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Little Squirrels Community Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(May 2025)
·
5.0(2 Google reviews) ·Ryde Business Park, Nicholson Road, Ryde, PO33 1BQ · Isle of Wight
Number of places
63 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
May 2025
Local authority
Isle of Wight

About this day nursery

Little Squirrels Community Nursery, registered in 2003, is a childcare setting located in the Oakfield area of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The day nursery operates Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year, closing for two weeks over Christmas and bank holidays.

It offers a warm and welcoming environment where staff are dedicated to supporting children's emotional well-being and happiness, ensuring they feel safe and secure. The setting provides extensive settling-in sessions to build strong relationships between children, families, and key staff.

With 11 qualified staff members, children from birth to four years old benefit from a language-rich environment and an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum tailored to their individual needs and interests. The day nursery effectively identifies children who may need extra support, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and works closely with parents and professionals to ensure good progress.

Parents consistently praise the friendly staff and the homely atmosphere, highlighting the strong partnerships that support children's learning and development.

What it's like

Staff are committed to supporting children's emotional well-being and happiness, ensuring they feel safe, secure, and ready to learn. Children are confident and freely explore resources, demonstrating good behaviour. Staff provide a language-rich environment and are skilled at identifying spontaneous learning opportunities to ignite children's curiosity and promote thinking skills, helping them understand the world around them.

Strong relationshipsLanguage-rich environmentAmbitious curriculumSkilful staffParent partnerships

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm

Term time / All Year

Mixed

Registered with Ofsted

2003

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Squirrels Community Nursery

Last inspected 28 May 2025

Overall effectiveness
Good

What it's like to attend

Staff are committed to supporting children's emotional well-being and happiness, ensuring they feel safe, secure, and ready to learn. Children are confident and freely explore resources, demonstrating good behaviour. Staff provide a language-rich environment and are skilled at identifying spontaneous learning opportunities to ignite children's curiosity and promote thinking skills, helping them understand the world around them.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff are committed to supporting children's emotional well-being and happiness, ensuring they feel safe and secure and ready to learn.
  • Children are confident and freely explore resources and learning experiences provided by staff.
  • Staff are excellent role models, providing a language-rich environment that supports children's growing vocabulary and communication skills.
  • Leaders are strong and supportive, fostering a happy and positive environment through regular supervision and training.
  • The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced, with staff observing and planning precise next steps based on children's interests and needs.
  • Staff are skilful at identifying spontaneous learning opportunities, such as exploring wildlife, and use questions to promote thinking skills.
  • Staff support children's independence from an early age, teaching self-care skills like feeding, nose wiping, tidying, and handwashing.
  • Partnerships with parents are a real strength, with parents praising the friendly staff and 'homely' environment, and appreciating regular updates on their children's progress.

Areas to develop

  • 1Build on staff's knowledge of implementing planned strategies for children with SEND more consistently to further support their progress.
  • 2Support staff to be consistent in behaviour management strategies to help children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others.
Inspection #10388651 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, working closely with parents and other professionals to implement targeted plans and use additional funding wisely. Children with SEND make good progress, despite occasional inconsistencies in staff's use of strategies.

Google Reviews of Little Squirrels Community Nursery

5.0
(2 Google reviews)
Freya
a year ago

Fantastic Nursery and Childcare setting. My daughter absolutely adores it here and has settled in really well, she enjoys going here and has some on superbly with her speech and developmental skills!😁big Thankyou to all of the lovely staff.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Little Squirrels Community Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: January 2010

  • May 2025Good
  • July 2019Good
  • May 2015Good
  • January 2010Good

Frequently asked about Little Squirrels Community Nursery

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more