Woodberry Day Nursery and Pre-School- Waterlooville

Woodberry Day Nursery and Pre-School-Waterlooville
Unique reference number (URN): 2710814
Address: 208a London Road, Waterlooville, PO7 7AN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 16/12/2022
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Play Away Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 19 August 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Expected standard
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.
Achievement Expected standard
Overall, children progress well and are appropriately prepared for their eventual move on to
school. They are motivated to learn and confidently explore the range of resources and
experiences available to them. For example, children of all ages enjoy playing with baby
dolls, pretending to feed and comfort them and washing them in water. Children build secure
relationships with staff, which helps them to feel safe, settled and ready to learn. They enjoy
spending time outdoors in the fresh air. Here, they develop their physical skills, such as
jumping, running and balancing.
Babies and children develop communication, language and social skills through
conversations, stories, play and interactions with adults and peers. Babies and children
develop mathematical language and understanding. For example, babies enjoy counting
and problem-solving as they complete puzzles with staff's support. Furthermore, older
children learn about numbers and quantity as they problem-solve with their friends. They
work together to consider how many more blocks they need to match the picture.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children form close relationships with staff. They approach them for comfort and support as
needed. Children generally play well together. They receive support to wait patiently and
take turns during routines. For example, during mealtimes, children wait for their turn to self-
serve their lunch. This helps them to develop patience and consideration for others. Children
generally apply what they learn during everyday routines.
Overall, children's behaviour is positive. Older children use their manners, as they say
'please' and 'thank you' when taking part in activities with their friends. Most of the time,
children receive encouragement to be kind to each other. For example, when babies use the
steps and slide, staff support them to take turns. However, staff do not consistently support

all children to understand how to share and take turns. This means at times, children do not
always receive support to demonstrate kindness and consideration for others. This does not
support children to consistently demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.
Leaders promote the importance of attendance. They monitor children's attendance and
know which children are expected each day. Leaders promptly follow up on any unexplained
absences with parents and carers. This helps to promote children's safety and wellbeing.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders have significantly improved mealtime procedures throughout the setting since the
previous visit. Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities when
preparing food and checking that it meets each child's individual needs, including dietary
needs and when preparing food for babies.
Leaders and staff provide a warm and welcoming learning environment where children are
safe and feel valued. Children have personalised settling-in sessions when they start and
when they are due to move to other rooms. This supports children to settle quickly and build
nurturing relationships with staff. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers to meet
children's individual needs and follow their routines. They have a secure understanding and
follow safe-sleep practices. For example, staff check the temperature of the rooms and
ensure babies and children are checked regularly when sleeping.
Children recall what they have learned about their own health and wellbeing. For example,
they confidently wash their hands before mealtimes and know the procedures for self-
serving their lunch. Furthermore, they know to put appropriate clothing on when they go in
the garden, such as sun hats or coats. However, at times, staff do not consistently promote
self-care practices throughout the setting, which does not support babies to learn about
personal hygiene. For example, children are regularly reminded and supported in an
appropriate way to use a tissue to wipe their nose independently, while babies do not always
receive the same level of support. This means, at times, staff do not promote opportunities
to enhance babies' understanding of self-care routines, especially for older babies.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or
other barriers to learning, take part in a broad range of activities that reflect all areas of
learning. For example, older children play happily with their friends as they become
engrossed in playing with mud and talk about how they are caring for the 'dinosaurs'. Babies
and children thoroughly enjoy sensory experiences, such as exploring dough, shaving foam
and sand. They interact with their friends as they explore these textures.
Staff support children's developing language skills well. They offer encouragement and
engage in interesting back-and-forth conversations, giving children appropriate time to
process and respond to questions asked. Staff use mealtimes to provide older children with
opportunities to develop their social skills as they excitedly talk and discuss with their friends
and staff. Babies and children enjoy singing familiar songs and listening to familiar stories,
using puppets to act out the story.

