Cloud9 Childcare

Resident animals, sensory spaces and experiments with growing seeds gave Cloud9 Childcare plenty of character at its April 2026 inspection. Based at Ashfield House in Ossett, it has capacity for 34 children.

At its April 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, curriculum and teaching, and inclusion to be Strong standard, with welfare and wellbeing and leadership and governance at Expected standard; safeguarding standards were met. This is a report card with separate judgements, rather than a single overall grade.

In April 2026, children used dedicated sensory rooms and encountered a resident fish, rabbit and tortoise. These gave the day space for sensory exploration and opportunities to practise considerate behaviour towards animals.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care. In April 2026, this translated into counting during play, developing language through stories and building hand control with tools and art materials. A Goldilocks-themed activity introduced words about size and texture; interest in frogspawn led to a chia seed experiment, connecting children's curiosity with observing growth.

Community experiences also featured in April 2026. Regular outings included practising road safety, while learning about Remembrance Day involved making leaf wreaths and visiting the local cenotaph. These linked practical safety skills with learning about remembrance.

In April 2026, staff learned about children's interests and routines through All About Me forms and the key-person approach. Visual profiles helped staff share individual targets, while home-language words, gestures and pictures supported communication. At the April 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made progress through individualised support, including help that enabled greater independence in daily routines.

Care arrangements in April 2026 included age-sensitive sleep routines with staff present, records of foods introduced during weaning, and photographs alongside colour-coded plates for managing allergies. These made individual care information usable during the day.

A digital app supported two-way conversations with parents in April 2026, alongside face-to-face contact. School transition work included local networks and passing progress information to teachers. Information sharing with other childcare settings was less consistent, however, creating a risk of interrupted support for children attending more than one setting.

Ashfield House, Illingworth Street, Ossett, WF5 8AL is the nursery's address. In April 2026, opening hours were 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the children attending were aged 0 to 4. Those hours describe the opening window at that time.

• Shared childcare arrangements. In April 2026, exchanges of developmental information with other settings could be delayed. Families using two settings should discuss how staff will coordinate assessments and support.
• Digital wellbeing. In April 2026, teaching about online risks and guidance for families were not consistently embedded. This was an improvement priority, relevant to parents seeking a shared approach to technology use.
• Planning attendance. The April 2026 opening window stretched from early morning into the evening. At a visit, which booking patterns would fit your child's routine?

Cloud9 suits families drawn to hands-on exploration, sensory spaces and community experiences. The April 2026 picture combines practical learning with individual care routines, but coordination across childcare settings and digital wellbeing deserve attention. For families sharing care between providers, the information-sharing concern is especially relevant to continuity.