The Marlow Riley Park Day Nursery & Pre-School

The Marlow Riley Park Day Nursery & Pre-School
Unique reference number (URN): EY409400
Address: Crown Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2QG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 06/05/2010
Registers: EYR, CCR
Registered person: Poppies Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 30 January 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
Achievement Strong standard
All children make consistently strong progress across the curriculum due to the access they
have to a wide range of activities that staff plan effectively for them. Children engage highly
in activities that support their learning and development. From a young age, children show
confidence with managing their self-care needs and completing tasks independently. For
example, older children are highly focused as they use toothbrushes to clean dirt from
laminated teeth. As they complete this task, staff ask questions to make children think about
the importance of oral hygiene. Children respond and show they understand which foods
are good and not so good for their teeth.
Children are independent, motivated learners who engage confidently with both adult-led
and self-chosen activities. Younger children are sensitively encouraged to repeat words,
while older children benefit from highly effective, targeted support to extend their speech
and language skills. Older children are highly engaged as they take part in small-group-time
activities to promote the pronunciation of different sounds. Children build their vocabulary,
joining in with singing and rhymes that are woven throughout the day. This helps children to
be very well prepared for the next stage of their learning and for the transition to school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Staff create an environment that is warm, welcoming and nurturing, giving all children a
strong sense of belonging. Staff provide consistent reassurance and gentle reminders to
help children understand what is expected of them. They sensitively offer alternative choices
when children need support to make positive decisions.
Relationships between staff and children are exceptionally strong. Children seek out staff for
comfort and reassurance, demonstrating high levels of emotional security. Children build
positive and supportive relationships with one another. Even the youngest children show
delight when seeing their friends and greet each other happily as they arrive. Older children
play cooperatively, demonstrating kindness and helping each other during shared activities.
Staff tailor their support for children's behaviour to children's individual age, stage of
development and personal needs. Younger children are guided through effective use of
distraction techniques. For example, when younger children want to throw toys, staff provide
them with soft balls to throw instead. Older children receive clear and age-appropriate
explanations about expectations and behaviour. As a result, children are beginning to
understand and manage their emotions. They respond positively and develop high levels of
self-control.
Parents are supported to ensure children have regular attendance, helping them to build
routines and consistency, which has a positive impact on children's learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Strong partnerships with parents ensure children's individual needs are understood. Staff
use information gathered when children first start effectively, enabling key persons to form
secure attachments and support children's emotional stability by following routines from
home. For example, staff regularly communicate with parents to match children's sleep
times and weaning stage. The key-person system is highly effective. Children demonstrate a
strong sense of security and trust, settling quickly and seeking comfort from familiar adults
when needed.
Staff promote children's physical development, personal safety and wellbeing through
careful, consistent planning for this. As a result, children develop early awareness of how to
keep themselves healthy and safe. Children run and climb in the garden using their
imagination as they play. Younger children laugh as they run up and down ramps indoors
and wait for their friends to finish before they have their turn. Children learn how to manage
their self-care needs independently. For example, children understand when they need to
wash their hands, and from a young age self-serve their food at mealtimes.
Staff encourage, support and provide children with the time and space needed to express
their emotions, and children are beginning to show they can manage these in appropriate
ways.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders and managers have created an ambitious curriculum that is designed and
implemented effectively to provide broad and balanced experiences for children that meet all
areas of learning and development. They make well-informed decisions to drive continual
improvement. Leaders have established clear expectations for what children should learn
and how this learning will be achieved. Planning is firmly rooted in children's next steps,
enabling them to make the best possible progress.
Staff plan a broad and well-sequenced range of activities that deepen children's learning
and help them embed new knowledge. Support for communication and language is a
notable strength. Staff routinely ask purposeful questions that encourage children to think
about what they are doing and why, and they support children to use their critical thinking
skills when problem-solving. In addition, staff give children the time they need to process
their thoughts and respond. Additionally, staff use simple signing effectively with younger
children to further support communication.
Mathematical development is embedded well across the provision. For example, when using
play dough, staff model and reinforce mathematical language linked to size, number and
quantity, helping children develop secure early mathematical understanding.
Children's personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. As a result, children
feel safe, secure and happy. They understand different types of relationships and know who
they can go to for comfort and support. Children play well both alongside and with each
other, developing early social skills and building relationships.

