URN EY556296 · Inspected 2026-09-23 · Published 2026-10-16 · Inspector: Lianne McElvaney
The Secret Garden Pre-School (Attenborough) Unique reference number (URN): EY556296 Address: The Strand, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG9 6AU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 31/01/2018 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Secret Garden Childcare Limited Inspection report: 23 September 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. Strong standard Expected standard Inclusion Strong standard Leaders are committed to providing an inclusive environment and advocate for every child. They swiftly identify any emerging needs in children's learning and development. Leaders and staff make timely referrals to other agencies, such as physiotherapists and speech and language professionals. This ensures children receive the support they need. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are provided with equipment such as specialist chairs to enable them to fully access all activities. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used to reduce the barriers to learning that children may face. They use funding to match equipment children find helpful at home, such as low-level benches so that they are able to sit while playing with sensory activities. These strategies are rigorously reviewed and monitored to ensure they continue to meet the needs of each child. Leaders ensure that practitioners have a clear understanding of the assess, plan and review cycle and how to apply this to children who may face barriers to learning. Leaders and staff regularly share information with parents and offer training and support in regard to reducing the barriers to children's learning. For example, practitioners model language activities to support speech development. Achievement Expected standard Children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make progress and learn the skills and knowledge to support their later learning, including their move on to school. They typically benefit from a well sequenced curriculum that generally provides them with the support they need to build on their existing skills. Children show positive attitudes to new learning and resilience to keep trying. They gain increasing independence in their self-care routines. For example, pre-school children put on their coats and hang them on their pegs after use. Children communicate confidently as they name the spiders and worms they have found in the garden. Staff repeat the names back to children adding descriptive words such as 'golden worm' to extend children's vocabulary. Children are curious, enthusiastic and eager to take part in activities. They play imaginatively and express their ideas confidently to friends and staff. For example, they pretend to bake in the role play kitchen and talk about using the 'oven' to cook their cakes. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children enjoy warm relationships with staff and other children. Staff encourage them to build relationships by modelling kind and caring behaviours. Children learn to work together and get along as they play and learn. Staff are clear and consistent in their expectations for children's behaviour and use effective strategies to support children in managing their emotions. For example, staff talk to children about different emotions and use stories to help children recognise how they are feeling. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully supported to play alongside their friends. For example, staff provide their favourite sensory activities to share with their friends. Children giggle with delight as they drip corn flour on to each other's fingers. Children typically demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and follow age and stage appropriate routines well. For example, they happily tidy up before lunchtime. Children confidently invite staff into their play and respond positively to the praise and encouragement they receive. Staff celebrate children's achievements and share these with parents at collection times. This promotes children's confidence and self-esteem. Attendance is rigorously monitored. Leaders promote punctuality and regular attendance to help families establish good habits that support children's learning. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders and staff use sensitive care practices that meet the personal needs of children of all ages, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children remember to wash their hands before eating and are learning to manage their own self-care with increasing independence. Younger pre-school children sleep safely as staff make regular checks and understand how to provide a suitable environment for children's sleep. They are provided with individual sheets and blankets, and staff implement safer sleeping arrangements, such as keeping children's beds free of toys to ensure their safety. Overall, children's health is appropriately considered. Staff encourage children to serve their own meals and clean their plates away after they have eaten. They provide appetising and healthy meals, cooked on the premises and offer children water to drink throughout the day. Staff know their key children well and encourage them to talk about how they are feeling and their likes and dislikes of food at lunchtime. Leaders understand the importance of children being physically active and spending time outside. Outdoor activities are planned to develop children's large muscle skills, such as climbing safely. Staff stand close by to enable children to develop an awareness of their personal safety. Additionally, children develop their smaller muscles as they roll and model dough and build models with construction materials. