URN EY552131 · Inspected 2026-09-28 · Published 2026-10-21 · Inspector: Chelsea Woollard
Little Blossoms Nursery School Unique reference number (URN): EY552131 Address: St Barnabas Church Hall, Mount View, Southdown, Bath, BA2 1JX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 29/08/2017 Registers: EYR Registered person: Little Blossoms Nursery School Ltd Inspection report: 28 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 Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders and staff place children's wellbeing at the heart of their practice. They know children well and use this to adapt care routines and the environment to ensure they meet children's individual needs effectively. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing and those who are known to social care. Leaders have formed robust partnerships with parents and carers and regularly share information to ensure staff are kept up to date with any changes to children's routines. Leaders work alongside community initiatives to signpost parents to support when needed. This promotes the wellbeing of children and families. Children begin to learn about their emotions and how they feel. Staff read stories and label the emotions that the characters may be feeling, such as happy and sad. Staff have clear knowledge of how to keep children safe, such as during sleep times and when children are eating. Leaders have recently introduced gymnastic sessions. They recognise that those children who like to climb need to learn how to do this safely. Outside, children relish in the space to freely move, engage with activities and develop their large- muscle skills. Children enjoy healthy snacks and develop their self-care skills excellently. Staff help children to understand the link between healthy foods and the effect they have on their bodies. Children attend to their own toileting needs and staff promote the importance of privacy during nappy-changing times. Inclusion Strong standard Staff gather detailed information from parents and carers and use this to precisely identify children's individual needs from the start. This helps leaders to implement effective, targeted and consistent support to ensure children make progress from their starting points. Leaders use self-reflection well to identify any adaptations that can be made to help children progress and participate in their learning more consistently. For example, they have recently made the story space more accessible. This has positively impacted on children's engagement during these times, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders and staff implement swift support for children. They target training excellently to ensure children benefit. For example, staff have completed training on attachment-based play, to help build positive relationships. This provides nurturing support for children during weekly groups that focus on emotional security and wellbeing. This helps to minimise barriers to children's learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders work closely with families and discuss how additional funding is going to be used in the best interests of the children. Leaders have formed robust partnerships with both external professionals and parents and carers. This provides consistency in the support provided for children and families. Leaders reach out to the local community and make the most of local initiatives to support families, including local charity shops and food banks. Parents deeply value and recognise the support provided as 'genuine care'. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children achieve well from their starting points across all areas of the curriculum, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing and those who are known to social care. This means that children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Children who have recently started walking smile proudly as they walk and explore their space. Older children use balancing beams and demonstrate their confidence and stability. Children show their emerging focus and hand strength, as they spend time concentrating on their drawings holding pencils confidently. They explore the concept of measure, when measuring their arms and those of their peers. Babies confidently babble and point as they begin to communicate. Older children enjoy conversations with their peers and staff. Children demonstrate steady progress with their communication skills. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Staff offer children praise and encouragement, to help build children's confidence and self- worth. For example, children receive a certificate for their participation in autumn activities. Children are proud of their achievements. Children form friendships with their peers and work collaboratively. For instance, children use various tools to wash their cars and fix them at their pretend garage. They use phrases such as, 'We are team.' Babies form secure bonds with staff. They begin to interact with each other as they develop their emerging friendships. Staff typically support children to develop positive attitudes and respectful relationships with others. Staff are positive role models and reinforce expectations of behaviour, such as turn- taking. Children wait for their peers and say 'you go first' when self-serving their lunch. However, on occasion, strategies used to support children are not yet fully embedded. As a result, at times, expectations are not as clear for children. This does not fully support transitions or help children to understand what is happening next. Leaders promote attendance through regular monitoring and daily checks on children who do not arrive when expected. Leaders have established highly effective partnerships with parents and carers. This promotes the importance of punctuality and regular attendance in order to instil positive habits for the future, such as school. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard The curriculum is well sequenced and generally provides clear intent for children's learning, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or barriers to their learning. Staff know children well and tailor activities to suit their needs and abilities. All children access an inclusive curriculum. Staff typically promote children's communication and language well. They use what they have learned from sign language training to help babies begin to communicate their needs. However, at times, staff do not make the most of their interactions with children during child- led play to support their spontaneous learning moments. This does not consistently help children to build on their skills and learning. Leaders use language screening tools to help identify gaps in children's language from the earliest opportunity. They provide targeted language support groups to help begin to close gaps in children's development quickly. Leaders have recently implemented a new library system, helping children to develop their early literacy skills and love of books. Staff weave mathematics into everyday routines. For example, during snack time, staff write how many plates children need and how many slices of toast they can independently self- serve. During stories, staff count objects, thus exposing babies to the concept of number. Personal, social and emotional development is a priority for this setting. Staff provide opportunities for children to explore their emotions and attend nurture groups, supporting children to regulate their feelings. Children develop their social interactions while out in the community, as they begin to learn about people who help them, as well as diversity and culture in their local area. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have built effective partnerships in the local community. Children enjoy visits to local farms, shops and theatres. This helps them to develop new knowledge and experiences in their local community. Children benefit from leaders' and staff's partnerships with parents and carers. Parents are welcomed to sports days, stay-and-play sessions and enjoy the Christmas shows. Regular sharing of information between home and the setting provides consistency in children's learning. For example, children enjoy taking home books from the library to share with their parents. Parents comment positively on the safe, nurturing and supportive environment. Leaders ensure staff wellbeing is a priority. Staff report they feel valued and enjoy their roles. Leaders help to reduce staff workload by using effective monitoring and self- evaluation. Staff benefit from opportunities to develop their practice through targeted training. For example, staff have completed forest school training, which has had a positive impact on all children's learning outside. However, leaders have not yet identified that some strategies used to support children's understanding of expectations are not yet fully embedded into daily practice. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children feel safe and secure at this setting. Babies smile happily as they enjoy cuddles and play with staff. Enthusiastic staff greet children warmly and attend to their needs swiftly. This helps children to feel a deep sense of belonging, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Children form close bonds with staff and their peers. Babies seek out familiar staff when they need a little reassurance and older children confidently ask for support when needed. Leaders work closely with families to promote the importance of attendance and punctuality. Families feel valued and well supported. Children engage and explore through the varied activities and resources available to them. Babies enjoy a story read by staff who keep their focus through their fun and engaging interactions. Babies point to the book and watch as staff read to them. Outside, children practise their coordination and large-muscle skills. They ride bicycles, run and enjoy building towers. Children develop their small-muscle skills, concentration and focus when painting. During small-group times, children relish in the responsibility of leading games and recall previous games they have played. This means children remember what they have learned previously. Children make steady progress from their starting points, including those with SEND, those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, and those who are known to social care. Children develop excellent independence skills. Babies learn to feed themselves, explore and begin to make choices. Older children help themselves to their snack, spread their own butter and begin to dress themselves. For example, children eagerly comment they can take my own shoes off themselves. This supports their confidence and self-esteem. Next steps Leaders should help staff to strengthen their interactions with children during child-led play, to further build on their learning and development. Leaders should develop the use of chosen strategies, such as visual aids and timers, in their daily routines to fully embed children's understanding of routines and behaviour. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders and children, and parents and carers shared their views, 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. Inspector: Chelsea Woollard About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY552131 Address: St Barnabas Church Hall Mount View, Southdown Bath BA2 1JX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 29/08/2017 Registered person: Little Blossoms Nursery School Ltd Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:00,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00 Local authority: Bath and North East Somerset Council Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 28 September 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 32 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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