URN 2859760 · Inspected 2026-06-30 · Published 2026-08-03 · Inspector: Rachael Barrett
Willow Grove Childcare Unique reference number (URN): 2859760 Address: Shaw Wood Academy, Mere Lane, Armthorpe, Doncaster, DN3 2DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/09/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Willow Grove Childcare Limited Inspection report: 30 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. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children are happy, confident, and thriving within the setting. Children approach their learning with enthusiasm and curiosity, showing confidence as they explore the range of resources and activities available to them. Children demonstrate that they are emotionally secure. They develop positive relationships and friendships with peers and show growing independence in self-care. They confidently wash their hands before handling and preparing fruit and demonstrate a clear understanding of hygiene expectations. Children are developing their physical skills. Babies are crawling and walking confidently. Younger children show good coordination and control as they play outside and navigate the equipment. Older children take pride in their achievements, eagerly sharing their creations with adults and engaging positively with their peers. Older children apply mathematical language within play and conversation, using terms such as "more" and "lots" to describe quantities and sizes. During mealtimes, they demonstrate aspiring personal, social, and communication skills by engaging in meaningful discussions, recalling past events, and talking about important people in their lives. They eat with increasing independence, manage routines confidently, and show developing self-help skills that prepare them well for future learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children demonstrate positive behaviour and a good understanding of routines throughout the day. They engage in conversations with adults and peers and show respect for others by listening and taking turns in discussions. Staff encourage children to share, take turns and develop social skills through gentle reminders and consistent modelling. Clear daily routines are in place and children are confident in following these, which supports their sense of security and helps them settle quickly into activities and transitions to the different areas of the routine. Older children demonstrate strong self-care skills by independently clearing plates and washing their hands, showing a secure understanding of daily routines and expectations. Children show eagerness to explore the environment and engage positively with the wide range of available activities. Secure attachments between children and staff underpin behaviour management and contribute to children feeling safe, secure and ready to learn. Relationships between children and adults are warm and respectful, contributing to a calm and positive atmosphere. Leaders and staff work effectively with other agencies when required to support children and families, ensuring a joined-up approach to meeting individual needs and promoting positive outcomes. Attendance is promoted effectively, and staff follow clear procedures to monitor and support children's regular attendance. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Children are supported effectively through warm, nurturing relationships. There is a shared focus on meeting individual needs to a high standard. Staff generally tailor their support, providing reassurance and encouragement that helps children develop confidence, resilience, and emotional security. They promote healthy balanced diets by encouraging children to try new foods and fruits to keep their bodies happy and healthy. Staff recognise children's achievements through praise, which strengthens self-esteem and encourages children to take pride in their accomplishments. Staff promote children's physical development well through a range of opportunities that encourage movement, coordination, and independence. Children also receive support to recognise, understand, and manage their emotions, helping them develop positive relationships and emotional resilience. Babies receive attentive care that meets their individual personal needs appropriately, helping them feel safe and valued. Safer sleeping procedures are in place, and staff work closely with families to ensure continuity in care and consistency in children's routines. Lunchtime routines are generally organised well, with staff interacting positively with children and encouraging independence through self-serving. However, practice is not yet consistent across all groups. At times, resources are not prepared in advance, which results in children waiting unnecessarily. This means that children do not always benefit from purposeful routines that maximise opportunities for independence, communication and positive social interactions. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Staff have worked hard to create and implement a sequenced curriculum for all children. Leaders have provided support and training for staff but recognise that further guidance is required to embed the curriculum securely and consistently. However, staff generally understand what they want children to learn and how they should teach this effectively. For example, during reading experiences, children are thoroughly engaged in stories. Staff ask purposeful questions and encourage children to join in with repeated phrases and sounds, helping to bring stories to life. This supports children's developing reading and comprehension skills well. Children are beginning to learn and recognise letter sounds; for example, they recognise the letter 'm' and suggest words that begin with this sound during group time. Staff use assessment effectively to support planning and identify how to meet the needs of individual children. They set clear targets and provide appropriate support to help children make progress. Staff adapt learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that all children can participate fully and make steady progress across the curriculum. Children demonstrate imagination and creativity during role play and show enthusiasm when exploring new experiences. Staff model kindness and encouragement, supporting children to celebrate each other's achievements and talk about their emotions. As a result, children develop positive relationships, feel emotionally secure and build effective social skills. Babies receive sensitive support to explore and investigate using their senses. They confidently engage with treasure baskets, mark making and sensory play experiences, which support the development of physical skills, curiosity and early communication. Across the setting, children participate in well-planned small-group activities that focus on key curriculum intentions, including listening, attention, communication and physical development. Inclusion Expected standard The setting creates a highly inclusive environment where every child is valued, supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential. Children make progress through targeted interventions and adaptable teaching approaches. They benefit from secure relationships with