Morley-based Leeds nursery gives children 'sense of belonging' in first Ofsted visit since takeover
A south Leeds nursery has been rated by Ofsted for the first time since its takeover.
Muddy Boots Morley, located on Albert Road, Leeds, was rated as good in all four inspected categories - the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
Formerly known as Kaleidoscope Day Nursery, it was the site’s first Ofsted inspection since Muddy Boots completed a takeover of the site last year.
First established in 2011, Muddy Boots completed the purchase of Kaleidoscope nurseries in Drighlington, Morley and Gildersome in late 2024.
Ofsted said: “The caring staff and leaders are dedicated to supporting children's care, routines and development. Staff know the children in their care extremely well. They promote children's sense of self and belonging.
“Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. For instance, at mealtimes, children learn to wait until everyone has been served their food before they start eating. This helps children to develop an understanding of being respectful and patient.”
Leaders and staff “know the importance of repetition” to support children's speaking and listening skills, according to the report. They ensure that children regularly hear repeated and familiar stories, songs and rhymes.
Staff at Muddy Boots carry out “regular assessments of children's development.” They gather information from parents about children's new interests or development at home and use this information to plan a “focus week” for each child.
Inspectors noted that staff ensure that children of all ages “receive daily experiences for outdoor play.” The outdoor area is planned so that children receive opportunities to learn how to climb, balance and move in different ways.
Focusing on areas of further improvement, the education watchdog added: “To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should continue to strengthen the processes for monitoring and evaluating staff practice.
“To identify any further areas of development and raise the quality of the already good practice to even higher levels.”
Staff “swiftly identify when children need further support” for their learning or development. They work in close partnership with parents and other health professionals. This helps staff to develop strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
The report added that staff “enjoy working at the nursery.” They say that they receive good support both professionally and for their well-being. Leaders provide focused training to support staff.
In a statement posted online, a spokesperson for Muddy Boots said: “We’re proud to announce that Muddy Boots Morley received Ofsted rating ‘Good’ following their most recent inspection.
“The team at Morley confidently showed the inspector what a day at nursery is like for the children at Muddy Boots, and their in depth knowledge was highlighted, as well as their communication with the children, parents and each other.”