Dar Ul Madinah Sheffield

Dar Ul Madinah Sheffield
Unique reference number (URN): 2763856
Address: 69 Norwood Road, Sheffield, S5 7BP
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 15/01/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Dar Ul Madinah Sheffield Ltd
Inspection report: 10 March 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 are highly responsive to staff requests during familiar daily routines. Staff use visual
aids, such as sand timers and pictures depicting the daily routine, to help prepare children
for changes throughout the day. This includes children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND). This ensures seamless transitions for children, helping them feel
extremely secure.
Staff skilfully adapt parts of the daily routines. For example, they plan shorter 'carpet time'
and provide more visuals to support children as they develop their concentration and
listening skills and become familiar with staff's expectations. This is extremely helpful for
new children and those with SEND. Staff help children develop high levels of self-esteem
and confidence through their positive reinforcement. For example, children select which
stamp they would like for their desirable behaviour at carpet time and receive high levels of
praise for playing collaboratively. Leaders provide excellent initiatives to promote punctuality
and good attendance. For example, parents receive attendance certificates and staff provide
resources, such as positive behaviour charts.
Staff provide expansive opportunities for children to learn about and have great respect for
the diversity of the world and the people who live in it. For example, children partake in
wide-ranging celebrations and inspiring outings. For example, they visit an interactive
museum where they learn about the history of Britain's police, fire and ambulance services.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders have an in-depth understanding of the unique and sometimes complex needs of the
families who attend and of how to overcome barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing.
They work tirelessly, in excellent consultation with parents and other professionals, to
ensure inclusion for all children, which helps to develop their sense of belonging. Leaders
provide high levels of support and training for all staff to support children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff swiftly identify and secure far-reaching early
interventions to accelerate children's progress when they have developmental delays. They
signpost parents to wider services and training, provide home-learning resources and
regularly review comprehensive support plans with parents, for instance.
Staff use alternative developmental trackers for some children to make the next steps in
children's learning more attainable. This means that even the smallest, but hugely
significant, achievements can be celebrated. Staff provide highly targeted support during
one-to-one and small-group sessions. Where communication barriers exist, staff use
pictorial aids, such as those that help children to make choices and understand what
happens next during the daily routine. Leaders have a thorough understanding of their
responsibilities to use additional funding and to assess its impact on disadvantaged children,
should they have children in receipt of it in the future.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children typically progress well in their learning and development in readiness for their
future transitions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make
especially great progress during their time at the nursery, given their stage of development
on entry. However, there is scope for staff to support younger children in making greater
progress through better sequencing of the curriculum and more intensive interactions.
Children access outings that provide opportunities for them to develop their understanding
of the world around them and their imagination, social and mathematical skills. For example,
children engage with themed role-play areas that replicate everyday life and provide new
experiences. Children's communication skills are developing well. For example, they enjoy
engaging in stories, take books home, sing rhymes and join in with group conversations.
Older children are confident to stand up and sing familiar songs to their friends during group
activities. They chat together while engaging in activities that develop their physical skills,
such as when using play dough. Children who speak English as an additional language hear
words in their home language alongside English, which builds on their communication skills.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children typically develop secure attachments to staff, who gather important information to
settle children in. This helps children to develop a sense of security and be confident, happy
and ready to learn. However, younger children would benefit from greater support during
care routines. This includes, for example, providing equipment that is better aligned with
their developmental stage to support their independence skills.
Alongside staff's practice, children learn to recognise, express and manage their emotions,
and they self-regulate through displays and resources. For example, staff provide quiet,
calm and safe spaces for children to process overwhelming emotions and move from a state
of frustration or anxiety to calmness and focus. Where children become a little over-excited,
staff remind them of safe behaviours, such as using the slide correctly.
Children generally develop and learn about physical health and wellbeing. For example, a
dentist and outreach workers visit as part of a 'dental hygiene' coffee morning for parents,
and children brush their teeth and eat healthy snacks. Staff create displays and are enrolled
in an accreditation scheme linked to healthy lifestyles. However, staff do not consistently
reinforce the nursery's healthy eating policy with parents who provide packed lunches or use
mealtimes to discuss the nursery ethos with children. Older children manage their own
personal care needs well, in readiness for school.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders typically hold an accurate overview of the quality of teaching and the curriculum.
This encompasses different educational approaches and is designed to build on children's
experiences, interests and stage of development on entry and thereafter. This is informed by

