Chipmunks Day Nursery

Chipmunks Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): EY454946
Address: 6 HERRINGSTON ROAD, DORCHESTER, DORSET, DT1 2BS
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 06/11/2012
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Chipmunks Day Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 9 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children have developed the communication and language skills they need to speak well.
They listen and engage successfully in the learning experiences prepared for them. Babies
build the social skills they need to thrive. They build the coordination they need to use their
bodies as they learn to walk, feed and play.
Children learn to sustain their concentration. They love daily circle times where they giggle
with excitement as they play games such as 'What's in the bag?' Children joyfully answer
questions about items, such as squeezy toys and slinkies. They build new vocabulary as
they listen to staff describe the items to them.
Some children also learn to sustain their focus. Through gentle back and forth interactions
with staff, they thread beads onto string with appropriate control and effort. Children are
generally motivated to try new things and take pride in their achievements.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
The provider has high expectations of children behaviour. Routines are well established and
are understood by children, staff, parents and carers. Children learn the importance of
kindness and care to one another. Staff act as positive role models to children. As children
tidy up, staff support and encourage them. This fosters a supportive, positive culture.
Staff consider children's differing needs. For instance, children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities are given supportive strategies. These ensure children do not
become overwhelmed. When this happens, children settle quickly and play alongside their
friends successfully.
Children follow instructions well. When they are getting ready for snack time, children wait
for their turn. They help with preparations by getting the tables ready for eating. Staff support
them with warm, positive relationships. This is central to the providers effectiveness in
supporting children's sense of security. This provides a calm, orderly environment in which
children feel safe. However, while staff support children to develop positive attitudes to
learning, they do not consistently plan activities that encourage children to persevere
towards a goal and think about different ways to solve problems. When this happens,
children's thinking and problem-solving skills are not fully maximised. Leader promote
regular attendance.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
The provider has developed effective key person systems. These successfully promote
warm, trusting relationships between staff, babies and children. Key to this development is
thorough information that leaders collect from parents and carers before children start at the
setting. In addition to this, parents attend with their children for settling in sessions. Staff
take time to get to know children and their families, including those at experience

disadvantage. Babies and children are confident and settle quickly. When children are
unsure, staff take time with them and build their confidence as they transition into the
setting.
Leaders and staff are attentive to safer sleeping and eating arrangements. They attend
training and apply what they have learnt to their everyday practice. These arrangements
ensure children are safe.
Children experience lots of physical activities during the day. Older children learn how to
clean their teeth. They enthusiastically use brushes and toothpaste to polish a toy
crocodile's teeth. However, while younger children enjoy healthy snacks, staff do not teach
them how these foods benefit their bodies. When this happens, children do not learn about
the importance of making healthy choices and how this contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have improved the curriculum. They have introduced consistency between all areas
of the setting. Each age group implements curriculum developmental goals. These build
sequentially on each other between each room. The curriculum focuses particularly well on
communication and language. Children love books and stories, including those children that
experience disadvantage. Across the nursery, children sustain their concentration when
listening to stories. Babies enjoy sharing books one-to-one with their key person. Younger
children listen to stories and enjoy answering questions as they look for hidden characters in
lift the flap books. Older children experience books which help them understand their
emotions.
Physical development is planned for. Children learn to balance using their core muscles
while babies learn to walk with increasing confidence. Maths is taught well through songs
and water play activities. Children enjoy calling out the number of spaceships left as they
recall familiar songs.
Occasionally, planned activities do not sufficiently consider the skills that children need to
develop. When this happens, staff's teaching skills are not focused enough on how the
activity supports children's development. For instance, some activities are focused on the
outcome of a task, rather than how the activity supports children's ongoing development.
Inclusion Expected standard
The provider identifies and supports children who experience disadvantage well. Children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities needs are observed by staff who share
concerns quickly with leaders. Leaders monitor these developmental concerns effectively.
Leaders and staff have appropriately high expectations for children. They develop bespoke
plans for children, with contributions from external agencies. Leaders have supported staff in
developing their confidence to design and follow plans. Children typically experience daily,
targeted practice in the areas that support their development. For instance, children learn to
wait their turn, speak with increasing clarity and learn simple social skills as they play with
their peers.
Staff accurately assess children's needs. They celebrate children's successes with them and

their parents and carers. Staff broadly highlight areas where children need support in their
development. Leaders have appropriate plans to improve provision further. They are
introducing assessment tools to further identify children's needs with increasing precision.
These plans are in their early stages of implementation.
Leaders use funding strategically for the benefit of individual children. They work with
parents to ensure that resources help meet children's individual needs. Staff provide daily,
ongoing feedback to children. Leaders arrange, facilitate and support parents in accessing
help from external agencies. They signpost parents in accessing help from services in the
local area, such as communication and language services.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leadership changes have had a positive impact on the provider's improvement. They are
ambitious for all children they care for. Leaders provide staff with effective support. They
monitor their strengths and areas for development. Leaders support staff with training and
practical guidance to implement what they learn in practice. The actions they have taken
have been effective. These have established improvement, particularly in their curriculum
and staff supervision.
Leaders work effectively as a team. They seek new ways to support staff to improve
practice. These include planned developments to support staff with assessment tools,
enabling them to identify children's emerging developmental needs and barriers to learning
more precisely.
Leaders broadly have an accurate analysis of their setting's strength and areas for
improvement. They demonstrate a positive attitude and desire for future development and
improvements.
Staff feel valued. Leaders take their workload into account to ensure this is manageable.
Leaders and staff engage positively and effectively with parents. Children's transitions into
the setting work well. These ensure children feel confident when they start at the setting.
Leaders also ensure that transitions to the next stage of learning is secure. To support
children with their next stage in learning, they work with local schools. For children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities, they provide detailed support to aid smooth
transitions.

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 feel cared for at this setting. Staff take care to get to know children well. They do
this through warm, caring interactions with children and regular discussions with parents and
carers. This helps children, particularly babies, to feel safe and secure. Children enjoy
learning. Staff follow the provider's curriculum guidance to plan activities that support
children's learning. Overall, children engage well in activities. Babies feel secure as they
explore puzzles with staff. Younger children experiment with different containers as they
investigate the properties of water. Older children learn about number through songs. They

Inspector:
Jonathan Payne
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY454946
confidently answer questions about how many items are left.
Children learn alongside their peers. Those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities are given the time they need to feel settled and comfortable. This helps them
focus on activities they enjoy alongside their friends, such as joyfully playing toy guitars. The
provider welcomes families warmly. Staff take time to speak with parents about their
children's day, including details about their care routines. This ensures parents are well
informed of their child's experiences development.
Children have a positive attitude to learning. They follow staff instructions well. This
contributes to a calm, purposeful atmosphere. Children know what is expected of them. Staff
praise their achievements and successes. They know children well and recognise where
children make important milestones in their development. Staff celebrate these
achievements with children and communicate these well with parents.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen teaching, so that staff consistently consider the skills children
need to develop when planning activities.
Leaders should ensure children learn how to make healthy choices which lead to lifelong
healthy habits.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with children, leaders, practitioners, special educational needs
coordinator parents and carers 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:
6 HERRINGSTON ROAD
DORCHESTER
DORSET
DT1 2BS
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 06/11/2012
Registered person: Chipmunks Day Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 18:00
Local authority: Dorset
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 9 September 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 3
Total number of places
126
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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