Fennies Reading

Fennies Reading
Unique reference number (URN): 2846290
Address: Kilnbrook House, Rose Kiln Lane, Reading, RG2 0HP
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 24/06/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Fennies Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 20 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
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Staff create a calm and consistent environment where expectations for behaviour are clearly
understood. Young children know what is expected of them. They listen well and follow
instructions with growing confidence. Consistent praise reinforces positive behaviour and
builds children's self-esteem. Children play collaboratively, form strong relationships and feel
safe, valued and respected within the setting. Warm, secure attachments underpin this
success. Children show genuine kindness and concern for both their peers and the adults
who care for them.
Staff enthusiastically role model positive behaviour and reinforce expectations through
consistent routines and clear boundaries. This thoughtful approach helps children learn self-
regulation and conflict resolution in a supportive, age-appropriate way. For example, at
mealtimes, staff encourage children to gather their own food, pass trays to their friends and
wait patiently for their turn to wash their plates. Staff consider children's ages and stages of
development carefully. They adapt routines for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, using familiar strategies to help them manage transitions and remain fully
engaged. For instance, staff stay calm and repeat simple words when it is time to go inside,
making the transition fun for children who need this additional support.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing are strongly promoted, helping them to feel safe, secure
and valued. Warm, nurturing relationships between staff and children have a very positive
impact. Clear, predictable routines meet their individual needs. This enables all children,
including those who may face barriers to learning, to settle well, regulate their behaviour and
engage in play and learning. Children feel confident to explore, demonstrate high levels of
self-esteem and ask for help.
Physical development is promoted extremely well. Children climb, balance and run, showing
clear enjoyment of outdoor play, which staff monitor closely. Individual routines are securely
embedded. Feeding and sleeping are thoughtfully tailored to meet each child's needs.
Children take increasing responsibility for their own self-care, such as knowing when to
wash their hands. They demonstrate a strong understanding of hygiene and adopting
healthy habits.
Children enjoy nutritious snacks and take part in discussions about making healthy choices.
For example, children are fully immersed in the experience of making smoothies and
enthusiastically talk about how this helps them grow 'big and strong'. These carefully
planned activities help children in their learning as they begin to understand how food
supports their bodies. In addition, leaders' focused approach to oral hygiene means that
children and families benefit from guidance and resources provided by healthcare
professionals. As a result, all children learn how to brush their teeth from an early age.

Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders create a strong culture of inclusion that supports every child. Children's needs are
identified swiftly, beginning from the moment they start at the nursery. Staff gather a wealth
of information from parents, learning about what children know and can do, their family
cultures and beliefs, their health needs and any potential barriers to learning. Through
excellent early identification and assessment systems and high-quality staff training, they
confidently implement inclusive strategies and make precise adaptations that meet
children's individual needs. For example, staff quickly recognise when children start to
become overwhelmed and offer sensory toys to help them to calm themselves. As a result,
children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress from
their developmental starting points.
Staff work closely with parents, sharing observations about children's learning and
development and offering practical ideas to support progress at home. For example, they
provide guidance on supporting children's speech and language. Leaders use any additional
funding purposefully, extending sessions where beneficial and offering flexible attendance
options to new and settling children. This helps children to maintain consistent engagement.
Staff follow advice from external professionals and implement plans with accuracy and care.
They skilfully adapt the environment so that all children feel included, supported and valued.
For instance, staff have recently introduced a calming corner, giving children a quiet space
to visit when they need help to self-regulate their emotions.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders demonstrate high levels of dedication to their roles. They maintain a clear and
ambitious vision for the setting and act decisively to promote high-quality outcomes for
children. Leaders know the provision exceptionally well, evaluate practice with rigour and
use their deep understanding of the community to drive continual improvement. They
establish a culture of high expectations in which children's safety, learning and wellbeing are
always prioritised. This vision is communicated clearly, enabling staff to work with a shared
sense of purpose.
Through reflective, dedicated and forward-thinking leadership, the setting continues to
improve and sustain high standards. Leaders systematically coach, mentor and support
newer staff, providing focused professional development that strengthens knowledge and
practice. Staff feel valued and well supported. Workload is managed thoughtfully,
contributing to a positive, collaborative and motivated staff team. Leaders monitor the
curriculum closely to ensure it remains ambitious, responsive to children's needs and
aligned with the setting's priorities.
Partnerships with families are a significant strength. Parents consistently describe feeling
informed, welcomed and included in their children's learning. Leaders work proactively with
external agencies and local organisations to enhance opportunities and provide targeted
support when required.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children typically achieve well across all areas of learning. They make the required progress
in their communication and language skills as they express their needs, share their ideas
and engage in meaningful conversations. Children generally listen well during group times,
follow instructions and demonstrate attention skills.
Physical development is a particular strength. Children build their skills in a clear and
sequential way. For example, babies learn to crawl and clamber, toddlers are encouraged to
run, jump and carry objects, and older children balance on one foot or use large paint rollers
on paper in the garden. Through a wide range of activities, they develop strength,
coordination and balance, using both their small and large muscles effectively.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make rapid progress from their
starting points. They feel included, supported and valued as they develop their
communication, physical and social skills. All children show respect for one another and
manage their feelings and emotions well. They are well prepared for the next stage of
development, demonstrating independence, curiosity and a positive attitude towards
learning.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Staff and leaders have a robust understanding of the curriculum, with a particular focus on
developing children's personal, social and emotional skills. Staff closely monitor each child's
learning, enabling them to identify any areas where additional support may be needed. For
example, staff recognise when some children need encouragement to stand and offer
physical activities, such as climbing the slide, to help strengthen their large leg muscles. As
a result, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including the move to
school.
Generally, staff interactions support children's learning effectively. Staff position themselves
at children's level to engage and support them during play. They promote children's
communication and language skills. For example, staff encourage older children to hold
conversations, asking thoughtful questions and helping to extend their vocabulary by
introducing them to new words in play, such as 'pretzel'. Mathematical language and
concepts are woven into activities to build children's understanding. For instance, children
delight in singing 'Five Currant Buns' and counting how many remain. However, leaders
acknowledge that, despite ongoing coaching and role modelling, high-quality teaching is not
yet consistent across the nursery. This means that, at times, some children do not always
experience equally rich opportunities for meaningful learning.
Children are building a secure foundation for early literacy. For example, older children
explore books about sea creatures and engage in thoughtful conversations with staff about
what they discover. Babies enjoy sitting with their key person, pointing to animal pictures,
and toddlers independently choose books, naming the objects they see and learning new
vocabulary, such as 'truck'.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy, safe and well cared for at the nursery. Babies and older children arrive
with confidence and are warmly welcomed by nurturing staff. They flourish in this rich
learning environment, eagerly exploring the world around them and showing a strong
enthusiasm for learning. Children thoroughly enjoy making friends in this stimulating setting.
They giggle with delight as they chase flowing water outside or mix ingredients in the mud
kitchen. They huddle together in the outdoor playhouse to fill buckets in the sandpit.
Leaders and staff know the children extremely well and quickly identify any emerging needs.
They are proactive in recognising any barriers to children's learning and wellbeing, including
for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum nurtures
children's physical development, natural curiosity, independence and imagination. Staff plan
and set up open-ended activities that children love, such as exploring clay, building rockets
or creating aliens with play dough.
Babies' and children's behaviour is exemplary. They listen attentively and respond kindly to
one another. Children confidently and politely ask their friends to share and take turns.
Leaders and staff act as excellent role models, using clear language and consistent, gentle
reminders to embed the nursery's expectations. For example, staff remind children to say
'excuse me' to one another.
Staff help children learn about their friends' cultures and backgrounds and their local
community. They take children on regular outings, such as to local parks or to places linked
to their interests, such as the train station to watch the trains. These experiences spark
children's curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world in meaningful ways.
Leaders and staff invite parents and carers into the nursery for special events and open
mornings, helping to build strong relationships.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to support staff to help them provide consistent high-quality
teaching and interactions, to further improve outcomes for all children.

Inspectors:
Mandy Cooper
Anneliese Fox-Jones
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2846290
Address:
Kilnbrook House
Rose Kiln Lane
Reading
RG2 0HP
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 24/06/2025
Registered person: Fennies Day Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Reading
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 20 April 2026
About this inspection
The inspectors 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
0 to 4
Total number of places
130
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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