Little Herons Nursery

Little Herons Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2815836
Address: North Curry CofE Primary School, Greenway, Taunton, Somerset, TA3 6NQ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 20/11/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Richard Huish Trust
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
Children benefit from interactions that support their learning and development. Staff focus
on the prime areas of learning, particularly for younger children. They use observations and
assessment information, including the progress check at age 2, to identify children's next
steps and provide appropriate support.
Children are well prepared for school. They benefit from carefully planned transitions that
help them move on to the next stage of their learning with confidence. Children who
experience disadvantage or face barriers to learning make appropriate progress from their
starting points.
Children develop increasing independence as they move through the setting. They select
resources for themselves and manage tasks independently. For example, children pour their
own drinks at snack time, put on their shoes before going outdoors and apply their own sun
cream. Children learn to understand their emotions, express their ideas and approach new
experiences with confidence.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children behave well. Leaders have set clear expectations for behaviour and attitudes. They
create a nurturing environment that helps children learn how to manage their feelings and
behaviour. Children learn to consider the feelings of others and generally respond positively
to staff's guidance. Children benefit from positive relationships with staff. The key-person
system helps children form secure attachments. For example, when children wake from their
sleep, staff respond sensitively by offering comfort and reassurance. This helps children
settle back into nursery routines.
Children enjoy playing with their friends and show positive attitudes to learning. For
example, a group of children independently create a fairy house from sticks in the garden.
They proudly invite a member of staff to look at their work and share their achievement.
Children are generally included in activities and routines. Staff use strategies to support
individual children's needs. However, staff do not always give clear instructions during some
group activities and at times, interrupt children when they are listening to stories to
undertake care routines. This impacts on the attention of younger and quieter children who
sometimes do not understand what they are expected to do and do not join in.
Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face additional
barriers to learning receive support that reflects their individual needs. Leaders and staff
monitor attendance closely and work with parents and carers to promote regular attendance.
They adapt their approach where needed to support children and families.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children benefit from a safe and welcoming environment. Leaders and staff recognise the
importance of physical activity and outdoor learning. For example, they have raised funds to
develop a forest school area. Children use this space to develop their gross and fine motor
skills and learn how to assess and manage risks during their play. As a result, children
develop confidence, coordination and physical skills.
Children separate well from their parents when they arrive. Staff know children and their
routines well. Babies' sleeping, weaning and feeding routines reflect their individual needs
and routines from home. Staff follow safer sleeping guidance. For example, they monitor
room temperatures, provide suitable bedding and check sleeping children regularly. This
helps babies feel safe, secure and settled.
Children benefit from positive mealtime experiences. Staff sit with children and use
mealtimes as an opportunity to encourage conversation and promote healthy eating. Staff
share information with parents about healthy eating. For example, staff encourage parents
to provide water rather than sugary drinks and only refill children's bottles with water during
the day. In addition, staff demonstrate a clear understanding of allergy management and
first-aid procedures. This helps to promote children's health and keep them safe.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Babies and toddlers benefit from calm, reassuring and sensitive care. For example, in the
outdoor space, staff support babies to use spoons to dig in the sand. They narrate the
babies' actions, saying, 'I'm digging'. This helps babies hear and begin to understand new
words. As a result, babies build their early communication skills and feel confident to explore
their environment.
Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of curriculum implementation across the
nursery. They monitor practice regularly and identify areas for further development. Although
staff generally understand the curriculum intentions, they do not always adapt their
interactions and teaching in the moment to respond to children's individual learning and
development needs. As a result, opportunities to extend children's learning are sometimes
missed. Leaders recognise this and are taking steps to further develop staff practice so that
children benefit from more responsive teaching.
Some children participate in circle time. However, staff do not always give clear instructions
or explain activities well. This reduces some children's understanding of what they are
expected to do. As a result, younger and quieter children do not always join in or take an
active part. Staff also interrupt activities, at times. For example, staff take children away from
story time for nappy changes. This interrupts their engagement and means some children
do not fully benefit from the learning opportunity.
Inclusion Expected standard
The provider typically identifies children's needs quickly, including any gaps in children's
development. Appropriate steps are generally taken to ensure that children receive the

