Dragonflies Ditcham

Dragonflies Ditcham
Unique reference number (URN): 2839089
Address: Ditcham Park School, Ditcham, Petersfield, GU31 5RN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 15/05/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Ditcham Park Enterprises Limited
Inspection report: 24 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
Staff provide highly effective support to children during transitions. Staff expertly model
routines to new children. Staff ensure children know how to walk safely when out and about.
Children move seamlessly into older groups with new key staff when they are ready. Staff
communicate well with each other and prepare children thoroughly for change. Leaders
ensure there is a robust transition programme for school starters. This strengthens children's
confidence, ensuring children are familiar with their new school environment. Children are
well prepared for the next stage in their education, and their attendance is regular. They
build positive habits and routines for the future.
Staff consistently remind children about manners. They model how and when to say 'please'
and 'thank you'. Staff use positive reinforcement to encourage children to make the right
choices. They help children to understand how their behaviour affects others. This
contributes to a harmonious and respectful environment. Children of all abilities build highly
positive relationships. They show kindness and respect to each other throughout the day.
Highly encouraging staff enable children to develop excellent attitudes to their learning. Staff
help children work together and to challenge themselves. For example, staff encourage
children to run confidently around a woodland track. Staff provide toddlers with the
confidence to ask for help. Children enjoy showing adults what they have made, for example
their construction models. Staff are highly positive and supportive towards children's efforts.
They praise children and teach children how to congratulate one another. This helps
children develop increasingly positive attitudes to learning and to their peers.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders provide a healthy and nutritious diet for children. Staff offer lots of fresh fruit and
support children to serve appropriate portions. Staff teach the importance of oral hygiene
using pictures and models of teeth for children to 'clean'. Staff also create a dentist-themed
role-play area. As a result, children learn how to take care of their teeth. In addition, children
bring their toothbrushes into the setting from home to proudly show their friends. Leaders
work closely with staff to identify children's social and emotional needs. Staff devise
innovative activities that help children channel their emotions. For example, staff use team
games and specialist equipment to support children to process overwhelming emotions
through energetic play.
Staff foster secure and responsive relationships with their key children. These relationships
help children to feel settled. Staff also create transition plans to support individual children.
These plans help children who are new to the setting, while preparing older children for their
move on to school. Leaders have robust procedures in place for managing accidents. Staff
have a clear understanding of what to do if a child is hurt and how to respond quickly and
appropriately. Staff offer immediate comfort and reassurance to any child who injures
themselves.

Expected standard
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders have a clear and purposeful vision for the setting. Staff responsible for strategic
governance ensure the new under-twos provision is well funded. Leaders prioritise the
recruitment of high-quality staff. This supports the welfare and development of all children. In
addition, leaders communicate exceptionally well with one another. This contributes to the
efficient running of the setting. Leaders work extremely well to build purposeful links with
local schools. For example, leaders champion extra-curricular activities on the main school
site and collaborate with early years teachers in local schools. This supports children as
they move on to their next stages of learning.
Parent engagement is another strength of the setting. Parents say they feel listened to.
Leaders collaborate on a wide range of well-attended family events. These include Mother's
and Father's Day celebrations and an Easter-themed egg rolling event. These build a sense
of community and strengthen relationships between families.
Leaders implement an ambitious training programme for new staff. Staff are very positive
about their induction. Leaders ensure staff workload is appropriate through regular
supervision. Leaders continually update their training programme, for example by adding
training on development in babies and revised safer sleep practices. Leaders are superbly
reflective practitioners. They evaluate the provision rigorously. For example, they thoroughly
review all risk assessments. This has strengthened staff's ability to safeguard children from
foreseeable risks. In addition, leaders have increased the number of settling-in sessions for
new children. This has had an impact on the ease with which children and their families feel
like they belong.
Achievement Expected standard
Children develop strong independence and physical skills as they grow. Young toddlers
select fruit for their snack, using serving spoons with increasing control. They learn to climb
stairs independently. Children of pre-school age show they are well prepared for school.
They are confident talkers who form strong, supportive friendships with their peers. Babies
learn to build core strength and fine motor skills. They begin to feed themselves using
spoons, developing their early self-help skills. Children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities begin to show increased social confidence and assurance with familiar
routines.
Across the setting, staff help children strengthen their physical development. Children climb
ladders, balance on beams and push and pull equipment. They demonstrate new abilities,
such as riding trikes independently. Children proudly talk about what they know. They take
pleasure in sharing their knowledge of number with staff. Staff notice these achievements
and celebrate them widely. This supports children to develop a positive attitude towards
learning.

