URN EY559165 · Inspected 2026-04-09 · Published 2026-06-02 · Inspector: Laura Paternoster
Doodle Do Day Nursery Unique reference number (URN): EY559165 Address: The Old Church Hall, Portland Road, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 3SL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 10/05/2018 Registers: EYR Registered person: Bright Stars Nursery Group Limited Inspection report: 9 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 achieve well across all areas of learning. Babies confidently explore their environment, selecting resources independently and engaging in sensory play. They develop early communication skills through babbling, single words and gestures, and respond positively to songs and familiar routines. Toddlers and older children communicate confidently, asking questions, sharing ideas and using an increasing range of vocabulary during play and daily routines. Children show a secure understanding of early mathematics. For example, they count confidently and discuss shapes during water play. Pre-school children extend this further, counting to high numbers and matching numbers to quantity. Children recall and apply their learning throughout their day. For instance, they talk about emotions, such as feeling 'grumpy' or 'sad'. Children develop independence by managing routines such as handwashing, pouring drinks and tidying up. Children behave remarkably well and form positive relationships with others. They share resources, take turns and show kindness towards their friends. For example, children work together during activities and consider others' needs, demonstrating cooperation and respect. They confidently express their needs and seek support from adults when needed, showing they feel secure. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Children behave remarkably well and show positive attitudes to learning. Enthusiastic staff provide clear, consistent guidance and engaging experiences. They model calm, respectful interactions and use praise effectively, meaning children remain focused and motivated. For example, during garden time, staff demonstrate how to use tools safely, ask questions and celebrate children's efforts. As a result, children are engaged, curious and willing to try new things. Children form meaningful, trusting relationships with staff, who respond sensitively to their needs. Staff get down to children's level, use soothing tones and acknowledge feelings, helping children to understand and manage their emotions. For instance, when children become upset, staff offer comfort, gently explain expectations and model sharing or taking turns. This consistent approach helps children to develop self-regulation and positive social skills. Staff establish consistent, well-embedded routines that children understand and follow confidently. They use clear instructions and reminders to support transitions, such as encouraging children to sit for a snack or wash their hands. At the same time, staff remain highly flexible, allowing children to make choices, such as returning to play when ready. This supports children to feel secure while developing independence in the setting. Inclusive strategies are used effectively to meet individual needs. When children become frustrated, staff expertly acknowledge how they are feeling and guide them towards appropriate ways to respond, such as asking for help. As a result, children are cooperative and confident, and they develop important relationships with others. Leaders promote attendance through sharing clear expectations with families and robust monitoring of attendance patterns. Staff promptly follow up on unexplained absences when necessary. Therefore, children's safety is prioritised and consistent attendance is promoted, supporting continuity of learning. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Children's welfare and wellbeing are prioritised. This is reflected in the calm, nurturing environment created by staff. Children feel safe and secure because staff are attentive, caring and responsive to their needs. For example, staff provide comfort through cuddles, soothing language and close interaction. Children settle quickly and build an abundance of emotional security. As a result, children are happy, relaxed and confident to explore their environment. Children's health needs are thoroughly supported through consistent routines and effective care practices. Staff promote excellent hygiene through supervising handwashing and maintaining clean environments. Mealtimes are calm and social, with staff sitting alongside children, encouraging healthy eating and supporting safe practices. Children confidently manage their own self-care, such as feeding themselves, pouring drinks and tidying away, promoting independence and a sense of responsibility. Children's physical and emotional wellbeing are carefully supported. Staff adapt routines to meet individual needs, such as following home sleep routines and providing flexible transitions and daily flow. For example, children who need rest are supported in quiet, calm spaces, while others continue to play elsewhere. Staff support emotional wellbeing by helping children to understand and express their feelings consistently, leading to improved behaviour and confidence. Inclusive practices ensure all children's needs are met effectively. Staff work closely with parents and external professionals, such as occupational therapists, to provide secure, regular support. Therefore, children feel deeply valued, develop resilience and thrive in this safe and supportive environment. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum for babies, toddlers and pre-school children that builds progressively on what children know and can do. Staff's clear planning creates a consistent pathway, ensuring learning is revisited and embedded over time. They ensure that a prominent focus on communication and language runs throughout the setting. They use stories, songs and daily interactions to help children develop wonderful vocabulary and confidence from an early age. Teaching is consistently purposeful and responsive. Staff use rich language, role modelling and open questioning to extend children's thinking. For example, during water activities, they introduce vocabulary such as 'squeeze' while encouraging children to solve problems and explore ideas. Children confidently recall prior learning, explaining how rubbish harms sea animals, showing they understand and apply new knowledge. Children benefit from exciting, well-planned opportunities to develop mathematical understanding, such as comparing size through play dough models and exploring concepts such as full and empty. Staff provide physical development experiences, such as indoor climbing, and fine motor activities using tools such as tweezers. These ensure children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. The curriculum is inclusive and tailored to children's needs. Staff adapt activities and provide targeted support, such as one-to-one interactions and small-group work. As a result, children are highly engaged and motivated to learn. For instance, children developing speech are supported through repetition, songs and meaningful conversation, leading to rapid gains in communication. