Noah's Little Ark day Nursery

Noah's Little Ark day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2813364
Address: 529 Harborne Park Road, Birmingham, B17 0PS
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 27/11/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Cohesive Care 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.

Expected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff provide a calm environment for children, with clear expectations for
behaviour and familiar routines. Staff support children to understand which part of the
routine comes next by showing children visual aids to help them transition to the next part of
the day. Children behave well in this setting. Staff know children well, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and recognise when they may need
additional support. For example, staff identify when children become upset and use the
sensory room to support them with targeted strategies to help them regulate their emotions.
Overall, children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Children cooperate,
take turns and show kindness to each other. For example, staff support older children to
take turns to walk across stepping stones in the outdoor area. Leaders and staff have
implemented an effective key-person system, which enables children to form secure
attachments and develop a sense of belonging at the setting. Staff respond sensitively to
children and, when needed, provide children with reassurance.
Leaders monitor children's attendance closely. They follow up consistently with parents and
carers when unknown absences occur. Leaders work closely with families to identify and
remove any barriers to attendance and complete home visits where appropriate to ensure
children remain safe.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to understand and meet children's
individual needs. For example, leaders complete home visits for new children to identify
starting points and strategies to help them settle. Children form positive relationships with
staff, which helps them to feel safe, secure and valued. Staff typically support children's
emotional wellbeing through warm and nurturing interactions. For example, staff share the
story of 'The Colour Monster' to help children recognise their own feelings.
Leaders and staff ensure health and hygiene practices are embedded. Children wash and
dry their hands independently using soap. Mealtimes are generally a sociable experience for
children. Staff encourage children to pour their own drinks and incorporate key words from
children's home languages to support those children who speak English as an additional
language. Shared laughter and positive interactions between staff and children help children
feel settled in the setting. Leaders and staff have a sound understanding of safer sleep and
eating practices.
Children have regular experiences to develop their physical skills. Staff support children to
negotiate obstacle courses and use construction blocks to build objects in different ways.
Leaders and staff provide children with regular experiences outside of the setting, such as
going on a 'nature walk', to help children develop their gross motor skills in a larger
environment.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff understand how to identify children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND), as well as those with other barriers to their learning. They work closely
with parents by completing initial home visits to establish children's starting points and
identify the support they require. Leaders and staff work closely with external professionals
and agencies to implement targeted support that helps children to make progress. For
example, staff use 'sensory circuit breakers' to help children regulate how they are feeling
and engage in activities. Leaders work with external professionals to review each child's
support plan and identify when further support may be required.
Staff have a clear understanding of children's individual needs. They generally adapt
routines and activities to support children with SEND and those with other barriers to
learning. For example, staff sensitively support children with SEND to take part in activities
outdoors when they recognise that children are no longer able to maintain their focus during
group time. Leaders and staff use information gathered from observations and assessments
to make adaptations to the environment that support children's individual learning styles. For
example, leaders update areas of the setting to provide children with resources they can
post objects into and pour water into as they explore how things move through tubes and
tunnels.
Additional funding is used effectively. Leaders use funding to provide children with SEND
and other barriers to learning with enhanced staff support, enabling them to access a range
of different learning experiences. Leaders also ensure that funding is used to provide
children with a broad range of experiences. For example, children access multilingual
singing and rhyme sessions to support those who speak English as an additional language.
Leaders and staff generally support children who speak English as an additional language.
Leaders provide all staff with a list of key words from children's home languages to
incorporate into their everyday practice. This helps children to feel safe and valued and
supports them to develop a sense of belonging. Staff use visuals with all children to help
them understand and prepare for the next part of the routine.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
The effectiveness of leadership has strengthened considerably since the last inspection.
Leaders have worked effectively with the local authority to address weaknesses promptly
and improve oversight of the setting.
Leaders have clear recruitment procedures in place to ensure staff are suitable for their
roles. They provide regular supervision opportunities to identify ways staff can further
improve their practice. Leaders provide frequent professional development opportunities,
such as training to develop staff's understanding of how to promote children's welfare. They
accurately reflect on the provision and recognise that their ambitions for the curriculum are
at the early stages of being implemented effectively. Staff say that they feel positive about
their roles and the support they receive. They feel able to talk to leaders, which promotes
their wellbeing.

