Landmark International School

Honeycomb Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 142776 Inspection date 26/05/2011 Inspector Heather Morgan

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Setting address Pollard House, 60 Crimchard, Chard, Somerset, TA20 1JT

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Telephone number 01460 63211 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Honeycomb Nursery School opened in 1995. It is privately owned and situated in a detached cottage in the town of Chard, Somerset. The nursery school occupies a separate annex with three play rooms. The kitchenette and toilet-cloakroom facilities are based just off the main playroom. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The nursery school is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It provides care for up to 16 children aged between two and the end of the early years age range, at any one time. It is open each weekday during school term times from 9.00am to 12.00 noon, and until 3.30pm pm on Mondays and Thursdays. There are currently 28 children on roll. The nursery school receives funding for the provision of free early education for three and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

A staff of three work with the children, two of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications, including Early Years Professional status.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children make excellent progress in their learning and development because the skilled staff team plan and deliver a wide range of activities that effectively capture children's interest and build on their prior achievements. Exemplary partnerships with parents and other professionals fully promote continuity in children's care and learning. The nursery provides a very safe, secure environment where children settle well and become confident, independent learners. Overall, the staff make excellent use of resources to enable children to engage in purposeful play. They are committed to delivering a high quality service that supports all children's welfare and development. They regularly reflect on their practice and take account of the views of other professionals to drive improvement.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 extending opportunities for children to benefit from the excellent outdoor environment in all weather conditions. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Staff are very clear about their role in keeping children safe. They diligently implement the clear and comprehensive policies that are in place to support them in maintaining a safe, secure environment. For example, they regularly assess risks associated with activities within the nursery and when they take children on outings. They actively encourage children to begin assessing risks for themselves, particularly when playing outdoors. Robust recruitment and induction procedures are followed closely to ascertain the suitability of all adults working with the children. Staff are very clear about procedures to follow in the event of any concerns and give high priority to prioritising children's individual needs and welfare.

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the early years provision

The highly skilled staff team work together very effectively to plan an interesting and exciting range of activities that capture and sustain the interest of children. Close observation of the children enables staff to make precise evaluations of children's achievements. These are recorded in attractive, detailed records of attainment and used to inform future planning. Consequently all children are making accelerated progress in their learning and development.

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the early years provision

Staff have very high expectations of themselves and of the children. There is a strong commitment to improvement and staff enthusiastically access training to support their professional development. They regularly reflect on their practice and produce detailed plans that focus on improving outcomes for children. For example, following training on 'forest school' activities, staff have worked hard to develop an exciting outdoor play area that further extends children's learning about the natural world.

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the early years provision

Staff provide a rich learning environment using a wide range of resources that children can access independently. There is an excellent balance between adult-led activities and those that children initiate themselves. Children enthusiastically engage in all that is on offer and are often able to choose between the indoor and outdoor play areas, particularly during fine weather. Staff deploy themselves effectively to support children's play and interact skilfully with them to maximise opportunities to extend their learning and development.

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the early years provision

Staff know all of the children really well and pay excellent attention to meeting their individual needs. They take particular account of the specific needs of small groups of children, such as providing plenty of physical play indoors and outdoors for boys who have a great deal of energy. They also ensure that the youngest children have extra support when they are settling in and when they are organising whole group activities. Staff incorporate a wide range of activities in their planning to help children develop their awareness of cultural diversity, with a particular focus on the diversity within the nursery community.

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the early years provision

There are excellent partnerships with parents and other professionals which have a very positive impact on children's welfare, learning and development. Parents are very well informed about their children's progress and regularly exchange This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 information about their children's achievements. Home visits help to establish excellent relationships and provide a strong link between home and nursery. Staff liaise closely with other local early years providers, sharing information about children's progress to promote continuity in their learning when they attend more than one setting. Teachers from the local schools visit and nursery staff share information with them about children's achievements. This effectively promotes a smooth transition from nursery to school.

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and outcomes for children

Children have a very good awareness of the importance of developing healthy lifestyles. They regularly choose to exercise their bodies and enjoy setting themselves challenges such as sliding, balancing and finding different ways to crawl through tunnels. They like to play outdoors in the fresh air and relish the opportunity to make the most of the extra space as they ride their wheeled toys, develop their ball skills and climb trees. They understand which foods are good for them and enjoy healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. They have a great awareness of hygiene routines and independently wash their hands before they eat, help to wash fruit at snack time and clear up spillages on the table.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very confident and secure in the relationships they develop with the adults caring for them. They are supported well in learning to manage risks for themselves, such as deciding how high up the tree it is safe to climb and learning that riding their wheeled toys on grass instead of concrete will reduce the risk of hurting themselves if they fall.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop firm friendships with each other at the nursery, often choosing to play together in small groups. They are also sensitive to the needs of others and invite them to join their games. For example, when preparing to go on a picnic during role play, two girls invite another to come with them. Their behaviour is excellent and they demonstrate a real understanding of how to play harmoniously by sharing and taking turns. Children develop great respect for one another and particularly enjoy learning about each other's cultures and traditions. For example, they taste a variety of foods, learn words in other languages and explore different climates, such as the rain forest.

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and outcomes for children

Children are enthusiastic and inquisitive learners. They actively engage in the full range of activities available to them and confidently initiate their own play. They take great pride in having special responsibilities, such as being the designated helper for the day. Children have a great love of books and enjoy sharing their favourite stories from home, making books and listening to stories. They use language well to organise their thoughts and share ideas with others. The print rich environment helps children develop an awareness that print carries meaning and many of them are beginning to form recognisable letters as they proudly write their names on their work. They also recognise their own names and are beginning to make links between letters and the sounds they make. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children love to solve problems and work things out for themselves. Their

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and outcomes for children

developing awareness of number means they can count to 20 and beyond, and they use this skill to work out the date each day. They count the number of pieces of fruit they have at snack time and are able to perform simple calculations such as adding or taking one away. For example, they correctly work out how many stickers will be left when one is taken away. They use directional language to help each other complete computer programs, suggesting whether the arrow needs to move up or down, to the left or right.

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and outcomes for children

Children take great delight in exploring features of the natural world. They are fascinated by the discovery of snails on the lawn after recent rainfall and this generates discussion about what they eat, how they move and see. They investigate the changing seasons and learn about lifecycles, such as the transformation of tadpoles into frogs. They also enjoy learning about their local community as they welcome visits from the community police officer, fire service and hairdresser. Children have lively imaginations and engage in complex role play. They work well together to act out familiar situations such as visiting a sweet shop, going on a picnic or taking a dog for a walk. They incorporate a range of resources into their role play, for example using large blocks to construct a road with a complex elevated section for their vehicles.

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and outcomes for children

Children's confidence and enthusiasm ensures that they actively engage in purposeful play throughout their time at the nursery. They are independent and inquisitive learners who make excellent progress in their development. This provides a very firm foundation for them to develop their skills for future learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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