Banana Moon Day Nursery Barnstaple

Banana Moon Day Nursery Barnstaple
Unique reference number (URN): 2575982
Address: 3 Trafalgar Lawn, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 9BD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 17/06/2020
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Applebeach Limited
Inspection report: 20 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
Children make steady progress from their starting points, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities. Children gain important skills in their personal, social
and emotional development. They learn to take turns and develop early negotiation skills
that are vital for collaborative learning. Children build confidence in their play and can use
appropriate vocabulary that allows them to socially interact with each other and make
friends.
Generally, children are supported to use mathematical language during their everyday
routine and activities. Children learn to say number names in orders as staff help them to
count how many steps they go down as they transition into the garden. Children make
appropriate progress in their communication and language development. However,
achievement could be strengthened by greater consistency in the quality of staff interactions
across the nursery.
Children build on their physical development in a variety of ways. They develop gross motor
strength outdoors, balancing and running. Younger children refine their fine motor skills
while manipulating and arranging small parts and older children practise mark making with a
range of tools.
Children's confidence and willingness to try new tasks is boosted by the praise and
encouragement they receive at appropriate times. This means, overall, children are suitably
prepared for their next stage of learning.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and practitioners have established a positive environment. They have high
expectations for behaviour that are typically understood. Children behave well and generally
have positive attitudes to learning. Staff have realistic, age-appropriate expectations of
children's behaviour, which they model sensitively. Unwanted behaviours are addressed in a
warm, responsive way and clear alternatives to behaviour are given. Children are generally
calm and considerate to their peers and staff skilfully support children to play collaboratively
and share the resources available.
Recent actions taken by leaders have established effective key-person arrangements that
ensure children's care needs are met. A key-person 'buddy system' has been implemented
that ensures all children, including those who face barriers to their learning, have secure
attachments and staff know the children well. This supports children to develop their
confidence, resilience and independence. Leaders and staff have a clear system to support
children's attendance and punctuality. They consistently follow up with absences and work
alongside families to establish important habits for later success.
Routines across the nursery are not yet consistently organised and refined so that children
experience a predictable day and waiting times are reduced. For example, staff in the
toddler room are developing approaches at lunchtime that continue to support children's

independence while balancing the need to minimise waiting times. This focus on routines
that support learning and development could be further strengthened across the nursery. In
contrast, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from
individualised support that specifically supports them to transition well between activities in
the day.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of their work. They greet
children and their parents warmly, when they arrive at the start of the session. Staff work
closely with families from the outset to gather detailed information about children's needs,
routines and circumstances. Settling-in arrangements are adapted for individual children and
families, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities, helping all children
to feel secure and develop a sense of belonging from the start. Children form trusting
relationships with staff, who know them well and respond sensitively to their individual
needs. Staff provide consistent care and reassurance throughout the day.
Routines in the baby room are tailored to each child's needs, effectively managing sleeping,
feeding and hygiene safely. Pre-school children and toddlers grow in independence as they
serve their own food and scrape their plates when they finish, as part of a food waste
recycling initiative at lunchtime. This helps them grow in confidence and develop important
self-care skills. Staff weave healthy habits into everyday routines and conversations, with
mealtimes being an opportunity to discuss what foods are good for their bodies and help
them grow strong and healthy.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders embed a well-sequenced curriculum that builds progressively on what children
know and identifies what they need to do next. Play sits firmly at the heart of this curriculum,
and leaders and staff create an environment that nurtures wellbeing and ignites children's
curiosity and sense of adventure. Staff know children well and confidently explain how they
help them learn new knowledge and skills.
Babies have fun exploring shredded paper with attentive adults, who share their joy and
surprise as they sprinkle it around themselves. Babies also pull themselves up to stand in
the well-resourced baby room, showing determination to master new skills. This strengthens
their confidence and builds the muscles they need for walking. Toddlers and pre-school
children enjoy playing in the garden, where staff provide varied opportunities to suit
individual needs and preferences. Some children relish the thrill of parachute games, while
others hunt for bugs or check whether the beans they planted are ready to pick.
Mathematics threads through the curriculum, and staff extend and embed children's
mathematical thinking in playful ways. For example, they encourage children to explore 3D
shapes by dipping wooden blocks into paint and printing them onto paper, drawing attention
to the different surfaces of a pyramid.
Overall, leaders have prioritised children's communication and language, and staff generally
promote speaking and listening. However, at times, staff's interactions lack consistency,

