Castle Lane Day Nursery

Castle Lane Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): EY372240
Address: Castle Lane Nursery, 9 Great Bowden Road, MARKET HARBOROUGH, Leicestershire, LE16
7DE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 25/04/2008
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Castle Lane Day Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 3 March 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Strong standard
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.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders ensure that there is a consistent and clear approach to expectations for children's
behaviour. Children and babies, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND), follow shared routines. They know what will happen next, which helps
them to cope with transitions from one activity to another. For example, discussion and
visual timetables are used to illustrate what they are experiencing now and what they will
move on to.
Older children explain the 'golden rules' of kindness, listening and sharing during group time.
Staff rarely need to remind children of the boundaries as they cooperate with each other and
learn to take turns while they play. They support children to manage their own behaviour.
For example, they do not immediately intervene, allowing children time to reach an
agreement while taking turns to be the driver on a pretend bus. When needed, they make
suggestions for solutions. Staff model a positive, calm and patient approach, which children
respond well to. For instance, young children wait their turn for snack and make choices
independently. Staff adapt group sessions to ensure that these meet the needs of all
children, whatever their ages and stages of learning. For example, younger children take
part in smaller groups. Older children pay attention throughout their time together as staff
know when to draw this to a close. Staff ensure that parents understand the importance of
regular and punctual attendance so that children benefit from a wealth of experiences.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children enjoy nutritious, home-made meals in a calm, secure atmosphere. Mealtimes are
sociable occasions. Staff closely supervise babies to feed themselves. They ensure that
food is served safely for babies' stages of weaning. Toddlers and young children show high
levels of independence when they clear away plates and wash their hands and faces,
checking in the mirror that they have done a good job. Those who are reluctant to try new

Expected standard
foods are sensitively supported to do so. Staff work with parents to help children explore
different types of food at home.
Staff are supportive partners with parents. For example, staff advise them about children's
toilet training and positive sleep habits. Babies and toddlers enjoy peaceful spaces and are
closely monitored as they take a nap. Staff know individual sleep routines well, which means
they support them to rest after being active. Children have a wealth of opportunities for fresh
air and exercise, including at forest school, where the natural environment supports their
wellbeing. For example, children learn to listen while they focus quietly on birdsong. Babies
benefit from plenty of space to crawl and develop their walking skills. Staff sit opposite each
other and encourage babies to walk between them to build their confidence. Older children
learn yoga moves to practise stretching and balancing.
Caring staff build positive relationships with all children, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and encourage friendships to blossom. They
use attractive resources, such as emotion monsters, to illustrate emotions to children of all
ages and stages so that they learn to express their feelings and recognise those of others.
Key persons understand children's unique qualities and care and learning needs, including
those with SEND and those known or previously known to social care. Babies seek out staff
for reassurance, and children spontaneously hug them to share their joy. Staff offer specific
praise for children's efforts and celebrate their achievements frequently.
Achievement Expected standard
Babies and children demonstrate a love of books. Babies turn the pages of board books
confidently. Older children join in happily with the refrains from their favourite stories.
Children demonstrate their physical skills. For example, they scoop rice up skilfully with
spoons and brush dolls' 'teeth' vigorously with toothpaste and a toothbrush in a water tray.
This helps develop their small hand muscles and strength for tasks. Babies have a go at
brushing dolls' hair, strengthening their grip while they use real hairbrushes. They
investigate the play environment confidently and safely as they crawl and take early steps.
Toddlers balance and push themselves along on scooters outdoors.
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND),
develop skills they will need for the next stage of their learning, including the eventual move
to school. They communicate their needs and share their ideas. For instance, children with
SEND make their wishes known through gestures, signs and visual aids.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to help ensure a shared understanding about what
staff want all children to achieve, including disadvantaged children and those known (or
previously known) to social care. The development of children's confidence, independence
and a positive attitude to learning are priorities. Overall, staff plan activities that engage
children's curiosity and promote their learning needs in readiness for future learning. For

