A Plymouth childcare provider where “leaders and staff use their considerable experience and expertise in caring for children to very quickly identify children who need additional support”, and puts a strong emphasis on supporting the city’s military community, has been praised by inspectors for its inclusive approach and warm environment.
Jack & Jill’s Childcare Widewell, based at 1 Tiverton Close, Widewell, was inspected on 1 December 2025. The setting, which is registered for 12 places for children aged from 0 to four, operates from Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm. It is run by The Royal Naval Pre School Learning Organisation (Western Area) Committee .
Ofsted found that safeguarding standards are met, meaning “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” .
Inclusion was judged to be a strong standard. Inspectors reported: leader“Leaders and staff use their considerable experience and expertise in caring for children to very quickly identify children who need additional support in their learning and development. They work very closely with families and ensure that they are involved at every stage in deciding the best way to help their children to achieve and thrive. Parents comment that support from staff is invaluable.”
The report added that leaders ensure staff attend training tailored to children’s specific needs and “diligently pass on effective strategies that focus on the best way to help children to achieve, which provides a great deal of consistency and continuity”. Staff enlist the support of other professionals and “consistently provide the tailored adaptations children need to make progress and enjoy learning” .
Children’s behaviour and attitudes were found to meet the expected standard. Inspectors said: “Leaders and staff create a calm and caring environment where children feel safe and secure. They work in close partnership with parents, providing valuable advice and support. There is a consistent approach to children’s regular attendance and enjoyment of learning.”
Staff were praised for their “warm and friendly relationships with children” and for treating them “with consideration and kindness”. Clear boundaries help children understand what is expected, while staff encourage sharing and co-operation, such as when “a group of children work together to build a tower, taking turns and helping others to find resources” .
Inspectors also highlighted the welcoming atmosphere. “Leaders and staff create a welcoming and homely place for children to play and relax. Children enjoy their interactions with staff and seek them out for play and regular cuddles,” the report said. Children benefit from daily opportunities to be physically active outdoors and are provided with “healthy and nutritious snacks”, with snack time described as a social occasion where children use good table manners and talk about food groups .
In the section titled What it’s like to be a child at this setting, inspectors wrote: “Staff greet children warmly as they arrive, welcoming them with cuddles and reassurance as they settle. Children know their familiar routines, such as where to hang up their coats and put their water bottles. This supports their emotional security and sense of belonging.”
They added that staff are “very knowledgeable about child development” and “skilfully teach children about mathematical concepts, such as counting”, while leaders ensure children are well supported in their communication and language development .
Under the heading of Leadership and Governance the inspector highlighted that “leaders are committed to delivering a high- quality service for children, including families from the military community and have clear understanding of the communities they serve.”
However, the report identified areas for improvement, particularly for older children. Although children “form firm foundations in their learning and development”, inspectors noted that “older children are confident, they are not as well prepared as they could be for moving on to school” .
Under curriculum and teaching, Ofsted stated that while leaders create a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do, “the approach to the curriculum for older children is not fully focused on supporting the next steps in their learning and development so they make even better progress”. It added that staff “do not always adapt their teaching and interactions for older children once they have grasped a concept to extend their thoughts and ideas” .
Leaders were advised to support staff to develop their teaching skills to extend and deepen children’s learning further, and to review the curriculum for personal, social and emotional development to ensure children develop “high levels of confidence and independence in readiness for their next stage in learning, including school” .
