Ashbourne Day Nursery at Greetland

Ashbourne Day Nursery at Greetland
Unique reference number (URN): 2783578
Address: The Old School, Exchange Street, Halifax, HX4 8DB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 27/03/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Ashbourne Day Nurseries Limited
Inspection report: 7 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children are generally active, motivated learners who make steady progress from their
starting points. They acquire the physical skills needed for their next stage. Babies pull
themselves up to stand using equipment, while older children develop gross-motor strength
by learning to use balance bikes. Children approach tasks with a 'can-do' attitude and show
pride in their independence, such as when putting on their own coats or successfully
navigating stairs while counting the final steps.
Communication and language skills are typically supported across the setting. Younger
babies respond to interactive songs such as 'shaky, shaky up and down', while toddlers
learn to link animal names to sounds, such as identifying a sheep. Children develop into
confident communicators who can express complex ideas, including explaining that they eat
food to 'get energy'.
Children learn the value of community and responsibility. They negotiate roles during
imaginative play, such as giving their peers a part when playing in the home corner. Children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities make significant progress in their learning.
For instance, they show increasing focus and control as they move from casting bricks aside
to successfully stacking them into towers. Consequently, children develop resilience and
self-care skills that prepare them for school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders typically establish a positive environment where children feel happy and secure.
Children settle quickly and confidently access all areas of play, reflecting the nurturing
relationships shared with their key persons. Babies demonstrate this trust by seeking out
staff to join their play, while staff use kindness and comfort to help newer children settle from
the start.
Staff place an emphasis on supporting children to learn to work together. Through engaging
activities such as the 'talking box', children learn to take turns and gain ownership over their
choices. Children generally demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and their
peers. They often display kindness and empathy, such as suggesting a toy for an upset
peer. However, during everyday play, staff do not always explain the reasoning behind the
boundaries they set. While they quickly redirect children with reminders such as 'kind hands'
or 'nicely', they occasionally miss the 'why'. Consequently, children do not always gain a
deeper understanding of how their actions affect others or the specific purpose of certain
nursery rules.
Leaders promote regular attendance, working with families to explain why consistent
attendance is vital for children's wellbeing and social development.
Leaders have recently improved routines and transitions, particularly from indoor to outdoor
play. Staff now use walkie-talkies to communicate, allowing them to take small groups of
children at a time, which creates a calmer experience. Transitions during mealtimes require

