Doncaster nursery that builds children’s confidence commended by Ofsted

October 19th, 2026

Children at Partou St Mary’s in Doncaster “feel emotionally secure” and “become confident,” according to their latest Ofsted report.

Read what inspectors said about the team’s tailored curriculum and the care families praise.

Partou St Mary’s Day Nursery & Pre-School nursery team celebrating their positive Ofsted inspection result outside the nursery, standing beside the red and orange Partou nursery sign with the red-brick childcare setting and blue sky in the background.

Team leaders at Partou St Mary’s Day Nursery and Pre-school in Doncaster have been praised by Ofsted for having “high ambitions for all children to reach their full potential.”

Following an inspection, the official report adds: “Parents and carers praise the staff team for the compassion and care that they show towards the children.”  

Last year, Ofsted changed the way early years settings are graded, replacing the previous single-word judgement with a renewed framework that focuses on safeguarding and a broad range of evaluation areas: inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children’s welfare and wellbeing; and leadership and governance.

Safeguarding standards at Partou St. Mary’s were deemed to be ‘met’ with the nursery achieving ‘expected standard’ in all six key evaluation areas, recognising that the team are delivering consistently high-quality childcare and education.

The Ofsted inspector notes that “all children” at the setting, “including those who are disadvantaged, build positive relationships with staff.”

The report continues:

“Children show that they feel emotionally secure in their care. As a result, they become confident and develop their independence.”

Partou St. Mary’s team members are commended for devising “a curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of all children.”  

The inspector writes:

“Staff use their assessments of children’s development and work with parents and carers to decide what children need to learn next. They consider how they will plan activities and experiences to support all children to work towards these next steps in their learning. They understand the skills that children need to develop before moving on to the next stage in their education. As a result, children are well-prepared to move on to the next aged room in the nursery, or for starting school.”

And the report notes that children “are supported to share knowledge and experiences about their cultures and home celebrations.”

Partou St. Mary’s provides expert childcare and early-years education to families in Bessacarr, Rossington, Littleworth and surrounding areas of Doncaster.

Standing in the grounds of the original St. Mary’s School, the setting offers spacious, well-resourced rooms for children to explore and a large garden which all age groups can access. 

“We are pleased with the inspector’s assessment and the many positive comments in the Ofsted report.

“Creating a warm and inclusive environment is essential for early years learning, supported by a curriculum that addresses each child’s individual needs.

“I am proud to lead a professional team which is delivering a happy, safe and vibrant educational experience for local families.”     

“Congratulations to Elaine and the team on the Ofsted inspection outcome.

“Across all our settings, Partou gives every child the freedom to flourish, building their confidence and curiosity.

“The Ofsted inspector notes that the team’s impressive work empowers children at St Mary’s to be more independent in readiness for their next stage of learning.”  

If you are looking for a Doncaster nursery where children feel emotionally secure, grow in confidence and are well prepared for their next step, we’d love to show you around Partou St Mary’s.

Book a visit to meet our caring team, see how our tailored curriculum meets every child’s needs and find out how we celebrate each child’s culture and home life.

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