example, older children explore their creativity and practise their fine motor skills, using glue,
scissors and craft materials. They concentrate for significant periods of time as staff sit close
by providing a commentary for their play. Babies sway to the songs that staff weave
throughout their activities. They smile to show their enjoyment and recognition of familiar
rhymes. Staff provide structured support for children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities. For instance, they encourage children to make choices from real objects, before
moving on to pictures.
Typically, staff understand the importance of supporting the development of children's
communication and language skills and tailor activities to include everybody. Children of all
ages benefit from group time, when they excitedly identify objects selected from inside.
Babies bang happily on the lid of the container showing their interest, while older children
take turns to answer, 'What is in the bucket?' On occasion, staff do not build as effectively on
what children already know. For example, they sometimes focus on identifying and writing
letters rather than continuing to establish and extend vocabulary, including mathematical
language. Staff generally encourage children to practise counting and identify shapes and
sizes as they play.
Inclusion Expected standard
Staff work closely with parents and carers from the start to identify and assess where
children have additional needs, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) and those facing other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. They
ensure that they establish trusting relationships and provide support at times of change.
Some examples of circumstances that staff recognise may impact on children include house
moves, new babies and bereavement. They choose books and stories to help children
understand their feelings about any unfamiliar situations that arise. Staff ensure that when
children speak other home languages, they gather words that will help children to feel
welcome at the nursery.
Staff complete SEND training and actively seek support from other professionals. They
continuously review children's progress, including through implementing thorough progress
checks at age 2. Leaders work with staff to ensure that any additional funding is used
meaningfully. For example, children who learn best outdoors, including those with SEND,
are funded to regularly access forest school and have appropriate clothing for all-weather
attendance. Staff use additional funds to source books and games that match children's
interests to motivate them to engage in learning. Parents are delighted with the progress
children make and say staff explain how to continue learning at home.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning, are happy, settled and well
prepared, overall, for their move on to the next stage of learning. They continuously reflect
on the strengths and any areas for development at the nursery, taking account of the views
of parents and children. For example, they have reviewed how they approach behaviour
management and daily routines to enhance children's welfare and wellbeing even further.
The approach across the nursery is well established and consistent.

Staff benefit from a thorough induction, ongoing training and coaching and monitoring. For
instance, staff have completed training to help enhance children's physical development and
understanding of healthy lifestyles. However, the professional development programme is
not yet specifically targeted to enhance the promotion of communication and language skills
for the current cohort of children even further. Leaders are committed to ensuring that staff
wellbeing is nurtured. They communicate a shared vision of how to meet children's
individual care and learning needs to staff and parents. The regular exchange of information
with parents ensures that they know how to continue children's learning at home. Parents
are delighted with the progress their children make at the nursery and keen to follow the
policies and procedures that support good attendance and punctuality.
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 have a great deal of fun and thrive at this welcoming, inclusive and nurturing
setting. Staff interactions are focused consistently on children's positive wellbeing and
emotional development. Children and babies are supported continuously by caring staff who
are responsive to their needs and interests. Children show that they feel settled, confident
and a sense of belonging as they contribute independently to tasks. For example, toddlers
hand around drinks to their friends, identifying them as staff say their names. Children of all
ages follow routines confidently. For instance, when activities change, they are calm and
patient and know what to expect, after a '5-minute warning' by staff. There is a consistent
approach to promoting routines across the nursery, which helps children to move between
rooms smoothly when the time comes. One example of this is that children hear the same
'tidy up' song in each playroom and know to help to put things away. Babies enjoy
comforting cuddles with staff and gesture to communicate their wishes. Older children
cooperate well together, such as when they share space with their friends in a cosy den,
waving light sticks and chatting excitedly.
Staff value each child as a unique individual. They have a sound understanding of any
barriers to children's learning and wellbeing, including those with special educational needs
and/or disabilities. Staff get to know children and their families in depth and establish
starting points for their learning. They identify any emerging needs promptly to help secure
effective support. All children make steady progress as staff address any barriers to their
learning. Leaders ensure that parents understand the importance of punctuality and regular
attendance to help consolidate children's learning.
Children demonstrate their curiosity and focus on their learning. They explore the wide
range of age-appropriate resources and inviting activities across the nursery. For example,
children enjoy their time at forest school sessions and exploring their surroundings outdoors
at the nursery. Outings into the community provide children with many learning
opportunities, such as when they visit local residential homes, parks, the library and the train
station.
Next steps
Leaders should support staff to enhance interactions even further to extend and add to
children's communication and language skills consistently across the setting.
Leaders should target the programme of professional development to sharply focus on
enriching children's communication and language skills.

Inspector:
Cathryn Clarricoates
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY372240
Address:
Castle Lane Nursery
9 Great Bowden Road
MARKET HARBOROUGH
Leicestershire
LE16 7DE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 25/04/2008
Registered person: Castle Lane Day Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Leicestershire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 3 March 2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
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.

Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 10
Total number of places
90
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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