staff's generally effective assessments and plans for children's next steps in learning. For
example, staff provide exciting new outings, such as to the farm or an allotment. Some
children use public transport for the first time. Leaders' comprehensive written plans reflect
adaptations to support children at different stages of learning. However, in practice, staff's
teaching, care practices and interactions do not consistently support the youngest children,
in particular, to the highest level. Staff's provision for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities is extremely effective.
Children develop vocabulary and communication within all areas and learn mathematical
concepts as they play. For example, staff count with younger children and weave in
mathematical language as they use utensils while exploring soil. Mathematical learning is
enriched for older children, for example through a trip to the supermarket. Staff use videos
to introduce new learning to children before other linked activities, which helps children
make connections. Children have ample opportunities to develop confidence in their
physical skills as they use the climbing dome and balance on tyres. Staff provide a wide
range of activities that require children to play cooperatively.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
The passionate leaders generally provide high-quality care and education. They typically
recognise the nursery's strengths and areas for development, including through audits, and
they make decisions that have children's best interests at heart. Development plans are
generally well targeted and ever-evolving, such as expanding resources and providing
further training to complement staff's childcare qualifications and support them in developing
their lead roles. Comprehensive peer-on-peer observations, for example, help to review and
support staff's practice. Key plans are for the nursery leader to spend more time directly in
the nursery, strengthen teaching consistency and oversee the implementation of
improvement plans.
Leaders have made substantial strides in their provision for children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities (SEND) since the last inspection. For example, the knowledge,
skills and practice of those designated to oversee this provision have increased twofold
through specific qualifications, further training and designated time out. All other staff have
completed targeted training in SEND and regularly participate in dedicated staff meetings to
review and strengthen SEND provision.
Everyone is involved in reflection and feedback. Leaders are mindful of managing staff
wellbeing and workload, for example, through regular supervision meetings, planning time
and surveys. Partnerships with parents and others provide a whole community approach to
children's care and education. Parents are typically well informed about and involved in
children's learning. For example, staff share ideas for supporting children's development and
getting them ready for school.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children demonstrate how safe and secure they feel as they arrive happily and confidently.
After a warm welcome from friendly staff, children immediately settle into familiar daily
routines and the variety of inviting nursery activities. Children eagerly seek out their friends
to play with. Before doing so, older children readily find their names to hang up their coats
and complete self-registration, developing their independence and early literacy skills.
Children demonstrate emotional wellbeing. They typically build secure attachments to staff,
all of whom know the children well through their collaborative approach.
Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this inclusive nursery, which typically helps them to
progress very well. Staff have high aspirations for all children. They provide meticulously
tailored support to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Consequently,
these children make particularly great strides in their progress from when they enter.
Children develop lifelong skills and knowledge, including those rooted in their Islamic faith.
This sets children up for future success when they start primary school, as does leaders'
thorough understanding of how to promote children's regular attendance. Children listen
attentively to staff and their peers and show high levels of focus and engagement during
group activities. Such activities promote their communication and social skills. For example,
children talk about the weather, recite rhyming Arabic prayers and confidently sing the
months of the Islamic calendar together.
Children demonstrate an excellent understanding of staff's expectations. They develop
exemplary social skills by observing staff model politeness, kindness, respect and tolerance.
Laughter fills the air as children have great fun working cooperatively to manoeuvre the see-
saw safely. Children race around together on wheeled toys, developing their gross motor
skills, balance, and coordination. Children develop confidence in their abilities as they learn
new skills that help them to develop great perseverance and important hand–eye
coordination and small-muscle strength. This includes, for instance, using scissors.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen the sequencing of the curriculum and teaching so that it
consistently aligns with younger children's stage of development to accelerate their
learning and development.
Leaders should strengthen staff's practice and partnership working with parents to
consistently reinforce messages to children about healthy lifestyles.

Inspector:
Rachel Ayo
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2763856
Address:
69 Norwood Road
Sheffield
S5 7BP
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 15/01/2024
Registered person: Dar Ul Madinah Sheffield Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 15:15
Local authority: Sheffield
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with one of the company directors, who is also the nominated individual
for the organisation. She spoke to the branch manager, nursery manager and practitioners,
including the special educational needs coordinator.
The inspector gained the views of 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.

This data is from 10 March 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
30
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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