Monkey Puzzle Bishops Stortford

Monkey Puzzle Bishops Stortford
Unique reference number (URN): 2747806
Address: Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Bishops Stortford, Hazelend Road, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 2FN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 15/10/2023
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Stortford Daycare Limited
Inspection report: 8 April 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 settle well across the setting. Babies form secure attachments and feel safe,
helping them to separate from their families and begin their learning. Smooth transitions,
supported by home visits, help children to feel confident as they move into nursery and
between rooms. Children make steady progress from their starting points. They develop
communication and language skills, becoming more confident in expressing their needs,
sharing ideas and using new vocabulary in their play. Most children, including those with
barriers to learning, receive support to take part and make progress over time.
Children gain independence and confidence as they move through the setting. They
manage daily experiences, make choices in their play and develop the skills needed for their
next stage. Transitions between age groups and on to school are well supported, helping
children to feel prepared.
Children's gaps in learning are beginning to narrow as they build on their knowledge and
skills. However, due to some minor weaknesses in practice, some children with barriers to
learning, particularly around their behaviour and regulating their emotions, do not
consistently sustain engagement or access learning as fully.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have created a generally positive environment, where children are content and
understand expectations. Children follow instructions well and engage in a range of
experiences. They show positive attitudes towards their learning, particularly outdoors,
where they spend long periods of time being creative and imaginative. Children make
'potions' in the mud kitchen, pour water through guttering and build sandcastles using their
own ideas. They explore natural resources, dig in soil and make sandy handprints, showing
curiosity and engagement.
Relationships between staff and children are warm. Staff use eye contact and simple
language to support communication, particularly with younger children. Babies begin to
develop social skills, smiling, clapping and interacting alongside their peers. Older children
collaborate, take turns and play together, showing developing social understanding.
Children enjoy group times and listen attentively to stories. Staff read in an engaging way,
encouraging children to join in with familiar lines, such as saying 'pop', which promotes a
love of reading and supports their engagement. Staff follow children's interests and guide
play, supporting their enjoyment and participation. However, children's behaviour
expectations and routines are not consistently embedded across the setting. This means
children are not always able to follow expectations or fully engage in and make the most of
the experiences provided.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Care practices meet children's individual needs. Staff know children well and provide warm,
nurturing care, particularly during hygiene practices. Children receive comfort and
reassurement when needed, helping them to feel safe and settled. Staff demonstrate secure
knowledge of safer sleep procedures. They complete regular checks, logs and temperature
monitoring to ensure children's safety.
Children receive support to develop their independence through everyday experiences.
They choose their own water bottles, begin to serve themselves at mealtimes and use
cutlery with increasing confidence. Mealtimes are well organised and sociable. Children
benefit from home-cooked and healthy meals and a varied diet. Staff encourage them to try
new foods. They model positive manners and support conversations, creating positive
learning opportunities.
Children's physical development is supported through regular outdoor play and opportunities
to climb, balance and move in different ways. They enjoy longer walks and active play,
helping to build strength and coordination. Staff also support children to express their
emotions and begin to understand their feelings. However, opportunities to consistently
promote children's understanding of their emotional wellbeing are not fully developed across
the setting.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have an ambitious vision for the curriculum, designing experiences around real-life
opportunities that broaden children's interests and understanding of the world. Children
develop knowledge and skills through purposeful activities. For example, they engage in
woodwork, where they learn to saw, chop and hammer safely. Children work collaboratively,
begin to assess risk and understand how to keep themselves safe. Trips and visitors are a
key part of the curriculum. Children enjoy regular walks to the local park and nature trails,
sports sessions and visits from people in the community, such as the dentist.
Staff interactions are warm and supportive. They model language throughout the day,
helping children to develop confidence and learn new vocabulary. As a result, children are
becoming more confident communicators. Outdoor learning is a strength, with children
benefiting from regular access to a well-planned environment that supports their physical
development and engagement.
Staff adapt experiences to include all children, including those with individual education
plans, so they can access activities and take part. However, not all interactions are
consistently effective. Staff do not always have a clear understanding of the intent of
activities. This means children do not always remain engaged or use language to extend
their ideas, or deepen their learning and development.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders demonstrate an understanding of inclusive practice and are developing this across
the setting. They identify and assess children's needs. Staff respond by putting strategies in