support they need at the earliest opportunity. This helps to ensure that any barriers to their
learning are reduced.
Leaders work with parents, carers and other professionals to support and understand
children's individual needs and regularly review progress made. Staff use this information to
make adaptations for children to ensure they are included in the nursery and that they are
making progress. Staff describe the steps in place to support children who are
disadvantaged or who face additional barriers to their learning. For example, the effective
use of visual aids and emotional regulation techniques. This helps children to understand
what is happening next and helps them to learn manage their emotions.
Leaders and staff know children and their families well. They secure additional funding,
which is appropriately allocated, for example, to support children's transition to school.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leadership and governance arrangements are effective. Leaders provide staff with
appropriate support, challenge and professional development opportunities. Staff feel valued
and supported in their roles. They benefit from well-being support and opportunities to work
with colleagues across the trust. Regular one-to-one meetings help staff reflect on their
practice and identify areas for development.
Partnerships with parents are positive. Leaders establish effective communication systems
to support children's learning and development. Staff share information through daily
handovers and the online communication app. This helps parents remain informed about
their children's experiences and progress. Staff also work with families to provide support
that meets their wider needs. Special educational needs and/or disabilities support, health
and safety arrangements, and safer recruitment procedures meet requirements. Leaders
ensure that staff have access to training, guidance and specialist support. Leaders also
understand the needs of the local community and adapt provision to support children and
their families.
Leaders know children and families well and play an active role in the nursery. The trust has
invested in the early years provision and increased leadership capacity. Leaders identify and
prioritise improvement,, including plans to improve the monitoring of curriculum
implementation by staff and the quality of teaching.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children form secure and trusting relationships with staff. As a result, they feel safe, settled
and confident. Their individual needs are understood and met through warm and nurturing
care. Children invite staff into their play and involve them in conversations. Warm and
nurturing care is provided for babies. Their individual needs and routines are well
understood and responded to consistently. As a result, babies feel safe and emotionally
secure.
Children access a range of outdoor experiences that support their learning and
development. Staff follow children's interests and use interactions to extend their language,
thinking and mathematical skills. For example, children fill watering cans and buckets at an
outdoor tap. They take turns turning the tap on and off and filling their containers with water.
Staff support children's mathematical understanding by asking questions, such as 'Is that
nearly full?' and making comments including, 'That looks heavy' and 'Wow, that's a big
bucket.' As a result, children develop their language, mathematical knowledge and
understanding through meaningful play experiences.
Children's progress is monitored with any gaps in learning identified early. Staff work with
parents and other professionals to secure support for children when needed. Advice is used
to plan targeted strategies that meet children's individual needs. As a result, children make
progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those who face barriers to learning.
Staff typically provide opportunities to extend children's vocabulary and sentence structure.
This helps children develop their communication and language skills. For example, at snack
time, staff talk with children about the food they are eating. Staff also promote early social
skills and manners by modelling and encouraging the use of 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff
work in partnership with parents and carers to support children's learning and development.
They regularly share information about children's progress and provide guidance on how
learning can be reinforced at home. As a result, children benefit from a shared approach to
their learning and development at home and in the nursery.
Next steps
Leaders should improve care routines, particularly during story and group times, so that
children can participate, concentrate and focus when they are listening.
Leaders should strengthen teaching so that staff know how to implement and adapt
curriculum planning effectively to meet children's individual learning needs.
About this inspection
The inspector/inspectors spoke with directors, leaders, practitioners and parents and carers
during the inspection.

Inspector:
Donna Frost
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2815836
Address:
North Curry CofE Primary School
Greenway
Taunton
Somerset
TA3 6NQ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 20/11/2024
Registered person: Richard Huish Trust
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Somerset
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
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.
A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

1 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.
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.
You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium,
under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy
Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email:
psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information
and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn.
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
T: 0300 123 1231
Textphone: 0161 618 8524
E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
© Crown copyright 2026
© Crown copyright