Opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday : 07:30 - 05:30
Children's Links - RAF Waddington
Ofsted: Expected standard·Newhall House, High Dyke, Lincoln, LN5 9WL · Lincolnshire
Number of places
82 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2026
Local authority
Lincolnshire
About this day nursery
Children's Links - RAF Waddington, located in Lincoln, LN5 9WL, was registered with Ofsted on April 15, 2024, as a childcare on non-domestic premises setting. The latest inspection report, dated March 30, 2026, highlights that the safeguarding standards are met, with leaders ensuring an open culture where safeguarding is a shared responsibility, making children feel safe and secure.
The nursery provides daily access to a wide range of resources and activities, supporting children's development through well-planned activities and supportive staff. For instance, babies are encouraged to use scoops and jugs, while older children develop language and social skills through play.
The setting places a strong emphasis on developing independence skills, such as children serving their own meals at lunchtime. Staff respond calmly and sensitively to children's needs, promoting positive behaviour.
Leaders also acknowledge the unique challenges faced by children from military families, offering resources to help children understand and cope when a parent is deployed. The curriculum is balanced, focusing on children's independence, and the outdoor space is extensively used for active play.
The setting is inclusive, with staff assessing individual needs and providing additional support, including for those with SEND, by collaborating with other professionals and utilising funding effectively to ensure all children can access the provision fully.
What it's like
Children are greeted warmly by staff, and interactions consistently focus on positive wellbeing. Children feel settled and secure, independently contributing to tasks like giving other children their water bottles and choosing books by voting. During outdoor play, children show they can resolve conflicts through discussion and turn-taking independently. They develop increasing independence skills as they move through the setting, preparing them well for school.
Safeguarding standards metBalanced curriculumIndependence skillsSupport for military familiesOutdoor play daily
Pricing & funding
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Request pricing →Key facts
Established
2024
Ofsted Inspection — new report card
Expected standard
Last inspected Mar 2026
Grade summary
Exceptional
—
Strong standard
—
Expected standard
Needs attention
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Urgent improvement
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Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.
Category grades
AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Children's Links - RAF Waddington
Last inspected 30 March 2026
What it's like to attend
Children are greeted warmly by staff, and interactions consistently focus on positive wellbeing. Children feel settled and secure, independently contributing to tasks like giving other children their water bottles and choosing books by voting. During outdoor play, children show they can resolve conflicts through discussion and turn-taking independently. They develop increasing independence skills as they move through the setting, preparing them well for school.
Inspector highlights
- 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.
- All children have daily access to a wide range of resources and activities to support and develop their skills.
- Children benefit from well-planned activities and supportive staff.
- Children make good progress from their starting points with a clear curriculum focus on developing positive relationships with staff.
- Staff respond to children's needs calmly and sensitively. This promotes consistently positive behaviour across the setting.
- Leaders effectively consider the unique situation and challenges that children and parents in the military community face.
- Leaders have developed a balanced curriculum in line with their values and ethos.
- The outdoor space is used daily by all children, and children engage in active play both indoors and outdoors.
- Leaders ensure that children's individual needs are carefully assessed and additional support is identified at the earliest opportunity.
- Leaders are committed to ongoing improvement to promote the best outcomes for all children and place importance on the children's and families' wellbeing.
Areas to develop
- 1The provider should support staff to plan more effectively to extend the learning of the most able.
- 2The provider should enhance the delivery of the curriculum for mathematics to offer a consistent approach to mathematical learning in the setting.
Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to learning, are consistently supported to learn new skills in small and achievable steps. Leaders ensure that children's individual needs are carefully assessed and additional support is identified at the earliest opportunity. Leaders and staff work closely with other professionals to ensure children receive the right support and make the progress they are capable of. Leaders use additional funding effectively to ensure children can fully access the provision.
Outdoor space
The outdoor space is used daily by all children, and children engage in active play both indoors and outdoors. Staff discuss with the children the opportunities outdoor spaces provide them for safely running, jumping and climbing. Pre-school children practise using coordination and balance when riding bikes.
Inspection history
Most recent inspection
30 March 2026
Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.
View full Ofsted reportFrequently asked about Children's Links - RAF Waddington
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