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have designed a sequenced curriculum across all areas of learning, which follows
children's interests closely. This provides a strong basis for staff to develop children's
learning through curiosity and natural experiences. Staff offer children increasing levels of
mathematical challenge. They encourage children to time themselves when completing
familiar jigsaws. They ask children to count backwards after sequencing numbers. Older,
more confident children relish these challenges that deepen their knowledge and skills.
Staff generally observe children well to understand what they know and can do. They use
this information to plan next steps that support continued progress. Staff ask effective
questions that extend the knowledge of confident learners. However, in larger groups,
quieter children are not always given opportunities to show what they know. Too often, staff
attention is drawn to older, more expressive children. As a result, children with barriers to
their learning are not consistently supported to develop their language skills in mixed-age
groups.
Children take part in a range of extra-curricular activities led by specialist staff. These
include dancing, music and physical activity sessions in the adjoining school's building.
These experiences develop children's creative and physical skills. They also help familiarise
children with the main school, supporting a smooth transition for those children due to attend
there.
Inclusion Expected standard
Staff gather information through observation to identify those children who may need
additional support. Staff make referrals to specialist services, ensuring children receive the
help they need. Staff collaborate well with parents to support children's individual needs.
Key staff provide parents with a detailed evaluation of their child's progress for the statutory
progress check at age two. Parents praise the guidance they receive from staff to support
their child's development.
Leaders devise and implement individual programmes of support for children who have
special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff have created transition
plans to better prepare children for their move to school. In addition, leaders identify that
some children need support to regulate their emotions. They arrange regular visits from a
therapy dog. This provides companionship and emotional support for less confident children,
while benefiting children at all stages of their development.
Staff talk in detail about key children. They understand that some children need regular
opportunities to strengthen their speech and language skills. However, staff do not
consistently apply the agreed strategies to support these children. For example, at times,
staff do not encourage children to practise their growing vocabulary. This can impact the
consistent progress of children with identified delays in their speech.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children of all ages and abilities learn alongside each other. They develop confidence as
they explore the intriguing indoor and outdoor environments available. Staff provide a wide
range of engaging activities. These include messy play, obstacle courses, woodland
painting, music lessons and dance. These capture children's interests and support their
physical, sensory and creative development. Children achieve well from their starting points.
Staff identify barriers to learning and put effective support in place. Pre-school-age children
make secure progress in social and emotional skills. This prepares them well for moving on
to school. Children develop increasing independence. For example, young toddlers quickly
learn how to serve themselves at snack time. Babies develop their core strength to support
their developing mobility.
Staff provide children with rich opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, all
children, including babies, can safely access a woodland area that is a central feature of the
curriculum. Children follow winding paths, climb small mounds and collect natural materials.
Staff model painting techniques outside. They encourage children to paint with brushes and
leaves. Children respond with enthusiasm, finding feathers and sticks to develop their
artwork. Staff consistently follow children's interests and curiosity in the natural world.
Children feel a strong sense of belonging. They form positive relationships with staff and
with one another. Children behave well, listen carefully and show kindness. Staff reinforce
expectations consistently. This helps children understand the rules and feel safe. Older
children act as role models. Younger children learn from their peers' behaviour and their
confident speech. Staff warmly welcome families. Leaders value the contributions of
parents. These partnerships support children's wellbeing. Staff celebrate children's
achievements, for example, praising children for counting beyond a given number. This
improves children's self-esteem. As a result, children enjoy their time and want to attend.
Next steps
Leaders should support staff to develop consistent high-quality interactions in larger
groups so that all children can show what they know and can do.
Leaders should support staff to ensure that adaptations for children with additional needs
are consistently applied.

Inspector:
David Watkins
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2839089
Address:
Ditcham Park School
Ditcham
Petersfield
GU31 5RN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 15/05/2025
Registered person: Ditcham Park Enterprises Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Hampshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 24 July 2026
Children numbers
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the 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.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
32
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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