Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Fenny Stratford

Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Fenny Stratford
Unique reference number (URN): EY549195
Address: Fenny Stratford, 11-13 Watling Street, Bletchley, MILTON KEYNES, MK2 2BU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 21/09/2017
Registers: EYR, CCR
Registered person: Ashbourne Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 2 July 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
Overall, children make typical developmental progress and are well prepared for the next
stage of their learning, including their transition to school. They are confident communicators
and increasingly express themselves verbally, clearly communicating their needs and
wishes to staff. However, at times, staff do not consistently implement agreed strategies to
support children further. In addition, younger children do not always receive the interactions
from staff needed to support their engagement and development.
Older children engage in activities for sustained periods and demonstrate good levels of
concentration. They manage age-appropriate tasks independently, including attending to
their personal care needs. Children show that they understand the need to share and wait
for their turn. They effectively problem solve together. For example, older children work
together and discuss how many more bricks they need to tilt their ramp and make the cars
roll down. Children show pride in their achievements and are confident to take on new
challenges.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff have created a welcoming environment that meets children's needs well.
They have reviewed different areas to support children's engagement and encourage
exploration. Staff are good role models and children behave well. Staff ensure that children
understand the expectations of the setting and adapt their approach when needed. For
example, for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children with
other barriers to their learning.
Staff take into account children's age and developmental stages, when planning daily
routines and make appropriate adaptations to meet children's individual needs. They
understand the importance of play for children and provide long periods of uninterrupted
playtime.
Staff are extremely kind and gentle and have positive and caring relationships with children.
Children seek them out when they need comfort or reassurance. Children have strong
relationships with their key person and are very happy in the setting. Information gathered
from parents ensures that staff know children well and can meet their needs. Children are
supported to work together at activities. For example, older children discuss together what
they are going to play and what resources they will need. Younger children play well
alongside each other with encouragement and support from staff. Managers promote
punctuality and attendance and ensure parents understand the importance of these to
support children's learning and wellbeing.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Staff know all children well, particularly their key children. They gather information from
parents and carers when children first start, enabling them to learn about each child's

