Shelly Tots Daycare

Shelly Tots Daycare
Unique reference number (URN): 2819439
Address: Shelly Tots Daycare, Emmanuel Church, 48 Sherrat Street, Skelmersdale, WN8 8HE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 15/01/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Swindells, Michelle
Inspection report: 15 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
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders have established a positive environment where all children, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to
learning, follow a carefully planned-out routine that is flexible and adaptable. For example,
for children who experience difficulties or challenges with transitional periods, parents are
able to change sessions and hours of attendance. As a result of this, transitions are highly
effective for all children. Children confidently access all aspects of the routine and
understand what is expected of them. They move freely between activities with confidence
and independence. As a result, children demonstrate a consistent positive attitude to
learning.
Children show care and consideration for others. They take turns and cooperate well during
activities. For example, older children support and encourage younger children during
handwashing; they share soap and help each other with washing and drying. Both staff and
children are excellent role models. Children show respect and give praise and
encouragement to staff and to each other. As a result, this nursery has developed a
harmonious and respectful culture for all.
Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. They work closely
with families where support is needed, particularly for children with SEND and children who
may face barriers to learning. Where leaders identify concerns around attendance, they
quickly made adaptations to session times and the routine. As a result, parents share that
these adaptations help to ensure that their children can attend regularly.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. Staff consistently consider the needs and
varying circumstances of all children. There are robust and effective practices that ensure
children, particularly those with additional health needs and special educational needs
and/or disabilities, receive the highest levels of care. For example, leaders and staff
complete and adapt robust care plans to meet the needs of children with specific medical
and dietary requirements.
Staff are positive role models and teach children about hygiene and healthy lifestyles. They
provide opportunities for children from a young age to become increasingly independent in
managing their personal needs. Leaders provide extensive and detailed information for
parents to support and promote healthy lifestyles at home. As a result, packed lunches
provided by parents all contain well-balanced and healthy foods.
Leaders prioritise safety and welfare in all aspects of the routine. As a result, children take
and manage appropriate risks as they play, with staff support. Other risks are minimised,
which provides a safe and secure environment for all children. For example, leaders have
introduced safety wristbands with contact details for children to wear while out in the
community. Staff follow the nursery's safer-sleep procedures. They ensure that sleeping

Expected standard
environments are safe, clean and well maintained. Staff stay with the babies and younger
children while they sleep to monitor their safety.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders provide a warm, nurturing and genuinely inclusive environment. This ensures that
every child is valued, celebrated and respected. Leaders provide flexible transitions and
adapt routines to suit children's individual needs. Leaders know children exceptionally well
and work closely with staff to identify needs, put appropriate support in place and review
progress. Leaders use additional funding to provide individualised support for children and
to deliver targeted support in specific areas of learning. As a result, children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress from their individual starting
points.
Leaders prioritise and understand the importance of working closely with families, the local
authority and external professionals to tailor individual support. They attend health and
development appointments with parents. Staff research specific conditions and request
relevant specialist training from the local nursing team to broaden their knowledge around
specific health conditions. As a result, any required adaptations are systematically and
skilfully adjusted to meet the needs of the children. Adaptations, such as the use of Makaton
signs, work well as strategies for all children. Babies use the signs during singing times and
also to request drinks throughout the day.
Leaders have high aspirations for every child. They believe that children can thrive
regardless of the barriers that they face. Leaders understand the context of their setting and
the needs of the families and children who attend. Leaders pride themselves on their
approach to providing flexibility with funded hours to support individual circumstances. As a
result, children who previously did not consistently attend the setting are now accessing
their full entitlement.
Achievement Expected standard
Children typically make secure progress in their learning. From the earliest stages, children
are provided with opportunities that support them to be ready for the next stage of their
development. For example, children in the baby room learn how to become independent as
they have a go at putting on their own shoes and help to take off splash suits. Children learn
how to become confident communicators. They typically express themselves well using
signs and words. Children develop their mathematical knowledge of size as they play.
Children learn about the importance of healthy habits, including why they should wash their
hands before meals and what foods are healthy for them to eat. Children learn about the
rules and boundaries in place at the setting, and they demonstrate a secure understanding
of them. Children build age- and stage-appropriate friendships. They learn how to play with
one another and how to be kind and caring for others. For example, older children help and
support each other to access resources; they take turns and give each other