place to support and reduce barriers to children's learning. Staff know children well and
provide additional support, including sharing favourite books to support children to regulate
their emotions and behaviour.
Leaders use additional funding effectively to support disadvantaged children. This is used to
provide meaningful experiences and to ensure children and families receive appropriate
support and access to all of their early years education. Staff work closely with parents and
carers. They hold regular meetings, reviewing individual education plans and sharing
strategies to support children's learning at home. They also signpost families to external
agencies where additional support is needed.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers receive
some support in the setting. They benefit from a timely referral process that ensures they
receive suitable plans for their progress and development. Staff seek advice from
professionals and follow guidance in practice. Leaders prioritise preparing children for their
next stage of learning and put systems in place to ensure smooth transitions to school.
Overall, practice is developing. However, routines are not implemented consistently across
the setting, particularly after lunch, where staff do not always provide clear structure or
purposeful activities. As a result, children are less engaged and they do not consistently
maintain their positive behaviour.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders and managers are reflective and dedicated. They have a clear understanding of the
setting's strengths and areas for development and take action to bring about improvements
that support children's learning and wellbeing. They have identified priorities, including
strengthening routines and the consistency of teaching. Leaders are beginning to implement
changes to address these.
Leaders make decisions in the best interests of all children, including those who are
disadvantaged or with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with
families and external professionals to ensure children receive appropriate support. Leaders
prioritise partnerships with parents and carers, with clear communication and opportunities
for parents to share their views, which leaders use to inform improvements. Parents speak
highly of the trusting relationships that they have and the daily updates they receive.
Leaders consider staff's wellbeing and workload. They have made changes to how
children's learning is tracked and observed, which is helping staff to focus on more
meaningful next steps. Staff speak positively about the support they receive through
supervision and daily guidance.
Staff receive professional development, including training and peer observations, to support
their practice. However, this is not yet consistently embedded across the team, and
improvements are still developing. Leaders have a clear vision for the setting and are
working towards embedding this more consistently in practice.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive happily and are welcomed into a warm and nurturing environment, where
they feel safe and secure. They form close relationships with staff, seeking them out for
reassurance and cuddles and to share their ideas. This helps children to settle quickly and
develop a sense of belonging. Staff know the children well and take the time to understand
their home lives. They work closely with families to support children's needs. Children who
find it more difficult to regulate their emotions or manage transitions typically receive extra
support, such as small-group time and targeted activities. This helps these children to feel
included and make progress.
Children enjoy a range of engaging experiences and benefit from a wonderful outdoor
space. They talk enthusiastically about activities such as cooking, which they share with
their families at home. Children take part in extra opportunities, such as counting sessions
and sports activities. They show curiosity and creativity as they explore, play and learn
alongside their peers. Children build warm friendships and learn to cooperate. They receive
support to understand their feelings through stories, games and resources that help them to
regulate their emotions.
Children develop confidence and independence over time. They make progress from their
starting points, including in their communication and language. Children begin to use more
appropriate language in their interactions. They develop healthy habits, including being
active and making positive choices to drink water, be outdoors and eat a healthy snack.
Children are content and engaged and develop the skills they need for their next stage of
learning.
Next steps
Leaders should support staff even more to implement clear and consistent routines
across the setting, particularly during transitions, so that these better meet children's
individual needs and improve engagement and behaviour.
Leaders should strengthen professional development so staff develop a clearer
understanding of the intent of activities and ensure experiences are developmentally
appropriate, enabling children to make the most of learning opportunities and progress
even further.

Inspector:
Sara Vincent
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2747806
Address:
Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Bishops Stortford
Hazelend Road
Bishop's Stortford
CM23 2FN
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 15/10/2023
Registered person: Stortford Daycare Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30
Local authority: Hertfordshire
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 8 April 2026
Children numbers
About this inspection
The inspector spoke to parents and carers, children, leaders, the special educational needs
coordinator and staff 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.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
63
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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