Leaders have worked on establishing a clear curriculum, which staff know and understand.
All staff interact warmly and positively with children and, overall, know what each child
needs to learn next, including children with SEND and those who face other barriers to
learning and/or wellbeing. However, they do not consistently fully identify the purpose of
activities and what they want children to gain from them. Therefore, although all children
progress well, their learning is not consistently coordinated as precisely as possible.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers when children first start at the
setting. They spend time getting to know children and their families from the outset. Staff
gather detailed information about children, such as the languages spoken at home, cultural
celebrations and any identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff
use this information effectively to help children settle quickly and feel secure within the
setting.
Leaders and staff work in partnership with families and other professionals to meet
children's needs, including children with SEND and those who face other barriers to learning
and/or wellbeing. They make prompt assessments, timely referrals and put in place
personalised plans to support children's individual needs and development. Staff use
strategies learned from other professionals to help children make progress. They typically
adapt their interactions to children's needs using appropriate communication strategies,
such as simple language, repetition, gestures and one-to-one support. Staff provide focused
activities to help those children who need further support with their communication and
listening and attention skills. This helps to reduce barriers to children's learning and
wellbeing and supports them to make progress.
Leaders and staff use additional funding effectively. For example, they purchase new
resources to support children's developmental and care needs and provide small-group and
one-to-one sessions as appropriate.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
There have been recent developments to the leadership team since the previous visit, which
are bringing about positive changes to all aspects of the setting. Leaders and staff have
recently completed additional safeguarding training. Those staff with designated
safeguarding responsibilities have improved their knowledge and understanding of
whistleblowing procedures. Leaders have developed the support for staff wellbeing and
workloads to ensure a positive work–life balance, which staff value greatly. Leaders are
identifying staff training needs to further support practice in the setting. For example, they
are providing all staff with Makaton training to further support children's communication and
language development.
Leaders have improved the procedures for the induction and supervision of staff. They are
providing consistent support through coaching and mentoring. For instance, they carry out
peer-on-peer observations and provide staff with constructive feedback to improve practice.
Leaders have identified staff's strengths and areas of development. For example, they have
recognised the need to improve the implementation of the curriculum and the quality of
teaching across the staff team. However, these actions have not yet been fully embedded to

have a positive impact on staff's understanding of what it is they want children to learn from
planned activities.
Leaders know families well and tailor support to meet a range of needs, recognising different
family structures and circumstances. They work effectively with other agencies and use
funding appropriately to ensure that children, including those with special educational needs
and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, receive the
support they need as quickly as possible.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children happily arrive at the setting and settle quickly. They build nurturing relationships
with staff, who provide comfort and reassurance as needed. Children demonstrate a sense
of belonging as they seek out their friends and explore the environment with confidence.
They show great delight as they play and have fun together. For instance, babies and
younger children excitedly catch and blow bubbles with their friends. Children confidently
initiate discussions with staff, sharing their ideas and inviting them to join their play. For
example, they talk about different dinosaurs and decide with staff to hide the 'dinosaurs' for
their friends to find. Furthermore, older children listen and follow instructions well and
excitedly take part in active games in the garden.
Babies respond positively to gentle and enthusiastic interactions with staff, who know them
well. They enjoy cosy spaces, where they listen to stories and excitedly take part in sensory
play, exploring textures and smells. Babies' individual routines are well supported. For
instance, when babies need a rest, they sleep in a dedicated space where staff safely
comfort and soothe them to sleep and complete regular checks.
Staff typically understand and support children's individual backgrounds and learning needs
securely. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those
who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Families are welcomed at the
setting. Staff value the ways in which parents and carers support their child's development.
They share information with parents on a daily basis. Staff adapt their approach sensitively,
ensuring that all children can participate fully in activities. This contributes to the positive
culture of inclusion that is embedded in the setting.
Leaders highlight to parents the importance of consistent routines for children and
encourage regular attendance. Children receive support from staff, who model kindness, act

Inspector:
Nicole Atkinson-Voak
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2710814
Address:
208a London Road
Waterlooville
PO7 7AN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 16/12/2022
Registered person: Play Away Day Nurseries Limited
as positive role models and provide children with regular praise. Overall, children behave
well and attend regularly, which supports continuity in their learning and development.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen the support staff give to children to help them to continually
develop their understanding of how to share and take turns, to assist them further in
developing positive attitudes to learning.
Leaders should further strengthen care routines to consistently promote babies'
understanding of personal hygiene, while maintaining respectful and responsive care.
Leaders should focus on supporting staff to more precisely identify what they want
children to learn from planned activities to enhance the progress children make.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children and parents and carers 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.

Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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 19 August 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
78
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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