individual needs and follow routines from home. This includes following babies sleep
routines. This approach helps children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Staff build
positive relationships with children, who clearly enjoy the interactions and comfort they
receive. This promotes children's emotional wellbeing effectively. This includes for children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their
learning.
Staff establish clear routines that children understand well and ensure that all children have
opportunities to develop their independence skills. For example, children manage their self-
care needs well, younger children use the tissue station when they need to wipe their noses.
At lunchtime, older children self-serve and all children, including the youngest, feed
themselves confidently and independently. Staff provide effective supervision, including
during mealtimes, which promotes children's personal safety. Children enjoy healthy snacks
and meals and have regular opportunities to play outdoors. During play, children learn to
share and take turns. Staff recognise children's individual needs and support children's
physical skills. For example, they have provided low level equipment for younger children to
pull themselves into standing positions and balancing beams for older children to develop
their skills. Staff support children to understand how to look after their teeth. Visits from local
dentists help children to understand about oral hygiene. Staff ensure information is provided
to parents and children on the importance of online safety
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have reviewed the curriculum with staff so that it provides children with a wide
range of learning experiences. Staff complete regular observations and assessments to
identify children's next steps in learning and development and use this information
effectively to support their progress. This includes for children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to their learning. At times, staff do not effectively
support younger children to engage and remain at activities to further their learning and
development. In addition, although strategies are used to support children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, this is not always consistent. At these times children
do not benefit from the support needed to provide consistency and development.
Mathematics is embedded well throughout the provision. Recent training completed by staff
has had a positive impact on activities provided for children. For example, older children are
highly engaged as they push cars along a track and then identify the numbers they have
landed on. Staff add dots to help children count to confirm the numbers. Communication and
language is effectively supported. Staff use age-appropriate language with children. They
encourage children to extend their sentences by adding an extra word. All children show a
love of reading as they gather on carpets and listen intently to the stories staff read.
Children enjoy exploring the resources and equipment available in the outdoor environment,
which supports their curiosity and learning. They develop new physical skills. For example,
babies pull themselves into standing positions and enjoy the praise from staff as they take a
few steps. Staff support children to understand what makes them unique as staff use words
from their home languages. This helps to promote a positive sense of self and an
understanding of diversity.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff are committed to their work with children and strive to ensure that all
children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who
face barriers to learning, have a positive start to their education. Regular observations and
assessments enable staff to identify gaps in children's learning and development and
recognise when additional support is required. This enables staff to make personalised
planning to support children to make consistent progress. Children's progress is monitored
carefully, and strategies used to support them are reviewed and adapted in response to their
changing needs. However, the implementation of these strategies is not yet fully embedded
and requires further development to ensure a consistently effective approach for all children.
Leaders understand the importance of establishing positive partnerships with parents,
carers and other professionals. This promotes a collaborative approach to addressing gaps
in children's learning and development. When staff identify areas where children require
additional support, they implement strategies such as now-and-next cards. However, the
use of these strategies is not always consistent across the setting, and further
implementation is needed to ensure that all children benefit from targeted support in a timely
and effective manner. However, staff know children well and build trusting relationships with
them and provide additional support and comfort when needed.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders now have effective oversight of the setting and the care provided for children. They
have implemented positive changes and accurately identify further areas for improvement
since the previous inspection. For example, leaders have provided training for staff on the
effective implementation of the curriculum. However, they recognise that further training and
development are required to ensure all staff consistently provide a broad range of activities
and experiences that enhance practice and improve outcomes for all children. Leaders
acknowledge that further support is needed to ensure that all children's individual needs are
met and that all staff understand how to effectively implement strategies to support children
further.
Staff receive appropriate support to further their professional development. For example,
staff have recently completed training to support children with their mathematical
development, this has had a positive impact on the planning of activities to support children
in this area. However, leaders recognise that at times, staff do not always effectively support
younger children's engagement in activities.
Leaders and staff work effectively with parents and other agencies to ensure that children
receive the support they need as quickly as possible. This includes for children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and for children who have other barriers to their
learning. Leaders have strengthened communication with parents and careers, enabling
parents and carers to receive up-to-date information about their child's progress and any
additional support that may be required. Parents speak positively about the changes that
have been made since the last inspection. They report that they are happy with their
children's progress and value the communication they receive from staff

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
Leaders have made significant changes since the previous inspection. They have put
support in place for staff to ensure the curriculum is understood and implemented effectively
to meet the needs of all children. Regular one to one meetings with staff identify training
needs and provide opportunities for staff to have the required support needed for them to
fulfil their roles. This includes understanding and implementing agreed strategies to support
children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who have other
barriers to their learning. Improved communication with parents ensures they are aware of
their child's progress and how they can support this at home. This has had a positive impact
on children's progress and parent partnerships.
Children arrive happy and excited for their day as they are greeted by friendly staff. Children
separate confidently from their parents and are keen to join their friends at activities.
Children have positive relationships with staff who know them well. Staff interactions
encourage children to remain at activities for extended periods of time. Staff provide suitable
challenges for children to extend their learning further. Older children work together to solve
problems. All children manage their self-care needs well for their age. Staff are respectful
towards children and encourage them to complete tasks independently. Staff celebrate
children's achievements which provide children with a sense of pride. Staff know children
well, this includes their likes and interests. Staff use this information to support children to
engage in activities. Staff adapt communication styles to meet children's individual needs.
For example, by using now and next boards to support children's transition between

Inspector:
Nicky Butler
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY549195
Address:
Fenny Stratford
11-13 Watling Street, Bletchley
MILTON KEYNES
MK2 2BU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 21/09/2017
Registered person: Ashbourne Day Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR
activities. Managers promote punctuality and attendance and ensure parents understand the
importance of these to support children's learning and wellbeing.
Next steps
Leaders must ensure that all children's individual needs are consistently met and that
strategies are implemented effectively.
Leaders must support staff to provide appropriate support to enhance children's
engagement, development and exploration opportunities.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinator and
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.

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Milton Keynes
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 2 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
60
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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