URN 2845922 · Inspected 2026-08-27 · Published 2026-09-30 · Inspector: Janine Ryan
Little Olives Day Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2845922 Address: Unit C2, Olive Lane, Waverley, Rotherham, S60 8GA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 14/08/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Olives Nursery Ltd Inspection report: 27 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 appropriate progress from their starting points across the curriculum. Leaders prioritise communication and language, so that children gain the vocabulary, confidence and listening skills needed for learning. The 'Tiny Talkers' booster programme strengthens oral language, while songs, stories and conversations provide regular opportunities to practise new words. Staff know children's next steps, use observations to monitor development and regularly share information with parents. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those previously known to social care, benefit from personalised plans. The use of visual prompts, sensory resources and support from external agencies ensure that children make progress. Children who speak English as an additional language develop confidence because staff use key home- language words and provide focused support during play. Children also build physical, social, mathematical and self-care skills through routines and purposeful activities. Consequently, children are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning, including the transition on to school. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have established clear, consistently understood expectations for behaviour. As a result, children behave well, show kindness and respect, and develop positive attitudes to learning. Warm, responsive relationships help children to feel secure and ready to participate. Staff model respectful interactions and support children to share, collaborate, wait patiently and take turns. They take account of children's ages, stages of development, individual needs and circumstances. Appropriate adaptations to routines and the provision enable all children to participate successfully, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. Children develop confidence, resilience and independence by selecting resources, joining group activities and persisting when tasks are challenging. Daily routines also promote self- care. Children wash their hands using accessible sinks, choose cutlery, pour drinks and manage personal needs with increasing independence. Leaders encourage families to access funded early education and reinforce the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. Overall, children understand routines, respond positively to expectations and are well supported to become considerate, confident and increasingly independent learners. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders provide a safe, welcoming environment in which children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised. Staff know children well and follow individual care routines, including personal care, sleep and mealtimes. These routines are calm, unhurried and adapted to children's ages, development and circumstances. Secure, responsive relationships with key persons help all children to feel safe and develop strong attachments. Children access the outdoors daily and experience appropriate risk and challenge. Staff use these opportunities effectively to teach personal safety and support physical development. Nutritious home-cooked meals and snacks promote healthy choices. Staff sit with children at mealtimes, model positive habits and encourage conversation. Older children increasingly manage their personal needs independently. Practitioners help children to recognise and express their feelings, develop confidence and begin to regulate their emotions. Overall, care practices support children's health, security and growing independence effectively. Leaders do not take every opportunity to develop calm, safe spaces and environmental adaptations for children whose sensory or emotional regulation needs cannot always be met within the main provision. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning and prepares children for their next steps. Language development is central. Children sing songs and rhymes, share books and retell familiar stories using accessible resources indoors and outdoors. Trained staff lead 'Tiny Talkers' groups to develop vocabulary, understanding, speaking and confidence. Well-resourced spaces provide varied opportunities to build strength, coordination, and balance. A range of activities strengthen grip and support hand– eye coordination. Children form secure relationships with staff, learn to manage emotions, develop friendships and become increasingly independent in meeting their personal needs. Mathematics is embedded in daily routines and taught through planned activities, for example, through playing shape bingo. Leaders and practitioners know children well and adapt experiences to meet individual needs and stages of development. However, they sometimes fail to prioritise consistently high-quality teaching to ensure that all children access purposeful, planned experiences that help them excel further. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders are committed to building an inclusive culture within the setting. Leaders are responsive to children's emerging needs and engage parents in discussions about how they can support. They work closely with parents who speak English as an additional language so that familiar home-language words can be used with their children. This helps children to feel secure within the setting and develop a sense of belonging. Routines and activities are adapted to ensure that all children's needs are met, including those who face barriers to learning. Staff use now-and-next and choosing boards to support children's communication. Leaders gather evidence and adopt the graduated approach to monitor children's progress, before making referrals and seeking advice from professionals and external agencies. All staff access special educational needs training to enable them to meet the needs of all children in the setting. Leaders are currently developing their provision to ensure it offers calm spaces where children can have quiet time and develop their ability to self-regulate. Leaders consider how best to use funding to ensure that disadvantaged children can make progress and have a range of opportunities and experiences that have a positive impact on their learning. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders understand the setting's strengths and have identified suitable priorities for further improvement. Leaders are ambitious for children and have introduced a suitably challenging curriculum that supports their next stages of learning. Staff access professional development designed to strengthen their ability to meet children's diverse needs. Leaders give consideration to staff workload and wellbeing, and staff report that they feel valued and supported. Positive partnerships with parents are well established and parents feel involved in their child's learning. Flexible settling-in arrangements support children's transitions, while regular conversations and updates enable parents to contribute to home learning. Leaders use additional funding to purchase resources tailored to individual needs. However, they do not evaluate precisely how this spending improves children's progress. Leaders do not currently align professional development with improvement priorities. They do not monitor closely the impact this has on practice and children's outcomes. 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 are welcomed into a safe and supportive setting, where staff know them well and build warm, responsive relationships. Flexible settling-in arrangements allow children to separate from parents with ease. Consistent daily routines help children feel secure, valued and ready to learn. Children make choices, explore the well-resourced indoor and outdoor spaces and build their physical skills. They sing songs, share stories and develop communication through purposeful interactions. They build mathematical knowledge through planned activities, such as shape bingo, and they learn through effective routines. Children become increasingly confident and independent in managing their self-care and taking part in daily routines. Staff actively adapt activities, routines and resources to remove barriers to learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children, those known or previously known to social care and children learning English as an additional language. Visual prompts, familiar home-language words and support from external agencies reduce barriers and enable children to participate. Some children would benefit from further access to quieter spaces with sensory opportunities. Children behave well, develop friendships and learn to share and work collaboratively. They learn about feelings and can manage these with growing independence. Children enjoy social mealtimes and share nutritious home cooked foods. Dietary preferences are catered for. They have opportunities to rest, and their individual sleep patterns are catered for. Overall, children belong, achieve and thrive, and are suitably prepared for their next stage of learning. Leaders and staff promote the importance of regular attendance and work closely with families to support consistent engagement. Next steps Leaders should continue to develop the provision to meet children's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to children's social care and those facing other barriers. Leaders should continue to prioritise highly effective teaching and interactions with children to ensure that all children access purposeful, planned experiences that help them to reach their full potential. Leaders should continue to develop staff knowledge to drive quality improvements across the provision, match professional learning opportunities precisely to improvement plans and monitor the effectiveness of this on practice and children's outcomes. Leaders should continue to closely evaluate the impact that additional funding has on children's progress, so that personalised provision continues to meet children's individual needs. Inspector: Janine Ryan About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2845922 Address: Unit C2 Olive Lane Waverley Rotherham S60 8GA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 14/08/2025 Registered person: Little Olives Nursery Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Rotherham Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 27 August 2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and manager, the deputy manager, practitioners and the setting's special educational needs coordinator 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. Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 13 to 47 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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