Epsom Downs Day Nursery

Epsom Downs Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2841513
Address: Epsom Downs Primary School & Childrens Centre, St. Leonards Road, Epsom, KT18 5RJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 06/05/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Epsom Downs Day Nursery Limited
Inspection report: 11 August 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
Achievement Strong standard
Children are making significant progress in their development from their initial starting
points. They demonstrate a high level of independence and tackle tasks with enthusiasm.
The children are happy and sociable, engaging in cooperative play with their peers. They
thrive in a language-rich environment, effectively using visual aids alongside staff to
communicate their needs, which is particularly beneficial for those children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning.
The children exhibit a firm sense of independence and are confident in managing their
personal hygiene. They understand the importance of washing their hands before meals and
use mirrors to check that their faces are clean after eating. During mealtimes, they enjoy
serving themselves and are learning to make healthy food choices, gaining an
understanding of which foods can aid their growth. This awareness is supporting their ability
to lead a healthy lifestyle. As a result, children are well prepared for the next stage of their
education.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Staff teach children the values of kindness and respect. Through daily activities, they are
encouraged to collaborate and play together, sharing resources and demonstrating
consideration for their peers. Staff act as positive role models, providing praise for
accomplishments and good manners. Consequently, children exhibit excellent behaviour,
creating a calm and harmonious environment. Staff encourage children to persevere with
tasks and acknowledge their achievements. For example, children concentrate on filling a
bucket with sand, and staff celebrate when they successfully make a sandcastle. This helps
to motivate children and develop a positive attitude towards learning.
The staff maintain secure relationships with parents and establish consistent routines.
Leaders prioritise and monitor attendance to ensure that children are safe and benefit from
the educational opportunities available to them. Staff provide enriching activities and new
experiences designed to enhance children's life skills. For instance, children have the
chance to help at the school farm, where they learn to care for living things and treat
animals with kindness. Staff use visual prompts to help children follow the daily routine and
understand what activity will happen next. This approach is particularly beneficial for
children with special educational needs and/or disabilities as it helps them move smoothly to
their next activity.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Staff prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. There is an emphasis on fostering
independence and helping children develop personal hygiene skills, such as handwashing
and toileting. Staff show children how to apply sun cream before going outside. They
encourage them to wear hats and drink water to stay hydrated. Consequently, children
acquire self-care skills and learn how to stay safe during hot weather. Staff implement robust

systems to ensure children have the correct food at mealtimes. This includes following
charts that indicate children's allergies and intolerances. As a result, children consume the
right food and remain safe.
Staff have established secure connections with the children and their families. Their
partnerships with parents are highly effective, with a focus on building these relationships
from the outset. For instance, staff gather pertinent information prior to children starting to
ensure appropriate support is in place, whether through routine settling sessions or targeted
assistance for those who require it. This practice ensures that disadvantaged children, those
with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children known to social care and those
facing barriers to learning and wellbeing can settle in successfully. Leaders provide regular
newsletters and staff share valuable information with parents, such as tips on limiting screen
time and guidelines for keeping children safe online. This contributes to a protective
environment where children are safe and flourish.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Staff provide an ambitious curriculum that encompasses the 7 areas of learning and follows
children's interests. Staff carry out assessments to find out what children already know and
what they need to learn next. They expertly organise learning to support each child's age
and stage of development. Staff adapt activities to support children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities, enabling them to progress and succeed. A variety of outdoor
activities are offered to enhance children's physical skills and promote adventurous play,
such as using a rope swing and climbing a mound. There is a focus on developing
communication and language throughout the setting, especially since many children require
additional support in these areas.
Children are taught the values of kindness and ethics. The on-site farm allows them to
practise these values by caring for the animals and assisting with feeding and collecting
eggs. This helps them develop an understanding of the living world. Staff use resources
such as mirrors to help children observe their expressions and talk about their feelings.
Mathematics is woven into various activities and play. For example, staff count objects and
use descriptive language, including terms like big, more and less, as children fill a
wheelbarrow with wet sand. Staff use a range of resources to help children understand
differences as well as the various cultures represented within the setting. Consequently,
children have ample opportunities to make significant progress across the curriculum. Staff
prepare children extremely well for the next stage of their education.
Inclusion Strong standard
Staff have high expectations for all children, fostering a culture of inclusion and actively
working to eliminate barriers to learning. They are committed to never turning a child away,
consistently seeking ways to ensure every child is included by making the necessary
adjustments. This commitment enables all children to have the opportunity to achieve and
progress effectively. Additional funding, including early years pupil premium, is utilised to
provide extra resources, enrichment activities and experiences that support children's
learning and wellbeing. This includes forest school sessions, bus trips and library visits, all

