Dolphins Childcare Centre

Dolphins Childcare Centre
Unique reference number (URN): 2864114
Address: North Petherton Community Primary School, North Petherton, Bridgwater, TA6 6LU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 19/11/2025
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Millfield Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 10 March 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 steady progress from their varied starting points and develop the knowledge
and skills they need for later learning. They grow in confidence and show curiosity, exploring
and observing the world around them. For example, they dig in the garden to see what they
can find and examine their reflections in cutlery at lunchtime. Communication and language
skills develop securely across the setting. Babies use gestures and simple signs to express
their needs, while older children articulate their thoughts and feelings clearly with staff and
peers.
Children strengthen their ability to focus, such as repeatedly rolling a ball down a coloured
track while tuning out distractions. They also develop problem-solving skills, for example,
working out how to free a tricycle wheel when it becomes stuck. Children grow in
independence, progressing from cutting soft fruit in toddlers to removing stones from plums
in pre-school. These experiences help children gain confidence in their abilities and prepare
them well for their next stage of learning, including starting school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have created a calm and predictable environment where routines are well
established and understood by children. They promote regular attendance and are adjusting
session timings to allow more focused time in the setting for all children. Staff purposefully
promote independence from the earliest stages. For example, babies learn to use their
spoons with growing control, toddlers pour their own drinks at lunchtime, and older children
develop confidence with knives and forks. These consistent expectations help children feel
secure and capable.
Children respond positively to the setting's routines. They sit patiently at tables while waiting
for lunch, serve themselves vegetables, and show consideration for their peers by waiting
for others to finish. They learn to collaborate and support one another, such as working
together to ride a two-person tricycle or helping each other share toys when this is
challenging.
Relationships between staff and children are warm, and incidents of poor behaviour are
typically addressed promptly. Staff use positive praise to encourage children, and children
respond well to expectations. However, staff do not always explain why behaviour needs to
change, meaning children do not consistently develop a clear understanding of their actions
and how to manage them.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders prioritise children's welfare and have established practices that support their well
being from the earliest stages. Children eat well and are encouraged to explore new tastes
and textures with confidence. Babies examine and squeeze broccoli before tasting it, while
older children describe their meals as 'yummy' and learn about balanced, healthy choices.

Staff understand children's individual routines and adapt their approach accordingly, such as
supporting children to transition from two naps to one or offering shorter, gradual settling
sessions when needed.
Staff build secure and responsive relationships with children. These are particularly strong in
the baby room, where care needs are met promptly and consistently, helping babies feel
safe and emotionally secure. Older children become increasingly independent in managing
their own needs, such as hanging their jumpers on a radiator to dry. At times, they require
additional support; for example, staff do not always notice when children need their noses
wiped.
Staff know the children well and take interest in their likes and dislikes, regularly using this
knowledge to aid children when settling or to engage them in learning. Children learn to
keep themselves safe and assess potential risks, such as warning peers to 'watch out'
before they roll a toy down a slope.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
The curriculum is ambitious, and leaders are taking impactful steps to strengthen
consistency in teaching through their ongoing action plan. Typically, staff demonstrate a
secure understanding of child development and know what children need to work on. The
curriculum provides meaningful opportunities for children to develop their language and
early literacy skills. For example, children show a keen interest in books and enjoy linking
stories to real objects, such as matching farm animals to those in a story.
Mathematical language and concepts are woven naturally into daily routines. Toddlers learn
to show the same number of fingers as the play dough cakes. They count with staff while
pre-school children count shapes and use the language of money in shop role play. Staff
use open-ended questions to extend children's thinking and communication, encouraging
them to explain their ideas, such as when exploring seed pods in the mud. Babies repeat
key words and sounds modelled by staff, such as animal names and the noises they make.
Teaching is generally effective; however, it is not yet consistently purposeful or fully aligned
with what staff know children need to work on. As a result, the implementation of the
curriculum is not yet fully consistent across the setting.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders have established an inclusive culture in which children's individual needs are
identified promptly and accurately. Staff draw effectively on baseline assessments and
information from parents to build a clear picture of each child's starting point. This ensures
that children who need additional support, including those with special educational needs
and/or disabilities or facing other barriers, receive timely intervention and make steady
progress over time.
Leaders understand the specific challenges faced by children in the setting and take
appropriate action to reduce barriers. Additional funding is used thoughtfully, for example to
provide suitable resources, offer extra sessions for disadvantaged children, and ensure
regular access to nutritious meals. These decisions directly support children's wellbeing and

readiness to learn. Leaders have the skills and experience to guide staff in implementing
effective support, which is regularly reviewed and adapted. They work closely with staff to
refine practice and respond swiftly to emerging needs.
Leaders also seek timely support from external professionals, such as speech and language
services, to inform children's next steps. Ongoing communication with families and wider
agencies ensures that children known to social care, and those with additional
vulnerabilities, are supported consistently and with care.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
The setting has experienced a period of considerable change, and leaders have responded
with clarity and purpose. They have a clear vision for the setting and a secure understanding
of its strengths and areas for development. Their action plan is driving improvement. For
example, staff are making increased use of open ended questioning to extend children's
thinking because of recent impactful training in this area. Now, leaders should ensure that
teaching is consistently purposeful and linked to children's next steps.
Leaders work closely with the wider company and benefit from a shared vision that supports
coherent decision making in the best interests of children, including those who may be
disadvantaged or have additional needs. Staff feel respected and well supported. They
value the regular opportunities for training and professional development and report that
their workload is managed appropriately.
Parents appreciate the clear communication they receive about their children's experiences
and progress. They value the thoughtful settling-in process that helps their children feel
secure. Leaders know the setting's families well and ensure that they are well supported,
such as helping them embed consistent routines at home.
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 grow in confidence and independence as they move through the setting. Staff know
the children well as individuals, which enables them to shape experiences that spark
curiosity and joy, such as squelching peas and shaving foam or spotting birds in the garden.
Across the setting, children explore a variety of learning opportunities. They skip
energetically in the garden, dig for treasure in the forest school and compare capacity with
sand indoors. These varied experiences help them develop physical skills, early
mathematical understanding and the ability to sustain concentration. For example, pre-
school children persevere as they push cocktail sticks into play dough, while babies carefully
balance metal pebbles with staff beside them.
Babies settle quickly because they form warm, trusting relationships with staff. Staff know
and understand their routines, ensuring a seamless link between home and the setting. Staff
prepare them thoughtfully for their next steps, such as developing early communication of
needs before moving into the toddler room. This careful attention helps all children, including
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face additional barriers, to
feel secure and ready to learn.
Children generally behave well and learn to feel part of a supportive community. They
collaborate naturally, such as when working together to roll giant cotton reels down wooden
beams. As they approach school age, children benefit from close links with the on-site
school, including regular visits that help them feel confident about the transition.
Leaders have a clear oversight of the provision and act promptly to strengthen practice
where this is needed. Staff care deeply about the children, and this nurturing culture enables
children to explore, experiment and take appropriate risks in their learning. As a result,

Inspector:
Alanda Phillips
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2864114
Address:
North Petherton Community Primary School
North Petherton
Bridgwater
TA6 6LU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 19/11/2025
Registered person: Millfield Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
children flourish, achieving well from their varied starting points, forming close relationships
and developing the confidence they need to progress.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to develop staff practice to ensure that all learning experiences
are consistently well matched to children's ages and stages of development.
Leaders should ensure staff consistently explain why behaviour needs to change,
enabling children to reflect on and manage their actions effectively.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children 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.

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 10 March 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 11
Total number of places
67
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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