William Gladstone Childcare

Water play, pretend hairdressing and children tackling small jobs for themselves give William Gladstone Childcare a practical, playful character in its February 2023 inspection account. Its capacity is 62 children, with a current age range from birth to five.

At the 23 February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The balance for parents is clear: engaging play experiences sat alongside concerns about how consistently staff supported language, quieter children and individual learning goals.

In February 2023, cylinders in a water tray helped children explore full and empty, while staff brought counting into play. Pretend hairdressing used shampoo bottles, brushes and combs, giving children materials for imaginative play together.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the February 2023 examples included mathematical language, imaginative play and physical activity, showing how learning could happen through everyday experiences rather than separate lessons.

Low furniture helped younger children pull themselves upright in February 2023. Soft-play equipment supported climbing and movement indoors; outdoors, children dug, used balancing beams and pushed wheelbarrows. The environment offered several ways to practise movement.

Language support was less consistent that month. Some staff introduced fresh vocabulary, but others echoed children's words rather than extending them. Individual learning goals had been identified, yet staff did not consistently connect their interactions to those goals.

In February 2023, children practised putting on coats, opening lunch boxes and pouring drinks from a water dispenser. These small tasks gave them opportunities to manage parts of their day independently.

Relationships also needed closer attention indoors that month. Staff joined most children's play, but quieter children sometimes spent extended periods playing alone with little adult interaction. For a child who rarely seeks attention, that finding matters as much as the choice of activities.

Risk assessments, safeguarding training and checks on staff suitability formed part of the February 2023 arrangements. Managers also used staff observations and supervision meetings to give feedback on practice.

The address is William Gladstone Church Of England Primary School, Holden Crescent, Newark, NG24 4HU. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with bank holidays and one week at Christmas closed.

In February 2023, session times ran from 7.30am to 6pm, and funded early education was offered for two-, three- and four-year-olds. These are dated details of the offer at that inspection.

Attending childcare on a school site does not guarantee a Reception place.

• Quieter children. In February 2023, some quieter children received little adult interaction indoors. Ask how staff now notice and involve children who do not seek attention.
• Language and individual goals. The February 2023 improvement points concerned extending vocabulary and using interactions to support each child's next learning steps. During a visit, ask for examples of how these work together in play.

William Gladstone Childcare suits families seeking care for children from birth to five, with opening hours spanning the working day. Its February 2023 account gives concrete examples of imaginative, physical and practical learning. The key consideration is the consistency of adult involvement, especially for quieter children and those needing help to extend their language.