Little Petals Day Nursery

Ofsted - Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Little Petals Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2821775
Address: Occasions, 23c Wood Lane, Sonning Common, Reading, RG4 9SJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 14/02/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Hustings, Tracey
Inspection report: 2 March 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Our grades explained
Our grades explained
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.
Safeguarding standards met
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Safeguarding standards met
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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
How we evaluate safeguarding
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.
Needs attention
Achievement
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Needs attention
Achievement
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Needs attention
Children are not always effectively supported to gain secure skills and knowledge for their future learning. Children's
individual starting points are well understood, including for those who are disadvantaged. This enables many children to
access activities that build on their strengths and support their next steps. Where additional help is provided, outcomes,
particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are positive. However, some children
do not make the progress they are capable of.

Many children make steady progress in communication and language, developing vocabulary, listening skills and
confidence in expressing their ideas. Children with SEND benefit from targeted interventions that help them practise key
skills and achieve success.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
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Needs attention
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
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Needs attention
Staff do not always consider children's age, stage of development or individual needs when supporting behaviour. For
example, some staff say 'no' too often without explanation, which limits children's understanding to help them develop
self-regulation. In the younger children's room, boundaries are not reinforced reliably enough to help children learn to
collaborate and manage their emotions. Nevertheless, all children receive praise. In the older children's room, staff give
children clearer guidance and involve them positively in activities and use consistent strategies that help children
understand routines and what is expected of them. This helps them to learn and understand about turn-taking.
Leaders encourage regular attendance and help parents understand its importance. Children settle well when separating
from their parents at the door, and parents report positively on the reassurance staff provide. Across the setting,
relationships are warm, and children show that they feel safe as they play and explore within the environment. However,
the layout of the environment in the younger children's room is not always suitable in encouraging children to develop
positive attitudes to learning, as they do not have enough space to be as active as the activities require.
Children's welfare and wellbeing
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Needs attention
Children's welfare and wellbeing
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Needs attention
Most welfare practices are embedded, and overall the environment is safe. For example, cleaning materials are stored
safely, and bins do not present concerns. However, not all policies linked to welfare and wellbeing are followed
consistently. For example, younger babies have their nappies changed beside used nappies that are not disposed of
promptly, and some areas, including main rooms, hallways used for nappy changing, and the stairs, are not clean enough.
While some staff support children's self-help skills well, such as older children pouring their drinks and younger children
washing their hands with flannels, staff working with the younger children do not always ask for permission during care
routines, such as when wiping their noses.
Children's dietary needs are understood and met well. Staff supervise children appropriately, including at mealtimes and
sleep times. Children of all ages enjoy spending time outdoors, which supports their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Staff support children to manage their emotions, such as adapting routines to meet children's needs. In the older
children's rooms, staff extend learning by talking to children about keeping healthy, including how different foods
support their bodies and teeth. All children move around the environment with confidence and settle peacefully to sleep
according to their routines. Staff are deployed appropriately, and ratios are consistently met to ensure children's needs are
maintained.
Curriculum and teaching
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Needs attention
Curriculum and teaching
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Needs attention
There are inconsistencies in staff practice, meaning younger children do not always experience purposeful or high-quality
learning. Staff understand the intentions behind planned activities and use assessments and parental information to build
an awareness of what children know and can do. However, younger children do not experience an ambitious curriculum.
For example, some staff watch children rather than actively supporting play, while others continue activities without
providing the appropriate resources, such as using balls for bubble play instead of replenishing bubble mixture.
Staff communicate with the children, ask questions, model language and use sign language, supporting children's
communication and emotional confidence. In the older children's rooms, staff naturally weave mathematical ideas into
play, such as counting, comparing quantities and discussing size and shape. Older children, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from staff who are attentive and responsive to their interests. Staff in the
older children's rooms adapt activities effectively. For example, they talk to children about where planes might be
travelling and help them recall places they have visited. Staff in the older children's rooms make use of spontaneous
learning opportunities, such as when insects are found outdoors. This helps children learn about habitats and the natural
world.
Inclusion

