URN 2805219 · Inspected 2026-06-11 · Published 2026-07-30 · Inspector: Harriet Povey
Dysart Nursery Limited Unique reference number (URN): 2805219 Address: 1 Dysart Avenue, Drayton, Portsmouth, PO6 2LY Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 09/08/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Dysart Nursery Limited Inspection report: 11 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 Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Children behave exceptionally well. They follow the rules and routines with ease. The routines are well established, and children know what is expected of them. Staff also provide 'now and next' boards so children can visually prepare for their day. Staff effectively gain children's attention and children follow instructions well. For example, staff put on music and children immediately start tidying up. All children, including babies, learn about their emotions and behaviours. Staff encourage children to have the best behaviour. For instance, they reinforce rules, which children follow consistently. Staff praise children constantly for their achievements, which makes them feel proud. Children show high levels of focus and attention, engaging in the activities on offer. They have positive attitudes towards their learning and enjoy their experiences. Staff have built warm and trusting relationships with the children and parents. They have a key-person system, which allows staff to know their children extremely well and manage their needs with ease. Children look to their adults for support and reassurance. Staff teach the children to be kind and respectful. For example, children learn to share, take turns and use their manners. Children play well together and invite others into their play. Leaders consistently take decisive, evidence-led action to anticipate, identify and tackle barriers to attendance. For example, they log all absences and look at trends. This helps to promote children's welfare, ensuring they are safe from harm, as well as preparing them for school. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. Leaders continuously review and adapt policies. They ensure their policies and procedures are robust to meet the ongoing changes in the setting. They have extensive knowledge of all the children, including those who have barriers to their learning. Leaders are very adaptable to meeting the ongoing changes that present themselves, for example, if a child receives a new medical diagnosis. Leaders model high expectations for promoting healthy habits. They continuously monitor the food provided for children, ensuring they have access to a nutritional diet. Staff introduce new healthy foods to the children regularly, such as beetroot. Children get regular access to outdoors and opportunities to be physically active. For example, they dance, climb and ride vehicles. Staff are very aware of the rise in obesity in the local area and continue to work hard to ensure children learn healthy habits. Children follow hygiene practices effectively. They learn the importance of keeping themselves clean, such as cleaning their hands and faces. Staff ensure children's personal needs are quickly and sufficiently met. Staff encourage older children to manage their own self-help skills. For example, they independently use the toilet and wash their hands. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders maintain a highly inclusive culture across the whole setting. Staff monitor each child's development thoroughly. This enables them to identify needs quickly and accurately. Leaders understand the importance of early help. They have built great partnerships with parents, specialists and other settings the children attend. They work closely with external agencies, such as medical professionals and services for young children. Staff acknowledge the advice and strategies given and use these regularly to support the children in their care. Children with barriers in their learning are developing extremely well. Leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Staff access relevant training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of specific needs. As a result, they can skilfully ensure the children thrive in their care. They make adaptations that are systematically and skilfully adjusted when needed. Children with SEND are happy and enjoy their experiences, which are making a significant impact on their development. Staff have high expectations for these children. They use funding provided to ensure these children can access resources appropriate for them to achieve in their learning. For example, leaders have purchased larger equipment and a sensory tent. Children are consistently meeting their small, achievable targets, which are constantly reviewed. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders give a detailed analysis on what they have been strengthening in the setting. They continue to develop the teaching of the curriculum, which is evident but needs more time to make it highly effective. Leaders continuously observe practice and support staff to make improvements. Leaders and governance work extremely well together. They identify, adapt and respond swiftly to changes to ensure excellence for all. Staff undergo regular training to improve their practice, knowledge and skills. For example, they attend training in signing, behaviour management and areas of safeguarding. Leaders plan bespoke training, working alongside their local authority. This has a positive impact on the provision and practitioners' practice. Leaders have regular meetings with staff, such as termly supervisions, yearly appraisals and mental health check-ins. This allows staff to feel supported, continue to develop and feel valued in the workplace. Leaders and staff have positive relationships with parents. The provision arranges events and meetings and gives regular feedback to parents. They work alongside each other to ensure that children thrive in their education. For example, they work together to provide next steps for children to encourage development at nursery and home. Parents are extremely happy with the care provided for their children. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children progress well in their development. Through ongoing assessment, staff identify if children need tailored support to meet their development milestones and prepare them for the next stage of their learning. Children have good independent skills, which are developed over time. For example, younger children access their own resources and activities, and older children show responsibility over their belongings. They can also manage their own self-care skills, such as dressing themselves. The children are happy, confident learners who understand their own wants and needs. The children's listening and attention skills are remarkable. For instance, they all join for a welcome session where they listen to their staff and peers. Children have good physical development skills. They are developing their gross motor skills and can move in a range of ways, including balancing and climbing. Younger children are strengthening their hands through manipulating different materials. Children in pre-school have good hand–eye coordination and can use one-handed tools. These activities prepare children for early writing. However, children could achieve even more in their learning and development by ensuring staff consistently expand on children's learning. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum, which allows for all children to achieve in the setting. The curriculum is well sequenced from babies up to pre-school. Staff ensure that children feel valued and have a sense of belonging. Staff work alongside parents to provide next steps for the children. They have good knowledge of where they are in their development and what they want the children to achieve. For example, children in the pre- school room are working on their self-help skills, spatial awareness and keeping themselves safe. This is in preparation for going to school. There is a strong focus on communication and language skills across the whole setting. Staff model language well, using repetition or correcting language when necessary. There are many opportunities for children to join in with singing, storytelling and conversations. Staff make the learning fun, which keeps the children focused and develops a love for learning. Staff know the children extremely well. They plan exciting activities that keep children engaged. They provide opportunities for the children to access their own learning. For instance, children build with construction toys alongside their peers. Staff also provide adult- led activities to enhance learning opportunities, such as making play dough. However, staff are not always sufficiently clear about what they want the children to learn through their planned activities. As a result, opportunities are missed to build on what children already know and can do. However, leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching in the setting. They have already put provisions in place to develop staff's teaching skills, which has started to have a positive effect on children's achievement. 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 What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive happily at the setting and excitedly join in with the activities on offer. They are welcomed by enthusiastic staff. Children instantly follow the routines of the setting. For example, they fully engage in their welcome session. Babies welcome each other and choose characters from the 'tap tap' box and sing the related nursery rhymes. Older children self-register and join in with a counting exercise. Children show great enjoyment and a sense of belonging. They show they feel happy, safe and secure in this setting. Children initiate their own play, welcome others to join them and play alongside each other. They use their imaginations to create storylines together. For example, children take care of baby dolls and play hairdressers. Children are kind, respectful and work together to achieve. They welcome staff into their play and have built formidable bonds with them. Children develop secure social skills. They learn about democracy and are taught about British values. For example, staff encourage children to voice their opinions and make choices, such as which book they would like to read. They show respect by listening to each other's views. Children are confident and independent and have a positive attitude towards their learning. They relish the opportunities on offer both inside and outside. Children happily go outside in all weathers to access the enabling environment, which covers all areas of development. For example, children have access to literacy and mathematics through making marks and shape recognition. Children are thriving in this provision. Inspector: Harriet Povey About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2805219 Address: 1 Dysart Avenue Drayton Portsmouth PO6 2LY Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 09/08/2024 Registered person: Dysart Nursery Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Portsmouth Facts and figures used on inspection Next steps Leaders should continue to work with staff so they are consistently clear about the purpose and learning focus of the activities, so that opportunities to build children's knowledge and understanding are maximised. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, 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. This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 11 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 42 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? 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