URN EY270251 · Inspected 2026-04-02 · Published 2026-06-01 · Inspector: Alanda Phillips Margaret Baird
Cuddles Day Nursery Parkstone Unique reference number (URN): EY270251 Address: Rossmore, Herbert Avenue, Poole, Dorset, BH12 4HR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/08/2003 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Cuddles Day Nursery Limited Inspection report: 2 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. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard Children rapidly become capable, confident communicators. They describe their thinking as they explore with growing curiosity. For example, they look closely at plants in the woods and describe the insects that might have landed on them. Children develop their sense of autonomy as they consistently make choices, such as whether to use binoculars or magnifying glasses. Babies develop their physical skills as they scoop sand with spoons, swirl paint in circles on their paper and reach for exciting resources. Children are very well prepared for upcoming changes, including for the transition to school. They develop the ability to maintain attention and listen attentively, such as when enjoying a story. Children's foundational skills and knowledge rapidly develop as they progress through the nursery, which ensures that they start school with the skills they need. Their independence and confidence flourishes. Children who experience potential barriers to learning make excellent progress across the curriculum, and their experience is consistently seamless. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Staff consistently support children in developing their behaviour, carefully considering their age and stage of development. There is a harmonious culture, and children demonstrate really positive attitudes. They are given clear warnings before things change, such as with time countdowns before tidying up. Staff praise children and encourage a culture of peer support. For example, toddlers clap each other after they clear their lunch places. Children settle extremely quickly and enjoy close relationships with staff. Leaders and staff have a very clear understanding of each child's home life and use this knowledge to support the children skilfully. Staff model kindness and consideration in their interactions, which children go on to copy. Children consistently collaborate and work together, such as when working with peers to create a tower to touch the ceiling. Leaders have embedded a powerful system of routines that the children follow increasingly independently. These routines make the children feel safe, support the ongoing development of their independence and prepare them for later learning. For example, they sustain attention in whole-group stories. Leaders have a proactive approach to attendance, and children benefit as a result. Potential barriers are quickly identified and addressed effectively, such as with wellington boots being provided to ensure that all children can take part in woodland sessions. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders have established a system in which staff carefully tailor everything they do to thoughtfully match children's individual routines and developmental stage. Staff build very secure relationships as a result of how well children are known, and they are very attentive to children's care needs. For example, they encourage the children to notice when they need to blow their noses and help them to do this themselves. Staff skilfully teach children how to recognise and manage their own emotions. For example, they acknowledge when a child feels frustrated as their tower is knocked and help them to discuss how they feel about it with their peer. Mealtimes are social occasions. Children work together to lay the tables and prepare the space, before sitting with staff and peers and chatting happily as they eat their freshly prepared, healthy meals. Staff encourage them to try new foods, and children encourage each other. Children build life-long healthy habits, such as with support from the setting in tooth brushing to build confidence at home. They learn to keep themselves safe. For example, staff point out sharp prickles in the woods, and the children carefully avoid them. Sleep routines are very calm and attentive. They benefit from staff support throughout to ensure that they sleep well, and staff expertly support families to tailor nap times in preparation for pre-school. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have a clear vision for their highly inclusive curriculum, which supports learning across all areas. They continually adapt their provision to ensure that all children benefit, such as by building in new experiences such as theatre trips. Staff skilfully focus on developing communication skills. They use every possible moment as a teaching opportunity. For example, they link songs and rhymes to children's words as they craft. Staff nurture children's curiosity and imagination, asking questions and prompting thought. Staff know all children deeply and focus closely on what they know and what they need to learn next through ongoing assessment. They adapt their approach to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they make the best possible progress and swiftly address any gaps. Mathematical understanding is consistently embedded. For example, children use mathematical language as they experiment and compare the splashes in the stream caused by small and big stones. Older children count fruit and measure towers that they build. Children's physical development is prioritised. They demonstrate stamina and develop their walking confidence as they regularly walk to the local woods. Babies pull themselves up on equipment and are challenged to reach for toys. Children develop a love of books. They share them with fascination with staff, enthusiastically pointing out different features individually, and also sustain attention when reading books in groups as a result of skilled adult teaching. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders are highly experienced and have developed a culture where each child and their family is really well known and understood. Children's needs are meticulously assessed, which enables staff to closely match and adapt their teaching and support for each child. For example, they arrange for specialists to review their provision before children with specific needs start. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are known to children's social care, make excellent progress from their starting points. Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of their local community and provide targeted support for children and families, such as coat sharing initiatives. These actions consistently reduce potential barriers to learning. Staff are extremely well supported by leaders in accessing further training and in tailoring their approach to meet children's needs. Leaders consistently review the impact of their actions and act promptly to engage support and advice from their extensive network of wider professionals. They skilfully embed this to further benefit children. For example, they learn new communication approaches, which staff teach each other before going on to teach parents. Additional funding is spent with sharp focus. Leaders provide resources to ensure that all children can participate fully in additional opportunities, or to support with specific targets, such as toy mobile phones to encourage communication. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders have a very comprehensive understanding of their setting and the local community in which they are based. They place the service of that community and the needs of their families and children at the heart of everything that they do. They work closely with all families to ensure that they receive tailored support where needed and to build effective working relationships. The staff culture is a particular strength. Many staff have worked at the setting for a long time, and they value the support that they receive from leaders and the wider company. Staff receive regular training to develop their skills, and the impact of this training can be readily seen in practice. For example, a focus on developing communication in recent years has led to consistently skilled practice in this area across the staff body. Leaders and staff seek out feedback and respond to this in a proactive manner, consistently seeking to do the very best that they can for all children. Parents value the support that they experience from leaders and staff alike. Leaders are highly proactive in building relationships with all families, such as in developing special seasonal events to welcome them in. Parents are consistently positive about the ongoing communication that they receive. They also feel that any special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early and skilfully supported. 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 participate joyfully in their learning in this setting. For example, they join a 'bear hunt' through the woods, developing their language and understanding of the world as they 'squelch' through mud. Staff are systematically purposeful in developing children's communication and language. They repeat key words with babies, expand their sentences with toddlers and prompt children to recall key phrases from stories in pre-school. The children benefit greatly from the wider experiences that the nursery provides, and their regular attendance is encouraged. They take trips to the local library, parks and woodland Inspectors: Alanda Phillips Margaret Baird on a regular basis, but also more adventurous trips to the local theatre and supermarkets. These experiences rapidly build the children's knowledge of the world around them and develop their awareness of their local area and community. In the setting, children also engage in a multitude of experiences, from watching caterpillars grow into butterflies to growing their own strawberries and cooking in the kitchen. Children develop their physical skills rapidly as they explore in the large garden areas. They balance on stepping stones, roll balls down slopes and play 'catch' with staff. Staff rapidly build positive relationships with children. They know them really well and closely match their care to their home routines, which ensures that children experience a continuity in their experiences. This enables them to settle quickly and grow in confidence. Children grow in autonomy and feel a sense of belonging. For example, they vote for the books that they wish to share. Staff systematically support children to develop the skills that they need to succeed in the world and carefully adapt their practice to consistently meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They keenly work together to lay the tables for lunch and tidy up. Their independence is carefully nurtured, from regular in- built decision-making to steady skill progression. For example, babies practise scooping sand with spoons before progressing to scoop their lunch. 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 disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known or previously known to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. About this inspection The inspectors spoke with leaders, 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. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY270251 Address: Rossmore Herbert Avenue Poole Dorset BH12 4HR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 28/08/2003 Registered person: Cuddles Day Nursery Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 18:00 Local authority: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 2 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 12 Total number of places 128 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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