which means children do not always have the highest quality opportunities to extend their
learning.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff show a clear understanding of how to identify and support children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known or
previously known to social care. They use ongoing observations, assessments and
information from parents and professionals to identify individual needs promptly and assess
progress. This approach enables leaders to plan targeted support and adapt routines,
activities and the learning environment so children can access the curriculum and feel
included.
Leaders take purposeful action to meet children's needs through inclusive practice and
reasonable adjustments, such as offering flexible settling-in sessions and tailoring individual
session times to support families. They guide staff to assess children accurately and provide
appropriate support. Staff implement timely and targeted interventions within the provision
so that children achieve their next steps in learning alongside their peers. For example, staff
provide motivating sensory activities when children become overwhelmed, enabling them to
re-engage in their learning.
Leaders use additional funding effectively to enhance ratios, purchase resources linked to
individual children's needs and offer disadvantaged children the opportunity to access a
daily 2-course cooked meal. They make these funding decisions in consultation with parents
and aim to maximise the impact on improving children's wellbeing and development.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders show dedication in their roles and create a cohesive, supportive leadership team.
They prioritise staff welfare and wellbeing and promote professional development so that
both staff and children benefit. This approach helps maintain a professional team that works
confidently together.
Leaders set a clear vision for the nursery and demonstrate a secure understanding of its
strengths and the areas they want to improve. Maintaining a focus on embedding high-
quality interactions between adults and children will improve outcomes for all children.
Leaders work closely with local partners to enrich the curriculum for children, including those
that face barriers to learning, adding depth and variety to children's experiences.
Leaders communicate effectively with parents. They use digital systems for sharing
information so that children's learning and development remain prioritised and celebrated,
both in the setting and at home. Leaders also offer a range of opportunities that strengthen
partnerships with families, including potty training workshops, annual birthday celebrations
and stay-and-play sessions that help parents feel involved and confident in their children's
development. Parents speak positively about the nursery, reflecting the warm relationships
staff build with families and the wider community.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive at this nursery because every moment is shaped around who they are and
what they need to flourish. Staff notice children, listen to families and respond with
thoughtful timely support that helps each child feel understood and included. Whether
mastering new physical skills, discovering mathematical ideas or developing early language,
children experience a nurturing environment that recognises their individuality and supports
their success. Through thoughtful care, inclusive practise and a curriculum that sparks
curiosity, children feel valued, confident and ready for their next steps in learning.
Play fills the day with joy and purpose, giving children the freedom to explore, imagine and
test out new ideas while adults gently guide their learning. Babies beam as they build towers
with colourful blocks, knocking them down with delight; knowing an interested adult is right
beside them. Toddlers and pre-school-age children follow their curiosity outdoors, counting
ripe beans, hunting for bugs or joining parachute games that build confidence and
friendships. Staff weave early mathematics, language and problem-solving into these playful
moments, helping children build secure foundations at their own pace.
When children feel overwhelmed, adults offer calm, sensory experiences that help them
reset and re-join their play. Warm relationships and routines help children feel safe, while
flexible settling-in arrangements and the key-person system give every child a trusted adult,
who knows them well. Children learn to take turns, negotiate and express themselves,
growing into considerate friends who enjoy being part of a group. They practise
independence at mealtimes, serve their own food and talk about healthy choices, building
habits that support lifelong wellbeing. Staff celebrate children's efforts, encouraging them to
keep trying when tasks feel tricky, which strengthens resilience and pride.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to develop targeted support and coaching for staff to ensure
consistently high-quality interactions with all children.
Leaders should ensure that routines support all children's engagement to help them make
the best possible progress in all areas.

Inspector:
Sarah Roberts
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2575982
Address:
3 Trafalgar Lawn
Barnstaple
Devon
EX32 9BD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 17/06/2020
Registered person: Applebeach Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30
Local authority: Devon
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 20 August 2026
Children numbers
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with children, leaders, staff 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
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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