URN 2782833 · Inspected 2026-05-06 · Published 2026-06-09 · Inspector: Kate Daurge
Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd- Old Road Unique reference number (URN): 2782833 Address: V C D Athletic Club, Old Road, Crayford, Dartford, DA1 4DN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 12/04/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd Inspection report: 6 May 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 All children at the pre-school achieve very well in all areas of learning and development. Children are ready to move on confidently to their next stage of learning and all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make sustained progress from their starting points. Children are excited to learn. They build confidence while playing outside and enjoy new experiences. They explore sensory materials such as foam, paint and mud and develop the confidence to try new things. Children show delight as they achieve new goals. Babies show pride as they learn a new word and point to pictures in a story. They enjoy warm and nurturing relationships, make friends and have positive interactions with others. When they make mistakes, they know that this is part of learning and keep trying, showing resilience and persistence. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Staff create routines that support children to be highly productive and resilient learners. They adapt practice and take account of expert guidance. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive focused support to express their needs, for instance. Leaders anticipate barriers to attendance well and ensure that children with gaps in their learning access interventions which promote their progress. Staff consistently role model positive relationships with all children. Their fun approach to teaching helps children to love learning and to develop consistently positive attitudes. For example, skilful staff help children express their feelings in a safe environment, supporting them to feel happy and secure. Toddlers learn to share and take turns in a positive environment where staff reinforce appropriate choices. Pre-school children develop deep friendships, mirroring behaviours they learn from staff. All children listen extremely well and develop positive attitudes to learning that support them in preparation for their ongoing education. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Staff across the pre-school consistently support children of all ages to develop a positive self-image. For example, babies clap at their own achievements and beam as they reach milestones, expressing themselves confidently. Babies follow appropriate sleep routines and staff work closely with families to ensure these are extended to home. For example, staff ensure babies get enough rest and that families learn how this impacts brain development. Staff get to know all children, including babies extremely well. For example, they consider closely the home routines of breastfed babies and strategically adapt their care to consider the background of experiences of children helping them to feel consistently safe and secure. This includes children with gaps in their wellbeing who may need additional support to feel emotionally secure. Staff support children to develop healthy eating habits, teaching them the importance of eating healthy foods. Children learn which foods support their development and learn about caring for their own bodies, physically and emotionally. Children learn consistently healthy messages about hydration and food and excitedly share their understanding with their families. Children enjoy spending time outside in the fresh air. They understand that connecting with nature supports their physical and mental health. Pre-school children and toddlers enjoy digging and planting seeds. They are excited to learn about nature and their environment. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Staff create an inclusive and ambitious curriculum, closely considering the individual needs of all children and consistently embedding effective approaches to teaching. Staff teach sign language to all children, supporting communication and helping them to feel confident to express their needs and feelings. Toddlers excitedly talk about what they know and can do. Staff have extremely high expectations of all children. Staff skilfully teach children key mathematics skills and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts, in preparation for school. For example, children measure space as they plant seeds in the forest-school area. Babies are excited to learn about books and stories. Staff teach them to turn the pages and answer questions that test and support their comprehension skills. Children develop literacy skills at an early stage. Staff understand that every interaction is an opportunity for learning. They help children to develop creative skills through high-quality teaching. They plan tailored interventions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enhances children's experiences and reduces barriers to their learning, helping to prepare them very well for school. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders work closely with a variety of external partners and ensure that staff plan ambitious opportunities for all children. This includes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, leaders work closely with specialist settings to embed systems for identifying and addressing gaps in children's learning. They provide enriching opportunities for staff, such as targeted training to help them support children with a variety of barriers to learning. Staff rigorously assess and monitor the progress of children with SEND by creating and reviewing detailed interventions. This helps ensure that all children reach their full potential. Leaders are committed to being fully inclusive. They support children with SEND to transition smoothly into pre-school, heeding advice from other professionals who support them. Staff systematically adjust their support based on expert guidance and the training they receive. This helps them to fully embed strategies that help all children thrive, including disadvantaged children. They support parents and carers to promote children's development, such as their physical skills. For example, babies who need additional support to learn to walk, are excited to practise with skilled staff. They beam with pride as they tackle more complex challenges to develop their physical skills. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders ensure that all staff contribute positively to the ongoing development of the pre- school. Leaders are currently developing a training academy to enhance the skills of staff and plan to enhance this by sharing their expertise with other childcare providers, locally and nationally. Staff report extremely high levels of wellbeing, including when they face personal challenges. Leaders regularly consider the workload of staff and support them to feel happy and confident in their roles. As a result, staff are extremely passionate about their roles and practice. For example, new staff confidently discuss their training and how this helps them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively. Leaders engage extremely effectively with parents and carers and the community. They understand the needs of the children who attend and engage with expert partners to support them and help them develop a secure sense of belonging at the pre-school. Leaders focus on securing excellence for all children. This includes ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the support that they are entitled to and require. As a result all children thrive. 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 Inspector: Kate Daurge What it's like to be a child at this setting All children achieve excellent outcomes and benefit from the enriching environment at the pre-school. Staff inspire each child's excitement and motivation to learn. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children excel in their learning because staff carefully design a curriculum that considers their individual needs and backgrounds. Children across the pre-school consistently try hard and keep going when they face challenges. Children are excited to use a range of tools to dig the garden, find bugs and grow plants. They trust that staff will offer reassurance and praise their efforts. All children, including the youngest, celebrate each other's efforts. Children benefit from an abundance of high-quality interactions and become excellent communicators. Toddlers learn to solve problems. For example, they practise real-world scenarios through role play, as they learn about different people and the jobs they do. Children excitedly talk about what they know about other people. When children find understanding their own feelings challenging, staff gently reassure them. Children effectively manage their feelings and because staff fully embed strategies to support them. Children enjoy negotiating and taking part with their friends. They develop warm and trusting relationships with others, feel confident to share their feelings and develop a secure sense of belonging. Children feel proud of what makes them unique because staff celebrate their differences. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to understand children's backgrounds. Children and their families understand the importance of regular attendance. Staff make children feel valued and create routines which focus on developing their learning, enabling them to flourish in all aspects of their learning. Next steps Leaders should continue to develop how they share their best practices externally to make a sustained difference to the outcomes of all children. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff 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): 2782833 Address: V C D Athletic Club Old Road, Crayford Dartford DA1 4DN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 12/04/2024 Registered person: Enchanted Wood Preschool Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Bexley Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 6 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 61 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. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. Piccadilly Gate Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted © Crown copyright 2026 © Crown copyright