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders create a highly inclusive environment where children's individual needs are identified early and supported effectively. Staff work closely with parents from the outset, completing joint assessments and maintaining ongoing communication. This ensures that children's starting points are clearly understood and that barriers to learning are quickly identified and reduced. For example, staff recognise children who are initially withdrawn and use their interests in musical toys alongside one-to-one support to build confidence. As a result, shy children explore the environment independently and engage alongside their friends. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through targeted, responsive strategies. Staff adapt approaches based on what works best for each child. For example, they use sand timers instead of visual boards to support turn-taking. This enables children with social anxieties to develop friendships and increase their confidence. Children with emerging speech or emotional needs benefit from consistent strategies focused on emotional literacy and communication, leading to clear progress in behaviour and language. Leaders ensure inclusion extends to children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use key words in home languages and visual prompts, helping children settle quickly and communicate with others. Children who speak English as an additional language engage confidently in play and build meaningful relationships with others. Partnerships with parents and external professionals are extremely valued by staff, ensuring coordinated support. Inclusion is highly effective, enabling children to feel valued, overcome barriers and make meaningful progress from their starting points. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders provide clear direction and have taken decisive action to improve the quality of the provision. Although the manager and some of the wider team are relatively new, their impact is already evident in the well-organised environment, improved planning systems and targeted focus on communication and language. Leaders have introduced a more structured curriculum and clearer expectations for staff, resulting in children experiencing purposeful, engaging learning that builds on what they know and can do. Leaders implement robust systems to monitor practice, including regular observations, supervision and feedback. For example, staff receive immediate guidance on how to improve their interactions, such as allowing more time for children to respond. This ongoing support strengthens teaching and ensures greater consistency. As a result, children benefit through high-quality interactions and improved learning experiences. Leaders place a high emphasis on staff's wellbeing and professional development. Staff report feeling supported through an open-door culture, regular check-ins and tailored training opportunities, such as shadowing more experienced colleagues. This helps newer staff, including apprentices, to quickly develop confidence and competence, ensuring children receive safe, attentive and knowledgeable care. Partnerships with parents are a key strength. Leaders actively engage families through regular communication, workshops and shared learning opportunities. For example, parents are supported with strategies to develop children's speech and behaviour at home. This joined-up approach ensures children benefit from consistent support between home and the setting, significantly enhancing their progress. Leaders respond quickly and appropriately to concerns, including reviewing practice, strengthening training and improving risk assessment processes. As a result, there is a clear journey of improvement, with children benefiting from a safe, well-led and continually improving environment. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children thrive in this warm, nurturing environment where they feel safe, secure and eager to learn. They form trusting relationships with staff, confidently approaching them for support and inviting them into play. For example, babies bring toys to staff to share, while older children seek reassurance during moments of frustration. Children quickly settle through staff's calm, sensitive interactions. As a result, children develop secure attachments and emotional confidence, enabling them to explore their environment with curiosity. Children enjoy rich, engaging learning experiences that build on what they know and can do. They show high levels of engagement, whether practising fine motor skills with tweezers in the water tray or recalling prior learning about caring for sea animals. Children confidently talk about their learning, explaining that 'rubbish makes turtles poorly', showing that they retain and apply new knowledge. Staff consistently model and extend language through narration, questioning and singing. This supports all children, including those with emerging speech, in rapidly developing communication skills. Children make clear progress from their starting points through staff's professional, targeted support and consistent interaction. Inspector: Laura Paternoster About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY559165 Address: The Old Church Hall Portland Road Children behave well and demonstrate kindness and respect towards others. Staff support children in sharing resources, taking turns and responding positively to gentle guidance. For instance, when conflicts arise, they encourage children to understand feelings and offer alternatives, helping them to manage emotions effectively. As a result, the environment remains calm, purposeful and inclusive, where all children can participate fully. Children develop excellent independence and self-care skills. They confidently manage routines such as handwashing, tidying, and serving food, demonstrating a clear understanding of healthy practices. Staff ensure mealtimes are calm and social, with children making healthy choices and engaging in meaningful conversation. Staff build effective partnerships with parents, ensuring consistency between home and nursery. This means all children make clear progress, including those who have overcome initial barriers to learning. Children achieve well, feel a huge sense of belonging and flourish, demonstrating a genuine enjoyment of learning. Next steps Leaders should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove barriers for children who need extra help, to realise a transformational impact on all children's achievement and wellbeing. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, children and their parents 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. Bishop's Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 3SL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 10/05/2018 Registered person: Bright Stars Nursery Group 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 9 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 80 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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