Leaders and staff know the children extremely well and are highly effective in adapting
teaching to meet their individual needs. This includes children with barriers to their learning,
such as special educational needs and/or disabilities. Reasonable adjustments are made
thoughtfully and consistently. Because staff understand each child's individual needs,
interactions and teaching approaches are tailored to ensure all children can access the
curriculum and make strong progress.
Inclusion Strong standard
Through regular observations and assessments, staff have a secure understanding of each
child's individual needs, and they use this knowledge effectively when planning learning
experiences. As a result, children benefit from well-targeted support that promotes their
ongoing progress.
Observations and assessments are used to identify any emerging gaps in learning. Staff are
quick to respond, adapting teaching and planning to meet identified needs. Barriers to
children's learning are carefully considered during planning, and strategies are implemented
to minimise these effectively. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
receive the targeted support needed to ensure they progress to the best of their ability.
Effective partnership working with parents and other agencies provides children with the
consistency they need to further their development. Managers have a secure knowledge of
funding entitlements and how this can be used to provide children with additional resources
and/or experiences to support them to progress further. As a result, children receive the
individualised support they require to succeed.
Partnerships with parents are strong, and staff gather information about children to identify
any potential barriers to learning. Staff work closely with families to ensure that children
experience consistent approaches both at home and within the setting. This collaborative
working supports children's continuous progress and enhances their overall development.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders and managers effectively evaluate the care and learning experiences provided for
children and identify areas for development. Staff feel valued, listened to and confident in
approaching the management team with any concerns. Regular one-to-one meetings
ensure that staff's wellbeing is supported and training opportunities identified. As a result,
staff benefit from targeted training. For example, recent training means staff have received
support that has strengthened their understanding and delivery of the curriculum.
Managers promote an inclusive ethos and have a secure understanding of the barriers that
may affect children's learning and development. Staff focus closely on children's individual
needs and provide tailored support for children and their families. Effective working with
other agencies ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
receive the support and help needed to progress and meet their development goals.

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 very settled and have developed strong, trusting relationships with staff who
know them exceptionally well. As a result, children feel safe and secure, which gives them
the confidence to explore the environment, resources and thoughtfully planned activities.
They enjoy the experiences offered to them and show high levels of engagement, becoming
independent learners who are well supported by staff.
Staff have a strong understanding of each child's starting points, prior experiences,
individual needs and barriers to learning, such as special educational needs and/or
disabilities. This enables them to plan effectively for the next stage in each child's learning
and development. From a young age, children are given frequent opportunities to be
independent. Staff encourage them to have a go during activities, helping them to develop
resilience and preparing them well for their next steps. There is a clear and consistent focus
on communication and language across the setting. Children show a love of books and
singing, and staff skilfully introduce new vocabulary and extend children's sentences by
adding one or more words. For example, while completing activities, staff ask children
questions that support them to make decisions and problem-solve. While younger children
are eating, staff introduce them to words such as 'crunchy'.
Because of this high-quality support, children develop age-appropriate knowledge and skills.
Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to reduce barriers to children's
learning and wellbeing, adapting activities and routines where needed so all children can
participate fully. Older and younger children enjoy learning alongside one another. They are
building positive peer relationships, and staff support them sensitively to share and take

Inspector:
Nicky Butler
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY409400
Address:
Crown Road
Marlow
Buckinghamshire
SL7 2QG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 06/05/2010
Registered person: Poppies Day Nurseries Limited
turns. Staff model positive behaviour and language, and children behave well. Children also
benefit from consistent encouragement to use good manners and show respect for others.
Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance. They provide support to help
families establish good routines so that children benefit from consistency and learning
opportunities.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of all children.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff 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.

Register(s): EYR, CCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Buckinghamshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 30 January 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
57
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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