their key workers, helping them feel safe, valued, and confident to participate in learning. Staff regularly reflect on children's individual needs and make reasonable adjustments to activities and experiences to ensure children can access learning successfully. Enhanced support is provided where required, and gaps in development are identified quickly. Support plans are implemented to help overcome barriers to learning and promote progress. Staff demonstrate a true commitment to inclusion and provide effective support for children with special education needs an/or disabilities (SEND). Key persons know children well and sensitively engage in their preferred play spaces following children's interests to promote engagement and learning. Staff use strategies such as slower speech, simplified language, gestures, role modelling, eye contact, and positioning themselves at children's level to support communication and understanding. For example, staff effectively use books and visual prompts, such as pointing to illustrations and body parts, to develop children's vocabulary and comprehension. Leaders of SEND demonstrate secure knowledge, and they work closely with the Local Authority and other professionals to secure timely support and guidance for children and families. Effective communication and partnership working contribute positively to children's development and wellbeing. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning and regularly discuss progress with staff strengthening continuity between home and the setting. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders demonstrate a passionate commitment to continuous improvement. They regularly review practice with external professionals to evaluate the impact of provision on children's care, learning, and development. Leaders have a clear understanding of the curriculum and the purpose of adult-led experiences, ensuring that small-group activities are purposeful, engaging and focused. They prioritise the development of key skills, such as communication, listening and attention, and use mixed-age learning opportunities effectively to encourage peer learning and support. Staff report high levels of job satisfaction and feel valued, supported and encouraged in their professional development. Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing by managing workloads effectively and promoting a positive work-life balance. This contributes to a motivated team who take pride in supporting children and families within the community. Additional funding is used effectively to enhance language and communication opportunities, while ongoing professional development continues to strengthen staff knowledge and practice. Leaders have taken effective action following a recent incident, ensuring that staff deployment and supervision during transitions continue to be effective in maintaining children's safety and continuity of care. Staff benefit from regular, purposeful supervision sessions that encourage reflection and support their individual development. They respond positively to feedback and demonstrate a willingness to continually improve their practice. Leaders actively promote professional development and ensure staff have access to relevant training opportunities. Effective partnerships with parents contribute positively to the setting. Parents speak highly of the staff team, value the support their children receive and feel well informed about their child's care and learning. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children experience a highly stimulating and nurturing environment where they explore the environment with curiosity, confidence, and enthusiasm. They arrive happily and quickly engage with their peers, choosing from a wide range of indoor and outdoor experiences. This flexibility promotes independence and enables children to follow their own interests, supporting their motivation and engagement in learning. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They approach activities with enthusiasm, cooperate with others, take turns and share resources. These experiences support their social development by helping them build friendships, negotiate and develop respect for others. Staff consistently praise children's efforts and value their ideas, which strengthens children's confidence, self-esteem and willingness to contribute. Children also show a strong understanding of daily routines. They independently wash their hands before joining activities, demonstrating growing responsibility and awareness of healthy practices. This contributes positively to their personal development and independence. From the outset, children form strong and trusting attachments with their key workers, helping them to settle quickly and develop a strong sense of belonging. Parents and families are warmly welcomed into the setting, and positive relationships between staff and families support children's emotional wellbeing and continuity of care. Throughout the day, children delight in joining in with songs and rhymes and frequently encourage staff to sing alongside them, creating joyful shared experiences that support communication and language development. A strong love of reading is evident across the Inspector: Rachael Barrett About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2859760 Address: Shaw Wood Academy Mere Lane, Armthorpe setting. Children regularly choose books independently and enjoy sharing stories with staff, demonstrating pleasure and engagement during these interactions. Opportunities for mark making are thoughtfully provided both indoors and outdoors, encouraging children to express themselves creatively and develop early writing skills through meaningful play experiences. Children actively participate in both adult-led and child-initiated activities. They enjoy being creative with a range of tools and materials. Open access to resources allows children to make choices about their play. They think critically about what they want to achieve and develop persistence as they test ideas and adapt their approaches. These opportunities strengthen their thinking and problem-solving skills and foster individual creativity. Staff build on children's interests by introducing new ideas and extending conversations. Next steps Leaders should further enhance lunchtime routines to ensure consistent organisation across all groups of children, to reduce waiting times and promote engagement and independence. Leaders should continue to support to staff to embed the newly implemented curriculum to develop staff confidence and consistency. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, 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 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. Doncaster DN3 2DG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 18/09/2025 Registered person: Willow Grove Childcare Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Doncaster Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 30 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 3 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. 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. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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