of which offer new opportunities for learning and development. There is a commitment that
every child will benefit from these experiences.
Through a comprehensive cycle of observations and assessments, staff quickly identify
children who may require additional support. They promptly implement plans to address any
gaps in their learning to help children catch up. For example, they use a tool to assess and
monitor children's speech development, gathering evidence for targeted help. Staff
collaborate closely with other professionals and employ highly effective strategies to
facilitate children's progress and achievement. By establishing secure relationships with
children and their families, staff gain a deeper understanding of individual needs, allowing
them to create effective plans to support progress and achievement. This approach ensures
that disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those
who are known or previously known to children's social care, as well as those facing barriers
to their learning and/or wellbeing feel safe and develop a firm sense of belonging.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders are passionate about their role and inspire the team to deliver high-quality care,
enabling children to flourish and thrive. The day nursery is set within a vibrant school
community and benefits from access to various on-site facilities, such as a mini farm, forest
school and a music room. These resources offer children enriching experiences that
enhance their understanding of the world. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy exploring
the forest and collecting eggs from the farm.
Leaders have robust policies in place and provide staff with high levels of support. Staff are
committed to their professional development and regularly attend training that enhances
their focus on the curriculum. This includes learning sign language to support children's
communication skills. Leaders are highly reflective and constantly evaluate their practice
and review the learning environment to identify areas for improvement. As a result, the
sensory room, foyer and sleeping area have been renovated, and plans to enhance the
outdoor toddler area have been approved. These initiatives contribute to creating a
wonderful environment for children to explore and learn. Leaders also focus on reducing
staff workload, enabling them to concentrate on engaging with the children. Staff wellbeing
is supported well, with spaces provided for comfortable working and relaxation during
breaktimes. Parents provide positive feedback regarding the warm welcome and support
they receive from all the staff in the setting.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Nurturing children's wellbeing is at the heart of the nursery curriculum. Children flourish and
thrive, learning the skills they will need for the next stage of their education. Children have a
wealth of opportunities to practise and refine skills to become confident, independent
learners. For example, children use tongs to serve food, which helps to strengthen their
hand muscles in preparation for future writing tasks. Children enjoy having the opportunity to
make choices, such as selecting activities and choosing the foods they wish to eat during
mealtimes. This helps to develop children's decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Children are building positive relationships and playing cooperatively with their friends while
engaging in role-play games. They kindly share resources and wait to take their turn during
group games, demonstrating their emotional awareness. Additionally, children are active and
enjoy engaging in physical activities such as climbing on equipment and swinging on a rope.
Children have a positive attitude towards learning and are keen to join in with activities. For
example, they relish painting using a variety of tools to create their masterpieces. Children
persevere at tasks, such as rebuilding a tower when it falls over, which helps to develop
their resilience. Children delight in listening to stories, enthusiastically participating by
copying actions and repeating familiar phrases. They benefit from taking books home to
share with their parents, fostering a love for reading that supports their early literacy
development.
Children have secure attachments with their key workers, which particularly benefits
disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children
who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who may face
barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. This solid foundation helps children settle in and
feel safe and ensures their individual needs are met. Effective systems are in place to
monitor and promote attendance, ensuring that children are safe and can fully benefit from
the enriching educational experiences available to them.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure continued improvement in
the setting's successful work to deliver high standards and enriching experiences that will
have a transformational impact on all children.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
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

Inspector:
Lisa Smith
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2841513
Address:
Epsom Downs Primary School & Childrens Centre
St. Leonards Road
Epsom
KT18 5RJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 06/05/2025
Registered person: Epsom Downs Day Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 18:00
Local authority: Surrey
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 11 August 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
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.

Total number of places
45
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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