Carousel Day Nursery

Carousel Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2815756
Address: Rear of 10 Bridge Street, Deeping St. James, Peterborough, PE6 8HA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 04/12/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Carousel Nursery Limited
Inspection report: 8 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.

Strong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders have embedded policies and procedures that not only support children to do the
right thing at nursery, but also develop attributes that will help them become respectful and
responsible citizens of the community. This includes policies on children's regular
attendance and participation. Staff take older children on litter-picking outings, helping
children to understand what they can do to look after the world around them. They organise
visits to community groups where children can practise using their positive social skills to
interact with older generations. Children know the rules of the nursery and can explain what
these are and why it is important to follow them. Staff involve children in the creation and
design of their outdoor environment, which results in children taking ownership and showing
care because of their personal investment.
Children from a young age show kindness. Older babies ask, 'Can I help you?' as they pass
resources across the table to a friend. Leaders encourage staff and children to take part in
charity work so that children can learn how they can help others less fortunate. There is a
big focus at the nursery on teaching children about the things that make people unique and
different. Through this, staff teach children about acceptance, tolerance and respect. These
are desirable characteristics that help to shape children's attitudes towards others and their
positive behaviours. Staff provided activities that they know children will enjoy and that will
support their overall learning and development. Children show focused engagement,
including those who require additional support to sustain their involvement in learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders adopt a flexible approach in helping children transition into the nursery when they
first start and adapt their policies accordingly so that children's individual needs are met. For
some families, this may include a home visit prior to children's start date so that initial
relationships can be built between staff and children. When children start, staff learn their
routine from home and mirror this. This is done with particular care and attention in the baby
room, where information about children's individual care plans is communicated effectively
between the staff team to ensure consistency and a high-quality provision. Staff prioritise
children's safety while they sleep and eat. Relationships that foster between staff and
children are long-lasting. Parents explain how their children are familiar with their key person
and describe the special bond they have. This demonstrates the extent to which these
secure relationships are embedded.
Staff plan an abundance of opportunity for children to explore the outside world. Children
benefit greatly from engaging in risky play, where they develop an understanding of personal
safety. Notably, children who face barriers in their learning or lives outside of the nursery
show extensive personal growth as their confidence and independence flourishes, which
contributes to their positive mental wellbeing.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children show progression in their communication and language abilities as they move
through the nursery. Older babies who are just learning to talk are supported by staff to
pronounce hard-to-say words, such as 'helicopter'. Toddlers use their developing skills to
support their curiosity for the world around them, asking, 'What's that?', and then repeating
the answer to embed their new knowledge. Pre-school children confidently showcase their
conversational skills while explaining their love for books. They explain who their favourite
character is and recall their reading experiences from home. Children who are showing
some gaps in their speech development typically achieve well.
Pre-school children show resilience and practise their teamworking abilities, for example,
when they move a ladder across the garden and safely use it to climb a tree. These are
skills that children will find useful for when they start school, in addition to other important
cognitive and emotional skills that children have acquired at this nursery.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have designed a well-rounded curriculum that enables children to build on what
they know and can do. They plan outings where children access broad and wholesome
experiences, such as visits to places of worship and opportunities to become immersed in
the local community. The impact of recent developments to the curriculum for mathematics
is starting to be seen, with children showing increased confidence when discussing
numerical concepts. Leaders' focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional
development is clear. Staff make time each day to find out how children are feeling and to
help children express their emotional needs.
In the most part, staff have age-appropriate expectations for children's learning and
development, and their teaching is pitched correctly. Nevertheless, there are some minor
inconsistencies seen. Managers have provided staff with the knowledge they need to teach
the curriculum, but they do not always monitor the effectiveness of this closely enough to
make sure staff are consistently showing their expertise through their practice.
Staff use assessment accurately to monitor children's development and identify emerging
delays in children's learning. However, when delays are noted, staff do not always tailor their
teaching precisely enough to target the area of concern.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders have effective systems in place that help staff to identify children who may require
additional help to progress in their learning and development. Those in charge of the
provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) fulfil their
duties in line with requirements. Leaders make sure relevant and timely referrals are made
when specialist input is required to help children who need it. They challenge decisions
where needed, showing commitment to their advocacy of children's best interests. Staff
implement a graduated approach to supporting children with SEND. However, this

individualised curriculum planning is not as evident for children where gaps in development
are starting to emerge but there is no clearly defined special educational need and/or
disability.
Staff use their training and expertise to support their successful approach to inclusion, such
as using effective ways to manage sensitive discussions with parents about their children's
learning and development. Leaders use additional funding wisely and demonstrate what
impact this is having, with a particular focus on promoting children's communication and
language development and their personal, social and emotional development. Staff work
hard to create a fully inclusive nursery, which includes educating children and their families
about the similarities and differences that people share and a celebration of individual
uniqueness.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders form strong and professional relationships with parents. Parents state how they feel
well informed about their children's care and learning. Leaders share relevant information
with parents to promote children's care and learning at home, such as information on safe
sleeping in the heat. They use their training to help maintain their interactions with parents,
for example how to manage sensitive conversations successfully.
Professional development and expertise opportunities for staff are regular and relevant. Staff
feel well supported in their roles and relish the training investment they receive from leaders.
However, in some instances, leaders do not monitor the impact of training closely enough to
make sure this is having the desired impact on staff practice. As a result, the coaching and
mentoring that leaders give staff is sometimes not as effective as it could be.
Leaders have nominated a wellbeing lead who advocates on behalf of staff and champions
initiatives that support staff's positive mental health. Staff have access to an app that they
can use to communicate their feelings each day. This helps leaders identify staff who may
need some extra support. Leaders have taken recent action to review and amend some risk
assessments across the nursery to ensure children's good health and safety.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children receive high-quality care. Their individual needs are known to staff, who tailor the
provision accordingly. Babies safely enjoy rest and daytime naps at a time that mirrors their
routines at home. Children are well supervised while eating the foods provided from home,

with staff giving parents suggestions on healthy alternatives they can offer in their children's
lunch boxes.
Children happily participate in activities alongside their peers. Toddlers are supported by
staff to share an amount of play dough. Through this, they start to learn basic mathematical
concepts, such as division. Toddlers are tasked to roll balls out of the dough, which
encourages the small-muscle development in their fingers. Pre-school-age children practise
using tools safely during their play dough activities. They are shown by staff how to pass a
pretend knife so that it minimises risk, and with prompts they demonstrate this skill. Children
who require additional support with their learning and development learn to express their
needs and wants. Staff use picture cards to help this communication. Children who struggle
to communicate show how they can successfully ask for help, for example to remove the
sticky dough from their fingers. Staff's quick response to this request promotes these
children's emotional wellbeing and trust in others.
Children enjoy their time at this nursery. They participate in activities themed around their
interests and favourite books. Staff know what children do outside of the nursery and build
on this. For example, they extend toddlers' love for animals. Children take pride in their
achievements. Pre-school children are especially keen to talk about the mud slide they have
created in forest school. Toddlers ask for their drawings to be displayed, which staff willingly
do.
Next steps
Leaders should review the impact of training on staff's practice, identify any gaps in
learning or areas where further clarification is needed, and use this to inform their
coaching and mentoring of staff.
Leaders should tailor the curriculum more precisely to target specific areas of children's
learning and development when delays start to emerge.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with 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
received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information
about this.

Inspector:
Charlotte Whalley
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2815756
Address:
Rear of 10 Bridge Street
Deeping St. James
Peterborough
PE6 8HA
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 04/12/2024
Registered person: Carousel Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Lincolnshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 8 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
50

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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