Children's Place Barkerend

Children's Place Barkerend
Unique reference number (URN): EY293724
Address: 365 Barkerend Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD3 8QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 24/09/2004
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: The Children's Place Ltd
Inspection report: 21 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities fully participate in all aspects of
the curriculum and learning, which helps them reach their full potential. All children make
effective progress across the curriculum, especially in communication and language. They
develop skills and knowledge for their next stage of learning, including the eventual move to
school. For example, they take responsibility for everyday tasks, such as tidying away their
toys and clearing their plates after lunch. Children develop their independence in personal
care routines and understand why good hygiene and a healthy diet is important. Children
develop a sense of community. They engage in the pretend supermarket in the home corner
and talk about visiting the supermarket with their families. Children recall where they think
food comes from, using favourite stories.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders work with parents and carers to promote children's regular attendance. Leaders
and staff have created a calm, kind and respectful environment, where families feel
welcome. They implement consistent daily routines that support children's independence
and wellbeing. This means children settle quickly and they demonstrate they feel
emotionally secure. Staff model positive behaviour and help children to understand and
regulate their emotions. They give children age-appropriate guidance while considering their
individual needs. Familiar activities promote children's sense of belonging and continuation
in their learning as they progress through the nursery. Children are generally supported well
to play alongside others and are developing secure relationships with their peers. For
example, during indoor play, staff encourage children to share their ideas during imaginative
play. Children enjoy small-group activities, where they are encouraged to take turns when
speaking and listen to others. However, staff do not promote collaboration and shared play
as successfully in the outdoor environment. For instance, staff do not encourage children to
work together on tasks outdoors.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders work with parents and carers to keep children safe and promote stable routines.
Staff are attentive, which ensures children's emotional wellbeing is promoted. Secure,
responsive relationships and attachments between children and their key person, combined
with effective care routines, such as mealtimes and sleeping, support children's individual
needs and help them to feel safe. Any accidents or incidents are reported to parents
promptly to ensure children's wellbeing is maintained.
Staff help children to understand their feelings and emotions, which means children begin to
regulate their behaviour. Staff promote children's understanding of their own personal safety,
health and hygiene through play and everyday routines. Leaders work closely with
professionals in the family hub to ensure families have the support they need to keep their
children safe and well. For instance, they provide information for parents and carers in
different languages about healthy diets and how to keep children safe online. Children

attend events at the hub, such as visits from the police or fire service, so they learn about
people in the community who keep them safe. Parents greatly appreciate the care their
children receive. They describe a loving and nurturing environment in which staff are
supportive, warm and welcoming.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
In general, leaders plan a broad and balanced curriculum and provide a learning
environment that reflects children's interests. For example, children use toy diggers in sand
to empty and fill containers and use the wheels of vehicles to make patterns in paint. Staff
complete accurate assessments to check what children already know and can do. They
identify next steps in children's learning and demonstrate a secure understanding of how
children learn. In the main, they tailor activities to children's different ages and stages of
development. However, not all parents receive information consistently about their children's
next steps and the curriculum so that they can continue to promote their children's learning
at home.
Staff introduce mathematical concepts, such as comparing sizes of objects and finding
shapes in the patterns children paint. Toddlers enjoy rhymes, where they learn to count.
Children listen to stories, where staff model new words for them, such as giraffe and
elephant. Staff when reading with older children pause so that children can complete familiar
phrases and think about what might happen next. Staff use props, such as puppets and a
'singing box', to ensure that all children, particularly those who struggle to communicate
verbally, can participate fully in activities.
Overall, staff promote children's personal, social and emotional development effectively. This
means children are developing skills they need for the larger social environment of school.
However, staff do not implement the curriculum as effectively in the outdoor environment in
order to extend children's learning and promote cooperative play. For example, staff do not
help children to share their real-life experiences during their play or build on their
mathematical knowledge during construction activities.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders work in partnership with parents, carers and other professionals successfully to
ensure the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are
identified promptly and assessed accurately. They take effective action to reduce barriers to
children's learning and wellbeing through tailored support, and reasonable adjustments. For
instance, staff use visual timetables to help children understand daily routines. Children with
SEND, including those with complex medical needs, are supported well, enabling them to
make meaningful progress. Leaders use funding effectively to enhance children's learning
and wellbeing and carefully monitor the impact on children's progress. For example, a
'sensory den' provides children with a quiet, calm space when they feel overwhelmed. This
helps children regulate their behaviour. 'Treasure baskets' provide sensory experiences for
children who like to explore using touch. Interactive and tactile books encourage children's
love of stories. Leaders ensure key staff have the knowledge, understanding and experience

to meet children's needs, such as training on tube feeding, or supporting children who have
adverse childhood experiences.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have overseen recent changes to management and staffing well, with priority given
to staff induction, workload and wellbeing. Staff are positive and feel supported. They have
access to professional development opportunities and continually build on their knowledge
and skills. Leaders make decisions, working in partnerships with other professionals that are
in the best interests of all children, particularly those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.
For example, leaders use additional funding effectively to meet children's individual needs
and assess the impact of their decisions. They have found that targeted support has
enhanced children's communication skills and helped them regulate their behaviour more
successfully.
Leaders have regular discussions with schools to ensure children have the skills they need
to enter the school setting. They consult with key staff to ensure a smooth transition into
school for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders understand
the strengths of the setting and have plans for further improvement. For instance, they
intend to reintroduce a forest school and trips off the premises to extend children's learning
experiences. Partnerships with parents could be strengthened further to support continuous
improvement as they have few opportunities to share their views about the setting.
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 safe, secure and cared for in this nurturing environment. Where they quickly
form strong, trusting relationships with staff, who greet them with a smile and a cuddle when
they arrive each day. Parents comment that children's transition into the setting is planned
well, which means they settle quickly. Children are prepared for their next steps, including
school. They demonstrate confidence, independence and pleasure in their learning. For
example, toddlers enjoy singing familiar rhymes and listening to favourite stories. Barriers to
children's learning are reduced, which means they make effective progress from their
individual starting points, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
For instance, playrooms are organised to give children plenty of room so that those who
struggle with mobility can move around easily. Children receive additional support from
dedicated staff to ensure they can participate in activities, such as negotiating steps and
slopes in the garden.
Children's backgrounds and life experiences are taken into account. For instance, staff talk
to children about their experiences of travelling by train. Staff learn some key words in sign
language to better support children who use sign language at home. Children's home
languages are also used during their play and learning, which supports them to
communicate their wants and needs more easily. Attendance and punctuality are actively
promoted, and leaders work hard to ensure children benefit from the educational
opportunities on offer. Staff help children recognise and manage their emotions, which
means children have the skills to regulate their behaviour. Generally, children are developing
their social skills and building secure relationships with their peers.

Inspector:
Nicola Dickinson
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY293724
Address:
365 Barkerend Road
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD3 8QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 24/09/2004
Registered person: The Children's Place Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen the links between nursery and home, ensuring parents have
clearer information about their children's next steps and the curriculum to promote
continuity in children's learning
Leaders should support staff to implement the curriculum effectively outdoors, to fully
promote children's cooperative play and sustained learning
Leaders should strengthen parental engagement so that all parents can share their views
and contribute to the ongoing drive for improvement across the nursery.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with the leaders, nominated individual, designated lead for
safeguarding, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, parents and children 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.

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Bradford
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 21 January 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
62
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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