encouragement and praise. Older children require more support, as they sometimes find it
difficult to focus their attention during group times and in busy rooms.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum that typically meets the needs of all children,
including those of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Leaders adapt the curriculum by identifying areas in which children need the most support,
ensuring that needs are identified at the earliest stages. For example, children with SEND
are provided with opportunities for sensory breaks throughout the day to support their
personal, social and emotional development.
The curriculum has been designed to promote all 7 areas of learning. From the earliest
stages, children's physical development is a key focus in learning. For example, staff
encourage early walkers to take steps independently when transitioning between routines.
Babies enjoy exploring and climbing on the indoor wooden slide and are confident
accessing wooden climbing blocks outdoors.
Communication and language is promoted across the setting. Children access books and
are read to regularly. Babies enjoy and join in with stories and rhymes. As a result, children
are typically confident communicators and have a broad range of vocabulary.
Children develop their interest in mathematics through enjoyable experiences. For example,
staff provide a painting activity with stamps in varying shapes and sizes. Children confidently
count independently as they make prints, and use language and ask questions around size
and shape.
Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching; they
identify that the curriculum is in its early stages of development. The curriculum is not yet
fully embedded across the setting consistently. Staff do not always effectively plan for small-
group activities. For example, older children do not remain engaged and lose focus while
staff sing songs and rhymes.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are ambitious for all children and have a clear and accurate understanding of the
nursery's strengths and priorities. They continuously strive to identify and take steps to
secure improvement. Leaders actively seek out the views of staff working in the rooms. For
example, as a result of staff feedback, leaders have provided staff with the opportunity to
develop an outdoor classroom to further enhance learning and development for older
children.
Leaders are passionate about providing a culture where staff feel valued and supported.
Staff morale is high. Leaders recognise the need to support less experienced staff. They
provide an open culture for communication. As a result, staff feel able to request additional
supervisions when needed. Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing. They offer team-building
sessions and monthly wellbeing days. Staff work well as a team, communicate effectively
and are good role models for all children. Leaders acknowledge that they need to

consistently build on the overall quality of the teaching and learning children receive, to
ensure that all children consistently receive high-quality teaching and learning experiences.
Leaders understand the community they serve. Partnerships with parents are well
established and effectively support children's development. Parents speak highly of leaders
and staff, expressing that leaders have created a home-from-home environment where all
parents and children are made to feel welcome. Parents speak positively about the support
they receive and feel well informed about their children's progress and experiences in the
nursery. Leaders share information with parents, such as guidance around safe sleep
procedures and healthy lifestyles, to further strengthen children's welfare and wellbeing in
the home environment. Staff provide parents with ways they can continue their child's
learning at home.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are thriving in this warm, inclusive and nurturing nursery. They arrive happy, settle
in quickly and enjoy well-established, adaptable routines. Across the nursery, children show
high levels of enthusiasm for learning, and they confidently access resources and engaging
activities. For example, babies join a parachute game and engage with action songs and
rhymes, showing deep levels of interest.
Children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who
face barriers to learning, are exceptionally well supported. Leaders and staff meticulously
ensure that barriers to learning and wellbeing are swiftly identified and addressed so that
these children are able to make secure progress. They work closely with other
professionals, seek out training and complete research to support children who require
additional tailored healthcare and medical support. As a result, children feel fully included
and develop a secure sense of belonging.
Children have positive relationships with all staff, which ensures that they feel safe, secure
and deeply valued. They learn and are encouraged to be positive role models to each other.
As a result, children are kind, caring and supportive. Children form lovely friendships and
show genuine respect to each other and staff. They typically develop the knowledge, skills
and confidence needed for their next stage of learning.
Support to enable regular attendance provides continuity in children's learning and
development. Children are provided with lots of opportunities to develop their independence,
which enables them to take on self-care routines and be advocates for their own learning.
For example, they join an adult-initiated printing activity where they are able to adapt and

Inspector:
Rebecca Daniel
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2819439
Address:
Shelly Tots Daycare
Emmanuel Church, 48 Sherrat Street
Skelmersdale
WN8 8HE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 15/01/2025
Registered person: Swindells, Michelle
Register(s): EYR
shape their own learning; children share their own ideas and independently mix colours,
make marks and explore with textures.
Next steps
Leaders should ensure that teaching in group activities enables children to build on what
they already know and supports children to sustain their engagement.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and the 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.
A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Lancashire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 15 September 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
40
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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