Cuddles and Care Day Nursery

Cuddles and Care Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2835636
Address: 177 Leigh Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9DW
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 09/04/2025
Registers: EYR, CCR
Registered person: Cuddles and Care Day Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 14 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Activities are planned to allow all children to join in and feel included. Staff know children
well and are able to adapt resources or provide additional support to children if needed.
Children respond well to praise by staff who are supportive and encouraging. For example,
children enjoy receiving stickers and certificates when they have tried hard or achieved a
new skill. This makes children feel proud and builds their self-esteem.
Experiences are age-appropriate and varied. Children enjoy a broad curriculum and
regularly spend time outside using a range of equipment that encourages different skills.
Staff encourage children to get involved and build confidence to try something new. As a
result, children are developing perseverance and resilience.
Children are taught the benefits of being active and moving their bodies. Children respond
well to conversations with staff about healthy foods and the importance of looking after
themselves. For example, children spoon meatballs and spaghetti onto their own plates at
lunchtime and talk about how they are getting stronger. This means children are developing
positive attitudes towards the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Children are engaging in activities and experiences that are preparing them well for their
next stage of learning. For example, children are learning how to put their own aprons on
and recall how they made play dough the previous day. This provides children with essential
age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills for their future success.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children understand the behaviour expectations of the setting. Staff gently remind children
when needed about the importance of sharing with their friends or why they need to wait
their turn. Children respond well to the calm reassurance provided, which supports their
wellbeing and makes them feel safe.
Leaders have worked hard to ensure all staff are supported to fully understand the
behaviour expectations of the setting. Staff are positive role models and support children to
behave in a way that is respectful and kind. For example, children in the pre-school know
the golden rules, such as 'walking feet' and 'kind hands', and they are able to remind their
friends when needed. Staff support children individually to understand these golden rules
using picture cards on the wall and by talking to them to explain when needed. This provides
an inclusive culture that is calm and respectful.
Staff develop trusting relationships with children that encourage open conversations.
Children typically share their thoughts with staff and are supported to talk freely and openly.
As a result, children typically feel relaxed and at ease in the setting.
Leaders work in partnership with parents to establish routines and promote the importance
of regular attendance. Parents feel supported and say that they value the time staff take to

share information and listen supportively. This means there is a mutual understanding of the
rules and expectations of the setting.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Activities provided are typically inclusive for all children and adapted when needed to ensure
everyone is able to participate. For example, children enjoy singing in a circle holding a
large piece of stretchy material, which they pull to make different shapes. Some children
enjoy this activity sitting independently, while others sit on an adult's lap for extra support.
This enables all children to access the experience in an appropriate way for their individual
needs and level of development.
Leaders generally share information appropriately to enable staff to provide children with the
right level of care and support at the right time. Parent partnerships are effective and they
value the work staff do to remove barriers to learning and make their time at the setting safe
and supportive to their children's emotional wellbeing. For example, staff provide
opportunities for children to share how they are feeling using a soft toy called a 'worry
monster'. This supports children to share any worries they may have and gives time for
conversations about how they are feeling. As a result, children approach staff when they
need to talk about something that is on their mind.
Children are typically taught to keep themselves safe. For example, staff in the toddler room
teach children to hold scissors correctly and talk about road safety when they are out and
about in the local community. This means children are starting to learn how to risk-assess
situations and understand the importance of making choices that are safe.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Children enjoy learning. Staff plan experiences that excite children and engage them. For
example, staff support children in the toddler room to use play dough, cutters and small
rolling pins to help develop their fine motor skills.
Leaders ensure the curriculum is ambitious for all children. Generally, staff are clear about
what they want children to know by the time they move onto their next stage of learning.
However, this is not consistent across all ages. For example, there are times when learning
targets are vague and lack detail. This means that it can be difficult to measure progress
and planning is less effective in meeting children's needs.
Children enjoy learning and are keen to get involved in a wide variety of experiences. For
example, in the pre-school, staff lead children on a bear hunt through the garden, using the
story to walk through shaving foam and feel the texture of soil on their feet. Staff use the
vocabulary to introduce new words to children, such as squishy and soft, supporting all
children to join in and learn at their own pace. This promotes children's communication and
language and provides an inclusive curriculum where every child is supported to learn.
Staff build on children's interests to engage them in their learning. They use their knowledge
to inform planning, which supports children to develop a range of skills ready to move onto
the next stage of learning. However, this is not always consistent across the setting and, as