further work to ensure they are consistently smooth, but leaders are aware of this and are
already prioritising improvements in this area.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders prioritise children's wellbeing through effective care routines. Key persons build
secure bonds and work closely with families to mirror the feeding and weaning routines from
home, helping children transition to new textures at their own pace. Staff follow strict and
safe procedures for sleep times, such as regular monitoring, ensuring children remain safe
and settled. This approach typically ensures children's needs, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, are met.
Staff use helpful resources, such as 'feelings cups', books and mirrors to help children
recognise and manage their emotions. This focus on emotional wellbeing allows children to
develop confidence and resilience alongside their peers. Children learn about personal
safety and health. Staff introduce road safety at an early age. For instance, they use reins
and evacuation cots to move babies safely across the road to the baby garden while talking
to them about cars and traffic. Older children learn to manage risks through practical tasks,
such as using knives safely during mealtimes and identifying hazards in the garden. Staff
promote healthy eating by using familiar stories such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to talk
about healthy and unhealthy food choices. Children have access to fresh drinking water
throughout the day, and staff support oral health by talking with children about the
importance of brushing their teeth.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders design an ambitious curriculum that builds on what children already know. They
identify clear learning goals across all areas of development, ensuring skills follow a step-
by-step sequence. For example, staff develop younger children's small-muscle skills through
mark-making with chunky coloured crayons. This prepares older children for complex tasks,
such as using scissors to make cuts in paper with precision. Staff use observations to plan
activities that spark children's interest and extend thinking. During interactions, they
introduce new vocabulary, such as 'dragon fruit', and invite children to talk about their
favourite fruits, such as raspberries and melon, to broaden communication skills.
Mathematics is generally woven into daily routines to develop early number and shape
skills. Children count their steps when going outside and explore the similarities and
differences between shape properties, such as squares and rectangles.
Staff support social development by encouraging cooperation. They ensure group games
are inclusive for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those who face barriers to learning, such as less-confident children. Staff
hold their hands and encourage them as they learn to 'gallop' like a horse. This helps
children to build positive relationships and confidence. By balancing adult-led sessions with
children's independent exploration, staff create a positive environment where children
typically feel empowered to lead their play, test their own ideas and make steady progress.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders act decisively to identify and meet the individual needs of all children. For instance,
staff typically use screening tools to identify potential delays in communication and language
at the earliest possible stage. They adapt their teaching immediately, tailoring their approach
to the current developmental level of children to close gaps in learning. For children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the special educational needs
coordinator drives progress by using precise tracking to establish clear and achievable small
developmental steps.
Staff strengthen inclusive practice through the progress check at age 2. They collaborate
closely with parents, carers and health visitors to identify and reduce barriers to learning
through a unified approach. This ensures children who face barriers to their learning or
wellbeing receive prompt, targeted support. To promote independence, staff adapt the
environment so that resources remain accessible to all. For example, they place toys and
sensory materials at floor level in the baby room, allowing the youngest children to make
their own choices during play.
Leaders direct additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium, towards purposeful
resources. For example, they introduced a sensory tent to provide a calm, regulated space
for children when they feel overwhelmed. Consequently, disadvantaged children and those
with SEND typically benefit from focused support that reduces barriers and promotes
success.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a clear vision and maintain a positive culture for staff and children. They focus
on continuous improvement, recently refining routines to manage transitions between indoor
and outdoor play to create a calmer experience. Governance is effective, with leaders
ensuring all legal requirements and safeguarding responsibilities are met. They are
proactive in identifying areas for growth. For example, they recognise that mealtime
transitions need further work to improve the flow of the day and are currently prioritising this.
Leaders provide regular supervision, ensuring staff feel valued and supported. However,
leaders do not always ensure professional development is effectively monitored or
implemented in a way that supports staff's workload and improves practice. While staff
attend some training, they are not always given the dedicated time needed to embed new
learning into their provision.
Staff build successful partnerships with parents. They communicate through daily, face-to-
face handovers and an online app, where they share children's photos and progress. Staff
regularly share children's next steps with parents to support learning at home. Parents
speak highly of the setting, noting they value the nurturing and welcoming environment
where children are genuinely cared for. Leaders also ensure that children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities or those facing barriers to learning are supported
through close work with specialists.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive at this warm and welcoming setting. They settle into their day with ease and
separate from parents with confidence. Secure, trusting attachments with the nurturing staff
team support this transition. Children generally participate in a broad range of purposeful
activities that ignite their curiosity. For example, babies delight in sensory exploration as
they investigate the properties of ice. They use their hands to explore and begin to notice
changes as the ice melts. This investigation supports their early understanding of the world.
Staff celebrate children's achievements with warmth, and children respond with excitement.
For example, when children climb steps with increasing control, they show pride in their
growing physical abilities.
Children develop independence as they wash their hands, manage their own coats and
select their water bottles by recognising their printed names. They typically behave well and
are beginning to understand their emotions. Children learn to use 'kind hands' and take
turns during play, such as when waiting for a turn on the climbing frame.
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who face
barriers to learning and those known or previously known to children's social care, learn
alongside their peers and are included in all aspects of the setting. Families are welcomed
at the nursery, and staff value the ways in which parents and carers support their child's
development.
Children are safe and feel secure. Leaders provide suitable outdoor areas where children
explore freely. For instance, toddlers develop physical confidence as they roll hoops down
hills and navigate uneven terrain with increasing skill. Leaders maintain a sharp focus on
attendance to ensure all children are safe and ready to learn. Children explore their
environment with enthusiasm, and staff use their unique interests to create meaningful
learning opportunities. For example, staff set up a minibeast hunt following a child's
discovery of ladybirds in the garden. As a result, children are typically happy, settled and
prepared for their next steps in learning.
Next steps
Leaders should ensure staff consistently teach children the 'why' behind rules and the
specific reasons for boundaries, including the impact of their actions on others.
Leaders should refine how they monitor and implement staff training in a way that
consistently supports workload.

Inspector:
Josie Cumiskey
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2783578
Address:
The Old School
Exchange Street
Halifax
HX4 8DB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 27/03/2024
Registered person: Ashbourne Day Nurseries Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Calderdale
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 7 May 2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, children
and 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.

Children numbers
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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