Woodland Nursery School

Woodland Nursery School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY429508 Inspection date 15/12/2011 Inspector Judith Reed

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Setting address St Martin's Hall, Dene Lane, Lower Bourne, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 3PN Telephone number 01252 793863 Email carolyn.stidston@btinternet.com Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

Woodland Nursery School was re-registered in 2011 under new ownership. It is one of two privately owned settings, the other being Tilford Meadow Nursery School. The nursery operates from St. Martin's Hall in Lower Bourne, on the outskirts of Farnham in Surrey. Children are accommodated in one large room and have access to an enclosed garden for outside play. There are suitable toilet and kitchen facilities available.

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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. A maximum of 30 children may attend at any one time, of which none may be under two years of age. The nursery school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four. It welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently 40 children on roll. The nursery school operates from Monday to Friday during term-time only. Sessions are held from 9.10am to 1.10pm, Monday to Friday, for children aged three years and over. On Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday the provision is open from 1.10pm to 3.15pm for children aged over three and from 9.10am to 12.10pm for children under the age of three.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs seven members of staff, including the manager. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications and the others are planning to attend training.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are enthusiastic and motivated to join in activities. Staff know the children well and ensure their individual needs are met. Overall, a wide choice of resources are available inside and outdoors. The owner, manager and staff reflect upon their provision and work closely with advisors to ensure continuous development of the nursery. Staff improve their skills through continuous professional development.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 develop the outdoor environment further to provide a challenging environment where children's play can be supported and extended across all six areas of learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The efficient organisation of the nursery helps to ensure that children are safe at all times. All staff are well aware of their duty regarding safeguarding children and there is a detailed policy in place. All staff are suitability checked and secure recruitment procedures are in place. Regular risk assessments are carried out and recorded and all necessary documentation is in place to help ensure children's safety and security. Children's safety is further assured as suitable staff ratios are maintained at all times. Children help themselves to a varied range of equipment, including construction equipment and small world toys, from clearly labelled storage boxes. Routines are well planned and include small group sessions. These small group sessions are carefully planned by key people to meet the individual learning needs of the children. The large room is usually set out in learning zones which enables continuous provision across all areas of the early years curriculum.

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the early years provision

The outdoor play area is carefully planned to include most areas of development although it does not always cover all six areas of learning. As a result it does not always fully support and extend children's play.

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the early years provision

All families are welcomed into the nursery and an effective equal opportunities policy is implemented. Staff help children to learn about their own cultures and those of others by planning activities to link with festivals and cultural events. They also use a varied range of equipment and books that reflect positive images of diversity. Differences and similarities are discussed and children are helped to understand and acknowledge these. Children help to create a stimulating display showing positive role models and people from around the world. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well by the thoughtful staff. A display is in place which includes some words from their home languages. Children proudly demonstrate that they can count in other languages.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is good and they are invited to view their children's individual learning journey records regularly. They complete the 'All about me' child booklet when their children start attending the nursery and this enables staff to set starting points for each child's learning journey. Parents report that their children are making excellent progress and they are aware of their next steps for development. Staff build excellent relationships with other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are comprehensively met. They communicate with local authority area inclusion coordinators to provide tailored support for individual children. The special educational needs coordinator is trained and experienced. Staff are proactive in communicating with other providers and building positive links. They frequently share relevant information to ensure consistency. The staff team also work closely with several local schools to ensure a shared approach to

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the early years provision

The nursery staff are committed to improvement and work closely with local authority advisors to ensure continuous development of the provision. They make development plans and successfully assess areas for ongoing improvement. They also make continuous improvements on a day to day basis and are open to new ideas. Ongoing development of the nursery is a priority and several members of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 staff plan to access appropriate training in the near future.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled in the nursery with their familiar key staff. Their learning is effectively supported because staff know them very well and understand their individual care and learning needs. Staff offer a range of activities to ensure they are well occupied and interested and children can make choices and move around freely. Key workers use information from parents to help them assess children's starting points. They make regular observations of the children's development and record these in their learning journey folders. Photographs and examples of work are also used to illustrate children's learning. Staff use the records to track each child's progress across all six areas of learning and then plan their next steps for development. These next steps are discussed and shared with parents to enable them to further support children's development. Staff plan imaginative activities to build on children's interests.

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and outcomes for children

Staff strike an excellent balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities. For example, a group of children observe and investigate the plastic mini beasts. They place some in a basket and the key person asks 'How many have you got in there?' Children join in counting, demonstrating their problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills. They also independently discuss the mini beasts and observe them through a magnifying glass. This supports their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children develop valuable skills for their future lives as they become familiar with calculators, cash registers and play computers.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop habits and behaviour appropriate to good learners. They are well behaved and their personal, social and emotional development is enhanced through skilful planning and consistency among the staff team. They make friends and demonstrate good manners. They listen carefully and join in the entertainment when they are invited. They have a positive attitude towards learning and taking part because they are encouraged to make choices and move around the nursery to access various activities. They are sociable and chat with staff. Children have created a display about behaviour management issues. They drew pictures and helped make some rules. Their pictures include positive statements such as 'We look after books' and 'We look after people when they are sad'.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are well aware of all allergies and dietary requirements which helps them to successfully meet children's health needs. They make individual health plans, which include photographs, to ensure children's safety around the snack table and during lunch. Children routinely wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Most children access the toilet facilities independently and manage their own personal needs. A nappy changing procedure is carefully followed when necessary. Children understand and adopt healthy habits through discussion and themed activities. They develop a healthy lifestyle through daily physical exercise. They benefit from the daily opportunities to play outside, as well as regular nature walks and visits to the local play park. They relish the healthy snacks of fruit and bread This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 or crackers. They are learning how to keep themselves safe as regular fire

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and outcomes for children

evacuation drills are held. They are familiar with routines and know the doors are locked to prevent anyone entering the building. They also learn about stranger danger and road safety before visiting local parks and woods. 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 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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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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