are fully included in the entire range of activities on offer, enabling them to engage and have fun with their peers. All staff have a fully comprehensive understanding of the graduated response and ensure that learning opportunities are shaped to reflect the needs of every child. Staff work extremely closely with parents. This results in referrals being made at the earliest opportunity to ensure that children receive any additional support they may require, in a timely manner. Additional funding is spent with great consideration to enhancing the care and learning of the children for whom it is allocated. For example, staff use their complete awareness of each child's needs to buy resources, such as fidget toys and spinning chairs. These very successfully help children to regulate their emotions and remain engaged in their play. Achievement Strong standard The fully inclusive practice ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from the high-quality learning experiences. Children eagerly take part in well-planned activities. They are confident to join in at their own pace and show pride when praised for their achievements. Children who were previously hesitant are now able to confidently make choices, contribute to activities, and communicate their needs using words, gestures, signs and visual supports. Children show enhanced levels of focus, concentration and involvement across a range of learning experiences. They successfully apply their skills and knowledge as they use brushes and paints to create their own designs. Some prefer the sensation of paint on their hands as they smear paint across paper. Children learn to use their imagination as they play with grass, sticks and flour, linking this to their favourite story. Children develop problem- solving and decision-making skills, and their independence and self-care are particularly secure. They confidently and safely use tools, such as knives and mashers when preparing snacks. Children demonstrate responsibility through tidying up and managing their own belongings. As a result, children show secure levels of attainment, making secure progress from their individual starting points, across all areas of learning. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have created a sequenced curriculum that, overall, promotes children's learning very well. This is adapted exceptionally well for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of children's individual starting points, unique range of educational needs and any other barriers they may face to their learning. The curriculum broadens children's experiences beyond those they may encounter at home. For example, children enjoy making their own smoothies, gardening, yoga, outdoor risk taking and the use of real tools and utensils. The curriculum prioritises communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development, to support all children. It is focused highly effectively on those children who have autism, limited speech and language and those unable to regulate their emotions. Staff implement the curriculum consistently demonstrating a sound knowledge that reflects how each child learns, particularly for those children with SEND. In small-group sessions, staff clearly identify intended learning, focusing on turn-taking, positional language, behavioural expectations and developing children's confidence to speak. Teaching is calm, purposeful and inclusive. Language is modelled precisely and extended through repetition. This enables hesitant children to engage and speak with increasing confidence. These 'nurture' groups provide a safe space to develop communication and social interaction skills. The curriculum for children with SEND is highly ambitious and precisely tailored. This is informed by thorough ongoing assessments and close collaboration between staff, and with external professionals. Embedded strategies and the targeted use of funding ensure children with complex needs make remarkable progress across the curriculum. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders have designed a sequenced curriculum and, overall, this is implemented across the setting to support all children to progress very well. The curriculum is particularly impressive for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities whose achievements are remarkable. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of children's individual starting points, unique range of educational needs and any other barriers they may face to their learning. Leaders are highly proactive, ambitious, reflective and committed to continuous improvement for all staff and children. They regularly monitor staff interactions with children, and the progress children make. They are prompt to identify any gaps in practice. From this, they plan effective training, targeted to enhance staff skills to help achieve the best impact on the outcomes for children. Regular supervision, team meetings, mentoring and training ensure that staff have high-quality support in their roles. Leaders highly value the staff team and ensure their wellbeing is given priority. Staff comment on how well supported they are in the setting and of the time given to complete everyday tasks, such as planning and assessments. Partnerships with parents are a key strength. Leaders and staff actively engage families through regular communication and shared learning opportunities. For example, parents are given ideas on how to support children's speech and behaviour at home. This highly effective partnership working ensures all children benefit from consistent support to enhance their ongoing learning. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are welcomed, nurtured and respected as unique individuals. Warm, trusting and highly consistent relationships with key persons help ensure that children feel safe, secure and develop a tremendous sense of belonging. Children settle quickly into the calm, inclusive environment where their views are genuinely valued. They demonstrate extremely high levels of enjoyment, curiosity and sustained engagement in their learning. Staff thoughtfully plan activities around children's interests, such as story-themed sensory play, role play and painting activities. Children confidently express their preferences, explore a wide range of resources and begin to articulate their ideas. Small 'nurture' groups very successfully help to build on children's interactions with their peers and language development. Staff consistently model and introduce new words with precision, which has a highly positive impact on children's speaking, listening and social development, leading to sustained progress over time. Children really enjoy listening to stories, singing songs, tasting new foods and exploring the natural environment. They are encouraged by staff to take appropriate risks. This successfully builds resilience, independence and a positive attitude to learning. Children manage personal care routines very well and with growing independence. They help prepare and serve snacks, pour drinks and tidy away resources. Children's behaviour across the provision is exemplary; this includes children with SEND. They are cooperative, respectful and highly motivated to learn. Attendance is monitored with rigour. Leaders meticulously analyse patterns and respond swiftly and sensitively to any absence or emerging concern. Leaders have highly effective partnership working processes in place. This ensures that families are supported through personalised plans, flexible approaches and work with other agencies where needed, to Inspectors: Maggie Bellamy Alexandra Brouder About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2747996 Address: Woodville Youth Centre Moira Road Woodville Swadlincote DE11 8DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises remove barriers. As a result, attendance is consistently high, and children benefit fully from leaders' rich curriculum. Disadvantaged children and those with SEND are expertly supported through precise strategies, visual aids and sensory resources, enabling transformational progress alongside their peers. Next steps Leaders should aim to raise the quality of the curriculum for all children even further to reflect the excellent educational programme offered to those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, parents and carers 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. The inspection started on 23 January 2026. An inspector returned on 13 May 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Registration date: 22/08/2023 Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 15:00 Local authority: Derbyshire Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 23 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 4 Total number of places 38 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. 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