Benjamin Rabbit Nursery

Benjamin Rabbit Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): EY477957
Address: 18 New Road Avenue, Chatham, ME4 6BA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 22/07/2014
Registers: EYR
Registered person: YMCW Nursery Limited
Inspection report: 15 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
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those
facing barriers and challenges to their learning, develop the necessary skills and knowledge
to be ready for their next learning stage successfully. For example, children who were non
verbal when they started are now able to communicate using sounds. Other children who
found it challenging to settle at first have now made friends, developing strong bonds with
staff.
Older children independently explore the environment, making choices about what they
want to do and play with, supporting their confidence. Children progress through the
curriculum effectively. For example, babies learn to crawl and balance. Younger children
develop their language skills by joining in with rhymes and songs. Older children learn to
recognise and write their names. These skills help children to be ready to transition to
school successfully.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff have commonly understood expectations for children. However, at times,
staff do things for children that they could attempt themselves. This means staff do not
always consistently provide opportunities for children to develop their independence skills
further.
Staff encourage children's positive behaviour. Where needed, staff remind children of the
rules of the setting and encourage children to play cooperatively together, praising children
when they do. Children in the main, treat each other with kindness and care. Staff are good
role models supporting children to use good manners and be polite. As such, children begin
to develop positive attitudes to each other and staff.
Leaders promote attendance and punctuality, working closely with families to embed
routines at home in readiness for starting school. They work in partnership with other
professionals to seek advice and guidance where further support is needed. For example,
babies are provided with resources to help them become confident movers. Younger
children are provided with support to help them communicate and learn new vocabulary.
Older children learn about sustainability and looking after the world. This helps to ensure all
children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing
barriers to their development, are equipped with the skills they need for the future effectively.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff create safe and welcoming environments for children and their families.
They praise and encourage children, developing their self-esteem. For example, babies high
five staff when they achieve something for the first time, and beam with smiles. Younger
children cuddle their friends when they are upset. Older children respond well to requests
from staff. This helps children develop secure attachments and positive wellbeing. However,

at times, staff do not routinely explain to children the impact of their actions or behaviour to
support children's understanding further and to help them develop their social skills even
more.
Leaders and staff prioritise outdoor learning. For example, babies and younger children
regularly go for walks within the local community to broaden their experiences. Older
children are excited to go to forest school, where they learn to make camp fires safely.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing challenges and
barriers to their learning are supported to understand what is happening next. This helps
develop children's wider understanding successfully.
Leaders and staff work closely with families to support children's individual routines. Babies'
feeding and sleeping routines are supported well to ensure they settle. Other children are
offered flexible sessions to help them feel included and to meet individual needs effectively.
This promotes children's welfare and wellbeing successfully.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a very accurate awareness of the quality of teaching. They have effective
action plans in place to bring about improvements. However, they recognise they still have
work to do in ensuring staff have the confidence to identify how to extend activities to
support children's learning further. At times, staff do not always challenge children's thinking
to support their development most effectively.
Staff plan a curriculum which prioritises children's communication and physical skills. Babies
cuddle up to staff to share stories, developing a love of books. Younger children learn to ride
bikes and use cutlery with skill. Older children excitedly join in with activities supporting their
letter sound recognition. These activities support children's development effectively.
Staff use assessment information to tailor their teaching to meet children's individual needs.
Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing
barriers to learning by providing them with opportunities based on their individual interests
and next steps. For example, babies enjoy learning to identify different colours when sorting
shapes. Younger children sustain concentration when counting with staff. Older children
explore favourite cars and trucks with staff, learning about different sizes. Staff support
children's mathematical understanding successfully.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff ensure all children and families are welcomed and valued. At times,
however, staff do not always deploy themselves most effectively to ensure all children are
included and engaged consistently in their play and learning. This means that at times,
some children are not as focussed as they could be.
Staff identify children's needs quickly. They work closely with parents when children start to
help them settle. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing
barriers and challenges to their development have individual plans in place to ensure gaps
in learning are bridged. Leaders monitor and review support and make adaptations where
required. Staff access specialist training and advice to further their own understanding in

meeting children's specific needs. For example, staff use sign language and communication
resources to help children understand what is expected.
Leaders use additional funding effectively to develop sensory spaces where children can be
supported to manage their own feelings and emotions successfully if they become
dysregulated. Staff purchase specialist equipment to ensure children have access to all
areas of the curriculum, supporting their ongoing development. This ensures all children
make positive progress from their starting points.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a very secure understanding of the settings strengths and areas of further
focus. They have already made positive strides in enhancing provision but identify where
further improvements need to be made to ensure consistency of practice. Leaders have
reviewed and enhanced their procedures for raising concerns about children and adults and
now have clear and robust procedures in place. Staff benefit from opportunities to share
their strengths and skills with colleagues from their neighbouring setting which supports their
ongoing development.
Leaders ensure staff have access to a wide range of specialist training, support and advice
to develop their knowledge and skills. They encourage staff to take on additional
qualifications and to pursue professional development opportunities to continue to raise the
quality of practice further. They provide staff with regular supervision opportunities to
prioritise staffs' wellbeing and workloads.
Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children with special
educational needs and/or barriers and challenges to learning and development are suitably
supported. They regularly review the use of additional funding to support children's
individual needs to ensure it is used effectively to help children make positive progress.
Leaders are committed to ensuring they continue to offer high-quality care and education to
all children and families and have ambitious plans for the future.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are welcomed and safe at this unique setting. Leaders and staff know their children
and families well. They provide an inviting environment for children to learn and grow. For
example, babies enjoy exploring shapes with staff who show warmth and interest in what
they do. Younger children concentrate and persevere when sorting coloured bears, learning

to count. Older children are encouraged to use their imagination and problem-solving skills
when taking turns to make models with tubes. Staff encourage children to have positive
attitudes to learning and help them to develop relationships successfully.
Children are provided with an interesting and exciting curriculum. Staff plan activities and
experiences ensuring children have the necessary skills ready for their next step in learning.
For example, babies spend time exploring paint and water, supporting their sensory
development. Younger children set up a tea party for their friends, sharing out plates and
cups together. Older children enjoy their visits to forest school, spending time in nature and
learning about the world around them.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those facing barriers and
challenges to their learning and development, are supported to make positive progress from
their starting points. Staff access a wide range of training and support to help them manage
children's specific needs and to further their own knowledge and skills. Staff use funding
effectively to purchase additional toys and resources based on children's needs and
interests. Children are provided with safe and cosy spaces to support them if they need
quiet and calm time. This helps support children's emotional well-being positively.
Children demonstrate that they feel welcomed and belong. Leaders and staff work closely
with parents to embed routines. For example, families are supported to manage transition to
school effectively by attending regularly. As such, children are eager to attend and are ready
for the next stage in their learning.
Next steps
Leaders should support staffs' confidence to identify how and when they can extend
activities to further children's learning.
Leaders should encourage staff to support children's developing independence skills
more consistently.
Leaders should help staff to explain to children the impact of their actions and behaviour
to support children's understanding further.
Leaders should support room leaders to ensure staff are deployed most effectively to
support children's full engagement.
About this inspection
The inspectors spoke with managers, deputies, leaders, practitioners 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.
We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we

Inspector:
Victoria Salisbury
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY477957
Address:
18 New Road Avenue
Chatham
ME4 6BA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 22/07/2014
Registered person: YMCW Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30
Local authority: Medway
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 15 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information
about this.

84
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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