URN 2750338 · Inspected 2026-01-27 · Published 2026-04-15 · Inspector: Sarah Stephens
Apple Blossom Pre-school and daycare Unique reference number (URN): 2750338 Address: Braughing Community Centre, Green Lane, Ware, SG11 2QL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 05/09/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Apple Blossom Childcare (ABC) Limited Inspection report: 27 January 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 Expected standard Inclusion Strong standard Leaders have highly effective systems in place to swiftly identify and assess children's specific needs. They ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children, and their families receive the support they need. Leaders are acutely aware of the importance of regular attendance and work exceptionally hard to ensure that children access their early education. They use additional funding proficiently, offering extra sessions in the holidays and helping with transport to get to nursery. This has a positive impact on children's learning and welfare. Leaders work efficiently with a wide range of professionals and external agencies to shape and assist children's experiences and enable them to reach their full potential. Together, they formulate personalised plans that are specifically tailored to each child's ability and share these with parents to provide a consistent approach. Leaders closely monitor children's progress, alongside other professionals, to ensure that the support they are providing is effective. As a result, children's gaps in learning quickly close. Leaders and staff are highly reflective and recognise where they need to develop their knowledge further. They access relevant training that is appropriate to the needs of the children to help them achieve their best possible outcomes, for example training to support children who speak English as an additional language and a therapeutic workshop. Achievement Expected standard Typically, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children, make progress in their learning from when they first start. Any barriers in their learning, such as speech and language delays, are reduced so that children make the progress they need to be ready for their next stage in learning, including their move to school. As they arrive, children independently take off their coats and hang up their bags, and they pour their drinks with confidence at snack time. Children have positive attitudes to their learning and involve staff in their play. They talk with staff about their experiences outside the setting, including likes and dislikes in food. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and attitudes to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children. Overall, children interact well together and form positive relationships with their peers and staff. They are learning how to manage their own behaviour. Staff use 'emotion cards' to enable children to talk about their feelings and express themselves. They encourage them to think about their breathing when children are exhibiting any heightened emotions to help them learn how to calm themselves. Staff are positive role models and teach children important skills they need for their future learning. They remind them about behaviour expectations, including sharing and saying 'yes please'. They give positive praise and encouragement to build their confidence and self-esteem. Leaders and staff promote regular attendance and understand the importance of working with families to ensure that all children, including disadvantaged children, have consistent access to their full entitlement. Staff are kind and caring and give children extra comfort and support to help them settle into nursery. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard The key-person system works well. Children form secure attachments with staff, which supports their emotional wellbeing. Staff talk to parents when children arrive about how their children have slept and how they are feeling so they are able to sensitively respond to children's individual needs. Leaders and staff understand the importance of a healthy diet and good oral health. They talk to parents about appropriate food and drink to help ensure that packed lunches are healthy. Staff encourage children to wash their hands before eating to embed positive hygiene routines. They provide healthy options at snack time, such as fruit, milk or water. Leaders have policies in place that support children's welfare and wellbeing. However, sometimes, when procedures have been modified, parents would like to know more about why the changes have been made to aid a consistent approach in meeting their children's emotional needs. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about maintaining healthy lifestyles through physical activities, such as yoga. Together, they stretch up high and down low to the music. Staff give children choices about what exercise they would like to do next to help them learn that their views are of value and important. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders design their curriculum to build on what children know and can do, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children. They review their curriculum regularly to consider what has worked well and what they need to improve. For example, when children are struggling to manage their emotions, staff plan activities that children enjoy to sustain their attention. Staff meet with parents when children first start to enable them to understand children's needs and abilities. They complete frequent assessments of children's development and involve parents in the process. Staff ask parents to bring in photos from home to build children's confidence talking to others in social situations. Staff engage children in conversations during activities, asking them questions and extending their communication and language skills. During a mark-making activity, they talk about numbers and how to pair different items together, which supports children's mathematical development. Children remain attentive, painting and creating patterns using the materials on offer. Staff carefully listen to children when they are talking to help clarify their thinking and adapt their teaching, where needed. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of child development, and generally, staff deliver the curriculum intent well. However, at times, staff do not seize opportunities to extend children's knowledge through everyday activities, for example helping children learn how to initiate play with their friends and join in with their games to build their social skills further. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have a secure understanding of the setting's context, strengths and areas to develop. Leaders and staff work well as a team, particularly with regard to providing an inclusive provision. They recognise the changing needs of the community and the demand for childcare places for younger children, which is new to them. Therefore, leaders and staff have undertaken relevant training in relation to babies and safer sleeping to ensure that they have current knowledge about the younger age range. They work closely with the local school and other professionals, such as the local authority, to drive improvements and keep abreast of all the changes. Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders, particularly when undertaking qualifications. Staff have regular supervision and discuss their wellbeing and strengths and set actions to develop their skills. Leaders reduce barriers to learning by using additional funding efficiently to support children's best interests and help any gaps in development swiftly close. For example, they purchase games that children can use at home to promote sharing and taking turns. Leaders are thoughtful and engage positively with parents, particularly of disadvantaged children, to ensure that children receive their full entitlement. However, occasionally, when leaders have made changes to procedures, the reasons are not fully understood by parents. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children are happy and enjoy their time at the setting. They form positive relationships with staff, who offer them support where needed. Children quickly separate from their parents and settle into their day. Children confidently explore their surroundings and engage staff in their play. They use their imagination well in the role-play area, such as 'ironing' and talking about their experiences at home. Children sustain their attention with the assistance of skilled staff. They thoroughly enjoy outdoor games, such as 'What's the time, Mr Wolf?' They take turns and excitedly say the time and count out the steps. This contributes to their mathematical development. Children shout, 'It's dinner time!', and chase each other, laughing and having fun. They develop their hand-eye coordination well as they thread pasta onto pipe cleaners to make bracelets. Children are very proud of their achievements and happily show staff what they have made. Children listen to stories and join in with Inspector: Sarah Stephens About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2750338 Address: Braughing Community Centre Green Lane Ware SG11 2QL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises nursery rhymes to build their vocabulary and language skills. Although, at times, staff do not use their interactions to extend children's learning even further. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children, make progress from their starting points that is appropriate for their age and stage of development. Personalised plans to develop children's speech and language are highly effective, and they quickly build the skills they need to be able to communicate with their peers and staff. As a result, the support plans are no longer needed. Children who speak English as an additional language are fully prepared for their next stage in learning, including their move to school. Next steps Leaders should ensure that staff extend and develop children's learning even further through everyday activities. Leaders should make sure that when policies and procedures change, parents fully understand why these modifications have been made. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders and practitioners 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. Registration date: 05/09/2023 Registered person: Apple Blossom Childcare (ABC) Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00,Tuesday : 08:00 - 13:00 Local authority: Hertfordshire Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 27 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 24 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. 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