Needs attention
Leaders understand the unique needs of families who attend the setting. They work with
external professionals to ensure children and their families receive the most appropriate
support at the earliest opportunity. Leaders support families to engage with the setting by
attending coffee mornings and, where appropriate, supporting them to access a food bank.
They have plans to further strengthen partnerships with parents. Parents say that they
receive effective communication from the setting and have formed positive relationships with
their child's key person. Leaders use additional funding appropriately to ensure children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning
are well supported.
Since the last inspection, there was a significant event where leaders did not notify Ofsted,
which is a requirement of their registration. However, appropriate action was taken to
address this and mitigate any potential risk to children.
Achievement Needs attention
Children's progress and achievement vary because the quality of teaching is not yet
consistent. At times, children are not fully supported to extend their thoughts and ideas.
They have limited opportunities to hear repeated words to help them develop their
vocabulary. Children are not always given sufficient opportunities to practise, refine and
embed new skills and knowledge. They do not reach their potential across all 7 areas of
learning due to learning not being closely matched to children's individual needs.
Children have regular opportunities to develop their fine and gross motor skills. They
manipulate dough in different ways using their hands and tools. Children make large marks
as they paint outdoors and are confident to make their own choices as they decide which
colour to use. Children develop early role play skills as they pretend to feed baby dolls.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to access all areas
of the setting.
Curriculum and teaching Needs attention
Leaders have developed an appropriate curriculum that promotes the 7 areas of learning.
They recognise that the curriculum and teaching are not yet well embedded for children and
that this work remains at an early stage.
Staff typically promote children's early language skills by singing familiar rhymes and
sharing stories. They encourage children to recall different characters from stories and take
turns as they pass puppets around the group. However, staff do not adapt group activities to
the individual age and stage of each child's development. They do not recognise when
children lose focus. As a result, children sit for prolonged periods. Staff do not consistently
have a clear understanding of how planned activities support individual children to make
progress in their learning. While staff do identify children's next steps, the next steps
identified are not always specific enough to help them prepare for the next stage. As a
result, opportunities to extend children's learning and thinking are sometimes missed.

Staff interact with children in a warm and nurturing manner. However, staff do not ensure
interactions are sharply focused on supporting children's communication and language. For
example, children are sometimes asked questions that are closed and do not allow them to
use their knowledge and learning. This does not provide children with the opportunity to
think of their own ideas and expand their vocabulary. Interactions and teaching focus on
what children already know. For example, children enthusiastically take part in imaginative
play as firefighters. Staff do not use this opportunity to broaden children's knowledge. Staff
provide children with a variety of different learning experiences. Overall, activities provided
are based on children's interests, and children show varying levels of engagement.
However, the quality and amount of learning experiences available for children to access in
the afternoon reduces. As a result, there are several children who wander around the
setting.
There are positive examples of teaching. Staff promote children's mathematical
development as they explore how buckets become 'full' and 'empty' in the outdoor area.
Overall, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported as staff
provide sensory experiences for these children, such as water play, and deploy themselves
effectively as they encourage children to join in with other activities available.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children do not always experience teaching and experiences that are tailored to prepare
them for their next stage in learning. Staff do not always provide children with interactions
that extend their thinking. For example, there are occasions where children are asked
closed questions and asked to repeat words back to staff. Most children generally listen and
join in with group-time activities as they are encouraged to join in with singing familiar songs
and rhymes. However, children are required to sit for prolonged periods and, as a result,
some lose their focus and disengage. Overall, children are confident to access all areas of
the setting and make independent choices. However, staff provide fewer focused learning
opportunities for those children who attend an afternoon session.
The leadership team has made improvements since the last inspection. Children are happy
and settled at this setting. Settling-in sessions and home visits carried out with families help
children to feel safe and emotionally secure when they start attending the setting. They have
formed positive relationships with their key person as they confidently separate from their
parents and carers. Children are encouraged to identify how they feel as they read stories
linked to emotions, such as 'The Colour Monster'. They understand what is expected of
them as staff ensure routines are well embedded. For example, children line up calmly as
they wait their turn to wash and dry their hands independently before mealtimes. Children

are encouraged to develop their independence as they pour their own drinks from jugs.
Children's welfare is prioritised as leaders regularly monitor children's attendance.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other barriers to their
learning are supported well. They respond to visual prompts, which are used consistently
and help them to understand what comes next. All children, including those with SEND,
benefit from a calm and supportive environment. Staff continually reflect on how routines
and the environment can be adapted to meet individual needs. For example, staff recognise
when children may benefit from accessing a quieter area of the environment to prevent them
from becoming distressed. Children's individual learning styles are considered, and
adaptations are made where appropriate. For example, staff provide further resources that
support a child's interest in objects that rotate. Staff also learn key words and phrases to
support those children who speak English as an additional language.
Children develop positive relationships with each other. They laugh with each other and
engage in conversations. They have regular opportunities to develop their fine motor skills
as daily activities are provided where children are encouraged to manipulate dough.
Children are encouraged to develop their gross motor skills as they climb over stepping
stones. Parents praise the support they receive from leaders and staff, as they share how
their child's key person supports them to make progress.
Next steps
To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the
following actions by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
adapt group activities to ensure staff keep children
engaged and respond promptly to extend their learning
and understanding
20/11/2026
improve the quality of teaching to ensure learning is
consistently matched to children's individual starting
points and prepares each child for the next stage of
their own learning
20/11/2026
improve the implementation of the curriculum to ensure
staff consistently promote communication and language
throughout the day and provide equally rich learning
experiences across all sessions.
20/11/2026

Inspector:
Joe Groom
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2813364
Address:
529 Harborne Park Road
Birmingham
B17 0PS
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 27/11/2024
Registered person: Cohesive Care Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Birmingham
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
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and a 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.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
45
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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