The Mulberry Bush Waterlooville

The Mulberry Bush Waterlooville
Unique reference number (URN): EY499416
Address: Waterberry Drive, Waterlooville, PO7 7UN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 13/06/2016
Registers: EYR
Registered person: The Mulberry Bush (Waterlooville) Limited
Inspection report: 30 July 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
Generally, children, including those who face barriers to their learning, make progress in all
areas of learning and development. Children develop socially and emotionally as they play
and learn together. They feel secure, safe and are confident in their environment. This
supports them as they investigate and explore. For instance, children use their senses to
examine sunflowers as they play in the mud kitchen area. They compare the prickly stem to
stinging nettles and talk about different textures. Children begin to make sense of the world
around them.
Children show increasing skills in carrying out tasks for themselves. For example, they learn
to use the toilet independently, put on their hats to protect them from the sun and self-serve
at mealtimes. This prepares them well for their next stage of learning, including going to
school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Overall, leaders and staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children are given
clear and appropriate messages about rules and boundaries, which helps them understand
what is expected of them. Typically, staff promptly identify times when children need
additional support to help them manage their emotions effectively. Positive behaviour
strategies, such as, using the dark tent, sensory lights and story sacks, help children,
including those who face barriers to their learning, regulate their emotions. This helps
children develop the skills they need to become confident learners.
Leaders and staff are reflective and seek to continually enhance the learning environment
for children. For instance, new approaches, such as smaller key groups, have effectively
supported children's behaviour and improved children's focus and attention in learning.
These strategies have a positive impact on children's behaviour and are on their way to
becoming fully embedded in children's daily routines.
Generally, staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well. They
help children recognise their emotions by labelling their feelings. Staff read stories to
children, which helps them develop their emotional literacy, empathy and understanding of
how others may feel. Staff develop secure attachments with children and help them feel
safe, valued and cared for.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
On the whole, policies and procedures to support children's health and wellbeing are
generally understood and implemented well across the setting. Children play, explore and
learn in an environment that is safe and promotes healthy lifestyles and routines. For
example, children take part in daily yoga sessions where they learn to control their breathing
and stretch their arms and legs. This supports their emotional health and promotes positive
awareness of physical activity and rest. In addition, children are given ample opportunities to

learn about healthy foods and the positive effects that eating well has on their bodies. For
example, they grow their own vegetables in the nursery allotments and staff talk to them
about healthy choices while they eat. Children learn how eating and drinking well supports
their growth, wellbeing and give them energy.
The key-person arrangements help children build positive relationships and trust in those
who care for them. Staff are kind, caring and have established genuine bonds with children
and their families. Staff recognise the importance of parental partnerships and ensure
effective communication to keep them updated with changes in routines, such as sleeping,
weaning and development. This ensures continuity in care and learning.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
On the whole, the curriculum in place is well-thought-out and considers helping children
develop their skills as they transition through the rooms. As such, children typically build on
their knowledge, supporting their individual next steps and developmental needs. Mostly,
staff understand what they are teaching children and why it is important. However, some
staff's knowledge is not secure, which can impact the delivery of intended learning. At these
times, children's learning is not supported as well.
Typically, staff know children well and plan activities that they know they will enjoy that
support their individual learning. However, there are times when some staff members do not
always recognise teaching opportunities to pursue children's interests. This can impact
children's motivation and engagement in learning experiences. Despite this, children are
curious, inquisitive and seek to find out more by asking questions.
Staff carefully interweave mathematics into children's experiences through planned activities
and their interactions. For instance, staff build towers with children and encourage them to
count the bricks, notice patterns and talk about sizes. Children make predictions as they
anticipate when the tower becomes too high and it will fall down. This helps children explore
relationships between numbers and objects.
Inclusion Expected standard
Overall, leaders and staff have created an environment that is inclusive where children,
including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities needs (SEND), and their
families are welcomed and feel valued. Typically, staff and leaders know children well and
identify children's needs swiftly. They use their professional judgement to assess children's
learning and development to ensure no emerging or changing needs are overlooked. Staff
work with parents and other professionals to create specialised plans with targeted support
that helps children make the progress they are capable of.
Staff use a range of strategies. For instance, they use signs, visual cues and routines to
help all children, including those with SEND, or those who face barriers to their learning or
wellbeing, participate in daily routines and learning. Additionally, the recent Makaton training
that staff have attended has a positive impact on reducing communication barriers. Children
begin to use signing independently, which gives them confidence and supports their
emerging speech.

Generally, leaders and staff recognise the importance of working in partnership with other
professionals to seek further guidance and advice. Leaders use additional funding precisely
to benefit outcomes for individual children. This helps children build on their skills and
prepares them for future learning.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Overall, senior leaders have effectively managed recent changes to the leadership team
with minimal impact on the day-to-day running of the nursery. However, policies and
procedures were not robustly followed, leading to breaches of requirements regarding
supporting children with known allergies. Leaders have since reviewed their policies and
implemented additional processes to ensure children are not given food or drink that they
cannot have. The improved arrangements have strengthened practice and ensure children's
needs are effectively met. Leaders are reflective and passionate about making the
necessary changes to further improve outcomes for children.
Leaders value their staff team and help them grow within the company. Staff report high
morale and feel well supported by those in charge. Leaders offer bespoke training that helps
staff enhance their skills. Staff share how recent training, such as emotional literacy support
assistance, has helped them support children's emotional needs. This has a positive impact
on children's emotional wellbeing, resilience and self-regulation.
Leaders and staff work with local schools to ensure transitions are smooth. They put in place
additional support for children who face barriers to their learning. Additionally, leaders and
staff organise parent meetings to help parents navigate and support children through this
transition. This helps prepare children and their families for the future.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are warmly greeted by friendly staff and leaders when they arrive in this nursery.
Younger children hold their arms out to staff in anticipation as they are handed over by their
parents and carers. Leaders and staff work in partnership with parents to promote regular
attendance and punctuality. Children are developing positive routines and gain a sense of
belonging as they settle into their busy yet stimulating environment.
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who
face barriers to their learning, quickly immerse themselves into play and a range of carefully
planned activities prepared by staff. For example, children eagerly take part in bucket time

Inspector:
Kelley Ellis
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY499416
activities, which help develop patience and improve their attention and focus. Staff help
children build their vocabulary as they learn new words, such as 'stretchy' and 'wriggly'. This
supports their communication and language skills well. Children enjoy being physically
active as they run around outside and play games, such as hide and seek. They build and
construct with purpose as they use bricks to build houses and towns. Children develop
positive relationships with one another.
Children engage in beach clean-up role-play activities where staff help them understand the
importance of keeping the oceans clean and disposing of waste responsibly. Children talk
about making responsible choices and putting their litter in the bin. They are gaining an
understanding of the world they live in and develop respect for nature.
On the whole, children typically demonstrate positive behaviour towards staff and each
other. Staff and leaders have high expectations for behaviour and help children recognise
what is right and what is wrong. Children learn and play in an inclusive, respectful
environment where their emotional wellbeing is prioritised by staff and leaders.
Next steps
Leaders should further develop staff knowledge of the curriculum intention so it can be
implemented more precisely and consistently.
Leaders should support staff to recognise when opportunities arise to follow children's
interests and extend their learning further.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, 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
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:
Waterberry Drive
Waterlooville
PO7 7UN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 13/06/2016
Registered person: The Mulberry Bush (Waterlooville) Limited
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 30 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
100
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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