a result, opportunities for progression can be missed and identified next steps are not
consistently meaningful.
Inclusion Expected standard
Staff across the setting have high expectations for all children and work together with the
special educational needs coordinators to help those children who need it. They notice when
children require additional support and use their knowledge to work closely with parents.
Strategies are put in place quickly and monitored to ensure that they have a positive impact.
This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically have
their needs well met.
Staff know children well and use this information to introduce strategies that will provide
support during their time at the setting. For example, visual timelines are available when
children need reminding about what is coming next. This supports children's understanding
and makes them feel safe and secure at the nursery.
Leaders have developed positive and impactful relationships with other services to support
children's development and wellbeing. For example, staff notice when children require
additional support and use their knowledge to work closely with parents. As a result, barriers
to learning are typically being removed and children generally make good progress in their
development.
Funding is used to purchase equipment and experiences that meet an identified need. For
example, staff assess children closely and notice when children are falling behind in a
particular skill, such as coordination or balance. This supports children in their learning and
development by providing opportunities to practise a skill or experience something new.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders understand the strengths of the setting and are reflective about what needs
improving. For example, they use feedback gathered from staff and parents to agree
priorities for improvements, including room layouts and which resources to purchase. They
also work closely with the whole staff team to make sure staff work effectively and provide
support where needed. For example, leaders carry out team meetings on a termly basis to
share information and provide constructive feedback. This makes staff feel valued and
included.
Staff state how they enjoy working at the setting. They feel well supported and their ideas
and opinions are listened to. This means the atmosphere is happy and welcoming, which
has a positive impact on the children. There are plenty of opportunities for professional
development. Staff keep their knowledge up to date through training on a wide range of
topics that increase their understanding around children's care and development. For
example, staff attend training on safer sleeping for babies. As a result, children are sleeping
according to national guidelines to ensure every sleep is a safer sleep.
Leaders have developed positive partnerships with parents. They communicate effectively
with parents through conversations and also via an app, which allows information to be
shared about their child's day. Parents say how they feel well supported by staff. Information

shared helps staff to support children during their time in nursery, as well as when they
move to their next stage of learning such as school.
Leaders work closely with other professionals to ensure the support children receive is
appropriate. For example, they work with local schools to share children's information ready
for their next stage of learning. This means leaders are working effectively with other
professionals to ensure children's needs are being fully met.
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
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy and settled with staff who are calm and nurturing. Staff speak in a
respectful way to children, listening carefully to them and showing a genuine interest in what
they have to say. For example, pre-school children enjoy talking about their favourite foods
during lunchtime, while staff ask questions to find out more. This supports children's
communication and language development and makes them feel valued.
Children are keen to join in with activities that are exciting and engaging. Resources are
varied, and staff use children's interests to engage them and keep their attention. For
example, children play together in the garden with the paints and rollers to make pictures
and patterns. They work together, helping their friends if they need support. This makes
children feel they belong.
Staff work closely with parents and carers to find out all about their children, including where
they live, likes and dislikes, as well as how they learn best. For example, children who do

Inspector:
Lucy Short
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2835636
not have access to outside spaces enjoy participating in ball games outside. This helps staff
to support children so that they are able to thrive in all areas of the curriculum during their
time in the setting.
Children's behaviour is very good. Staff role model how to behave, which helps children
understand the importance of listening to each other and sharing with their friends. Children
are familiar with the golden rules of the setting and respond well to being asked to use 'kind
hands' or take turns. As a result, children can identify positive behaviour and are able to
remind their friends of these rules when needed.
Children enjoy spending time with their friends. There are plenty of opportunities to have
relaxed conversations or play games together. For example, children in the pre-school work
together to roll marbles along slopes and tunnels together, becoming excited when they see
it appear at the end. This provides opportunities to build friendships and develop social
skills.
Next steps
Leaders should make sure all staff are able to clearly identify what they want all children
to know by the time they move to their next stage of learning.
Leaders should make sure staff are able to identify key children's next steps so that
targets are more precise and can be reviewed more effectively.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke to leaders, practitioners, special educational needs coordinators and
assistants 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.

Address:
177 Leigh Road
Eastleigh
SO50 9DW
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 09/04/2025
Registered person: Cuddles and Care Day Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR
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 14 August 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
46
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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