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Needs attention
Inclusion
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Needs attention
Inclusion is not yet consistently embedded across the setting. Differences in how staff teach mean children do not always
receive consistent, high-quality inclusive learning. Although leadership and systems are clear, there are still
inconsistencies in staff practice, particularly for younger children. Staff understand the graduated approach, and this
helps ensure that adaptations and reasonable adjustments are planned for across the curriculum.
Leaders demonstrate a commitment to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
The manager takes a proactive and timely approach to identifying emerging and complex needs so that children receive
early intervention. Leaders work closely with parents, external professionals and specialist services, creating a
collaborative culture that supports positive outcomes for children with SEND. Staff understand their role in recognising
and responding to the needs of disadvantaged children and those with SEND. Systems are in place to identify concerns,
monitor children's progress and review the impact of support. Leaders use available funding, including early years pupil
premium, to target support where it is most needed. However, some staff are not fully aware of how this funding is used
for their key children, which means its impact is not always maximised.
Leadership and governance
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Needs attention
Leadership and governance
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Needs attention
Leaders recognise strengths in the environment and the commitment of the team, particularly given the number of new
staff. They are aware of inconsistencies in practice and have begun to take steps to address these. However, this is still in
its infancy. Some of these staff are new to childcare and still on induction and training programmes. They have

supervision plans in place to improve the quality of care and education, and this addresses some, but not all, areas raised
at inspection.
Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of safe recruitment procedures and follow these appropriately to ensure that
only suitable staff work with children. Leaders ensure that only nursery issued mobile phones are used on site. Staff
follow the mobile phone policy, and personal devices are stored away. Staff report that they feel supported with their
wellbeing and workloads. They take part in supervision meetings and access both online and in-house training. Some of
this training is beginning to help staff reflect more closely on children's individual needs, including recognising gaps in
development. However, not all staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders do not
always identify where targeted support is needed. As a result, children's care and learning needs are not consistently met.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
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What it's like to be a child at this setting
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Practice in the nursery is not consistent, especially within the younger children's rooms. However, most children arrive
happily and settle quickly into the nursery routine. They form warm, trusting relationships with staff, and the key-person
approach is embedded well to help them feel safe and secure. Children generally show they belong by seeking
reassurance from familiar adults and playing alongside their peers.
Children develop some positive social skills. Younger children enjoy playing alongside their peers, and older children
laugh together as they explore activities such as sand play. Some staff help children recognise and express their emotions,
which supports friendships and early self-regulation. However, staff responses to behaviour are inconsistent. Younger
children do not always receive clear explanations about what is not acceptable. As a result, expectations are not
reinforced securely, limiting the development of consistently respectful behaviour.
Children, overall, show curiosity and enjoyment as they explore the environment. However, learning experiences are not
consistently adapted to children's differing starting points. Babies in particular do not always benefit from well-organised
spaces for safe physical activity, and this limits their ability to explore confidently. While the outdoor environment is
used effectively, inconsistencies in curriculum for the younger children specifically reduce how well children achieve
across all areas.
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their starting points, but
this often occurs despite uneven teaching rather than because of consistently high-quality practice. Although children
develop early independence, such as helping themselves to drinks, teaching does not always prepare them securely for
their next steps.

Cleanliness and hygiene weaknesses show that procedures to keep children safe and well are not reliably embedded.
Although children benefit from routines such as having their hands and noses cleaned, and resources and equipment are
appropriately stored and maintained, some areas of floor space within the nursery are noticeably unclean. This
compromises the overall standard of hygiene expected in the setting.
Next steps
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Next steps
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To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the
assigned date:
Action Completion
Date
improve staff teaching and curriculum delivery so that all children are consistently engaged in
meaningful learning and staff adapt practice in the moment to support children's learning and
development
30/03/2026
develop consistent behaviour management and ensure rooms are set up to support safe, positive play and
clear routines 30/03/2026
ensure all staff follow the setting's health and wellbeing procedures consistently, and maintain hygienic,
clean environments in all areas used by children 30/03/2026
implement more targeted supervision to support staff to raise the quality of their practice 30/03/2026
About this inspection
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About this inspection

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The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the designated safeguarding leads, the special educational needs coordinator,
children, and parents on the phone 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.
We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The
provider will be able to give parents further information about this.
Inspector:
Tracy Bartholomew
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2821775
Address:
Occasions
23c Wood Lane, Sonning Common
Reading
RG4 9SJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 14/02/2025
Registered person: Hustings, Tracey
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Oxfordshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 2 March 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4

Total number of places
29
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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