Shaftesbury Children Centre Nursery

Shaftesbury Children Centre Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2535359
Address: Wincombe Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8PZ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 19/06/2019
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Dorset Council
Inspection report: 22 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
Children make progress across all areas of development, giving them the skills and
knowledge they need to be well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school.
All children, including those who face barriers to learning, achieve well from their starting
points and receive appropriate support to help them reach age-related developmental goals.
Children develop a wide range of skills and show confidence in exploring and leading their
own play. They immerse themselves in the activities available and extend their knowledge
through meaningful conversations with both peers and adults. For instance, children explore
the water table and use this as an opportunity to use fine motor skills, while engaging in
conversations about upcoming events. Children persevere at tasks and show positive
attitudes to attempting new skills. Babies are supported to engage with physical resources
such as bikes, in an age- and stage-appropriate way.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
In this setting, children build warm and trusting relationships with all staff, including key
people. Key people know their children well. Therefore, they are able to ensure that the
environment supports children's development and wellbeing. Leaders and staff set high
expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. They take an inclusive
approach to behaviour, ensuring that all children's individual needs are considered and
accommodated for. Staff ensure that children take part in all aspects of the nursery day.
Routines are clear and most children follow these without needing additional support from
adults. Staff praise children when appropriate, to reinforce positive behaviour.
Children are supported to get along with each other, engage in play and to resolve any
conflicts. Staff support children to understand a range of feelings and the importance of
treating others with kindness and respect. This is evident during group times as staff support
children to focus on understanding emotions. Staff have the knowledge to explicitly teach
emotional regulation and support children using sensory resources when they need it.
The setting's approach to attendance is clear, and parents and carers show they understand
their responsibilities. Leaders show they can identify patterns of poor attendance and
engage with professionals and parents to ensure that attendance is a priority. Parents share
that they have positive relationships with staff and can freely share any concerns they may
have.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders establish policies and procedures that supports children's welfare, mental health
and wellbeing. The key-person system is effective, with an emphasis on staff knowing the
children well. Leaders and staff have created a welcoming space where children enjoy play,
learning and outdoor activities. Staff are attentive to the children's needs and support all

children, particularly the younger ones with a nurturing approach, ensuring approaches from
home are considered.
There are clear routines in place to support children to manage their own hygiene needs.
For instance, children in the pre-school room independently access the sinks to wash their
hands without prompts.
Staff teach children about making healthy choices with food and exercise. This is promoted
during shared lunches where children are encouraged to engage in conversation, a 'mini-
athletics' programme, and a focus on movement throughout play time. Staff support children
to understand when they need to rest through the day and give ample opportunities for this
to take place. Leaders ensure that food offered at the setting provides a variety of nutrients,
considering any children who may have allergies or dietary requirements.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of their curriculum, including of some
areas that require development. However, a stronger focus on the specific areas of the early
years foundation stage for babies would strengthen children's foundational skills. The
curriculum is deliberately designed so that leaders and staff know exactly what they want
children to learn and the sequence of skills is carefully considered. This ensures children
secure foundational knowledge before progressing to more advanced learning. Leaders
ensure that all children can access the curriculum equally, including children who attend part
time, who attend more than one setting, disadvantaged pupils, those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and children previously known to or currently known to
social care. This inclusive approach is evident in daily circle times, where learning from
earlier in the week is revisited to strengthen understanding and retention.
Leaders ensure that the curriculum is taught well and that routine assessment takes place.
Staff are supported by leaders to deliver this effectively. Staff place a strong focus on babies'
personal, social and emotional development, ensuring they feel secure, happy and well
supported. This is evident both in the curriculum and staff's nurturing approaches. Leaders
should ensure that staff deployment supports a continuous focus on learning and
development, ensuring that all staff are engaging in meaningful interactions during play time.
Parents feel confident that their children are well cared for, and their early milestones are
recognised and celebrated, promoting children's personal wellbeing and development.
Physical development is also prioritised in the setting, with regular opportunities for babies
and children to move and use their bodies throughout the day, this is further enhanced by
additional commissioned services such as mini athletics.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders can identify children's needs quickly and take a gradual approach to supporting
children's development. Staff recognise the importance of observation and assessment in
identifying children's needs. Leaders and staff are confident in identifying children's needs
early, and specialist agencies are consulted to support children's development and the
wellbeing of children and their families. Leaders have a secure understanding of children's
progress and use funding to make a positive impact on children's outcomes and
experiences.

Leaders have the knowledge and skills to make a positive difference for children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children with SEND and those who speak
English as an additional language are provided with additional support, such as wobble
cushions and visuals, to ensure they can access all activities on offer. Leaders recognise
when some children would benefit from further opportunities to embed skills before
transitioning into the next room, ensuring that the room best fits the children's needs.
Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure a collaborative approach.
Leaders and staff are proactive in providing support and signposting families to agencies
and professionals. Leaders' collaborative working with the Best Start Family Hub supports
families to access the support they need in a timely manner.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have good oversight of this setting, including its strengths and areas for
improvement. They hold high ambitions for children and make purposeful changes to
enhance the support children receive. There is clear evidence of relevant and appropriate
professional learning, with a culture that encourages staff to be proactive in their own
professional development. All staff are expected to share knowledge gained from training to
strengthen the team's knowledge about relevant topics that will help support the children
and parents and carers. Regular supervision meetings are used to provide a space where
staff can explain any concerns they have, discuss key children with a focus on safeguarding
and development and to explore individual training needs.
Leaders engage with professionals, parents and carers in a way which supports children's
wellbeing and care. There is a focus on collaborative working, considering children's
routines at home to support them to settle well into the setting. Leaders emphasise the
importance of partnership working when children transition to other settings. They ensure
that children have opportunities to become familiar with the adults in the new setting and
any important information is shared. This approach aims to give children a positive start at
their new setting. Leaders' oversight of this setting means that staff, children and their
families are adequately supported.
There is an emphasis on partnership working with parents to support children to develop
well at this setting. Parents explain that they are confident in who to speak to if they have a
concern and they feel that the setting supports the whole family.

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
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy and enjoy their time at this setting. The children are keen to involve
themselves in the range of activities that staff plan for them including sensory play which
was available in all rooms. Each activity has been adapted to meet the needs of the children
attending, considering ages and stages of development. There is a broad and varied
curriculum that considers individual needs as well as long-term goals and themes. Some
staff would benefit from additional support to engage babies in meaningful learning
opportunities. All children, including those who face barriers to learning or with special

Inspector:
Emily Hudson
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2535359
educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress during their time and are well prepared
for school.
Children behave well and listen to instructions from adults. Children are kind to one another,
and this is reinforced through interactions between adults and children. Children enjoy the
surroundings and have warm relationships with members of staff. Children engage well in
play and develop relationships with their peers. Staff know the children well and support
them effectively to develop well.
Leaders maintain a good oversight of safeguarding and ensure there is a culture of 'it could
happen here'. Staff are confident in their responsibilities of identifying and reporting
concerns and the actions that should follow these.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen staff practice so that children are consistently supported to
access the environment around them and engage in learning opportunities, particularly
during transition periods.
Leaders should enhance the support for staff so that they understand how to make better
use of their interactions to extend children's enjoyment and learning.
Leaders should strengthen the curriculum for babies so that it builds on the skills they
already have and focuses precisely on what they need to learn next.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and staff during
the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provisions 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.

Address:
Wincombe Lane
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8PZ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 19/06/2019
Registered person: Dorset Council
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 18:00,Friday : 08:00 -
16:00
Local authority: Dorset
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 22 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
51
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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