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have developed a logically sequenced curriculum which prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development. They know children well, including what makes them unique. Staff determine accurate next steps following regular assessments. They skilfully and thoughtfully adapt activities to enable children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to fully access all aspects of the curriculum. Staff typically implement the curriculum with meaningful experiences that promote their communication and physical development. Overall, staff utilise their knowledge of children's next steps to effectively develop their communication and language skills. For example, they skilfully use questioning to encourage children to express their own thoughts as they read stories together. However, some planned activities lack a clear learning purpose. On these occasions, staff do not consistently consider the specific knowledge or skills they want children to gain. This sometimes reduces the effectiveness of their teaching. For example, staff plan creative activities so that children can print autumn leaves. However, some staff are less clear about how they can support children make progress towards their next steps in learning or what they want children to gain from the activity. Staff sing number rhymes to support pre-school children's understanding of numbers However, they do not implement activities consistently to build on children's wider mathematical knowledge, such as quantities and their understanding of 'more' and 'less'. This means children do not consistently develop a secure and broad understanding of mathematics. Pre-school children are keen and enthusiastic to join in planned play activities such as hunting for bugs outside. They confidently lead their own play as they use magnifying glasses to examine conkers, leaves and fir cones. However, during some larger group activities, staff do not always organise these activities so children are able to listen, answer questions and take turns during conversations. Consequently, children are not always fully engaged in these activities. This means children do not always benefit fully from the staff's teaching. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders show a passionate commitment to providing high-quality care and education for children. They ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all aspects of nursery life. Leaders utilise support from other professionals, such as physiotherapists to ensure staff have appropriate skills to use specialist equipment to enable children to access different activities. Leaders are reflective, seek ways to make improvements and typically review all aspects of the nursery, demonstrating a willingness to implement improvements. Transitions for children moving into pre-school and on to school are well planned meaning children are supported to manage changes in their life confidently. This prepares them well for future learning. Staff morale is high, and leaders prioritise staff wellbeing. They receive ongoing supervision and support that helps them to understand their strengths and areas for development. Staff engage in relevant professional development and training, with regular team meetings to reflect and build on their existing knowledge. Parent partnerships are warm and effective. Parents and carers share positive feedback about the care and education their children receive. This includes the support that leaders provide in seeking additional funding and outside agency support for their children. Parents are eager to enable children to repeat learning at home as they follow guidance from staff members. 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 curious and keen to explore the nursery environment. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure at this provision as they confidently choose where they play. Children's attendance is promoted well as staff support children to happily leave their parents and seek out their friends and familiar members of staff to play together. Staff have positive and playful relationships with the children which supports children to feel secure and encourages them to become independent learners. Staff adapt the curriculum to meet children's specific needs and implement support plans for children who benefit from extra help. They use their accurate assessments of children's abilities and information obtained from parents to ensure they know children well. This enables them to monitor children's progress and plan how to help children build on what they already know and can do. Children are actively involved in their own play developing their independence. For example, they make their own play dough and engage well in new learning. They have opportunities to explore a wealth of activities that develop a broad understanding of the curriculum which prepares children well for future learning. Consequently, children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities become independent learners and make progress from their starting points. Staff effectively support children to recognise and manage their emotions as well as validating them. They listen attentively when children share their opinions about how they feel. Children know who to go to for their needs to be met, demonstrating the secure attachments children have with staff. For example, when children feel hungry while playing outside, staff ensure they have an opportunity to choose a snack. This respect for children's Inspector: Lianne McElvaney About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY556296 Address: The Strand Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG9 6AU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 31/01/2018 Registered person: Secret Garden Childcare Limited opinions validates their feelings and encourages children's independence and decision making. Next steps Leaders should support staff to consistently identify clear learning intentions for activities to ensure children's experiences are purposeful and build on their individual progress. Leaders should enhance the curriculum to include the explicit teaching of mathematics to support children to develop an understanding of a range of mathematical concepts. Leaders should support staff to improve the planning and organisation of group activities to improve children's engagement. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, children 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. Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Nottinghamshire County Council Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 23 September 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 3 Total number of places 30 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. 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