The Enchanted Garden Day Nursery

The Enchanted Garden Day Nursery Lamb Pens Farm, Kings Clipstone, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG21 9HL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/10/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children's language development is given priority. Practitioners extend children's vocabulary and help them to develop conversations. They listen and skilfully question children during activities to expand children's language.  Children feel safe and secure within the provision because they operate an organised key person system, which also helps children to form secure attachments and promotes their well-being.  The provision provides a stimulating and welcoming environment, both inside and outdoors. This supports children's all-round development and provides a range of experiences that help develop their learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Assessment of the children's learning is not consistent. This results in learning experiences that are not fully matched to the children's needs and do not have sufficient challenge for them to reach their full potential. Children's learning journeys do not provide enough information about what the child can do to plan for their next steps in order to make progress across all areas of learning.  Practitioners are less secure in their knowledge of mathematics. They do not make good use of planned or unplanned opportunities to enhance and extend children's learning in this area.  Monitoring of planning, observations, assessments and staff performance is not rigorous enough to identify areas that require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager/owner of the provision.  The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and outside learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager to look at mathematical skills.  The inspector held conversations with key workers and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, learning journeys and planning documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with the children, and the provider's documentation.

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Information about the setting

The Enchanted Garden Day Nursery was registered in 2012. It operates from a refurbished building in a rural location in Sherwood Forest, near Mansfield, north Nottinghamshire. Children are cared for in an open-plan room with designated areas for children of differing ages and abilities. Children share a fully enclosed and secure outdoor area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery operates between the hours of 7am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday. It is open throughout the year, only closing for Bank Holidays and a week at Christmas. It is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 30 children on roll, of whom eight are in the early years age range.

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Information about the setting

Six staff are employed at the setting, all of whom hold a recognised childcare qualification. The nursery is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 assess regularly each child's progress in all seven areas of learning in relation to their age and stage of development, and use this information to individually plan children's next steps.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop the children's educational programme for mathematics using planned and unplanned activities for children to increase their understanding of numbers, shape, position and patterns

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review and further develop the monitoring systems to identify all areas that may require improve improvement, paying specific attention to staff supervisions, appraisals and assessment procedures.

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who attend

Practitioners have a basic knowledge of most of the areas of learning and provide suitable activities to engage and capture children's interests and attention. Teaching techniques are relevant across the provision. Children's language is fostered well through conversations. They join in a conversation about their favourite toy as they cut and stick pictures onto a large shared piece of paper. This enhances the children's language and imagination as they talk about the castles the princess dolls might live in. Children develop their literacy skills as they enjoy stories, and most sit attentively and listen to one of their favourites. Older children answer questions and repeat the end of sentences with excitement. Developing children's language skills is a strength of the provision. Children engage in activities, such as chalking and painting. They make marks and some children draw recognisable pictures. These show the children are active learners and beginning to

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who attend

learn early writing skills. Practitioners are promoting children's physical development appropriately. Children have opportunities to use sit-and-ride toys and run around the area having races. Screams of delight show the children's enjoyment of this activity and the bond they have with their key persons, as they run to them willingly with smiling faces. Children are encouraged to share toys and activities well, developing sound relationships with each other; for example, they play together with building bricks as they make cars and houses.

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who attend

Practitioners promote children's natural curiosity to find out about things. One example of this is when the children went into the woodland and gathered sticks to make a bird houses. Photographs show the children sticking the sticks and twigs together, being active, inquisitive learners. These birds houses are displayed on a notice board with other outside activities, such as the bugs the children made. However, there are few activities planned to effectively promote mathematical development and throughout the inspection few references were made to mathematical language or skills.

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who attend

Practitioners have yet to implement the progress check at two years, but they are generally able to identify what the children in their care are able to do. Appropriate systems for observing what children can do commenced in September this year. This is not reflected in learning journey records and the practitioners do not build on their knowledge to individually plan effective next steps. Although all children do make progress, individual planning is not systematic enough to challenge children or help them to make the most out of the activities provided.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children enjoy a warm and close relationship with their key worker. They feel secure and welcomed, and as a result they are confident and enjoy their time at the nursery. Practitioners have sound relationships with parents and obtain information about their children's likes and dislikes and own routines. Practitioners take time throughout the day to listen to the children individually so they feel special and valued. Children respond to non-verbal and verbal communication while playing chasing games and all children love cuddles and close contact at times throughout the day. Behaviour is appropriate, with older children helping younger ones. This is clear at lunch time as they show them how to use the cutlery to eat their mincemeat, beans and pasta. Children are learning to develop self-help skills, with even the youngest child learning how to use a spoon and make choices about the food they eat. Pre-school children are developing self-care skills, for

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

example, they try and open their own yoghurt at lunchtime and are secure in their own hygiene practices.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The layout of the inside and outdoor learning environment enables children to be creative and inquisitive learners as they freely play and explore the activities on offer and play an active role in their self-chosen play. Practitioners provide a sense of belonging for the children as they attractively display their work and their photographs. Areas used by the children are well organised and enable them to move freely and safely around the nursery, building self-esteem and confidence.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Practitioners encourage a healthy lifestyle as they encourage children to focus on outdoor activities and provide activities in the wild garden and near by woodland, such as bug hunts. Children enjoy their sessions at the allotment. They have prepared the area and photographs show the children moving soil in wheelbarrows and digging the ground that is now ready to sow the seeds. Children's understanding of safety is satisfactory as they participate in regular fire drills and learn about climbing safely as they talk about 'Jack and the Beanstalk'.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children have opportunities to visit the local area, going on walks and visiting the local farm, which helps them to develop confidence and independence in situations away from the nursery. It helps them to prepare for their next big step in their life, which is normally starting school. The manager and key workers have made links with the local primary schools. They have put in place a sound transition procedure where they visit the school with the children and pass on a transition form containing the children's achievements. This ensures continuity of care.

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provision

Children are safeguarded through sound supervision and relevant policies and procedures. Arrangements for safeguarding children within the provision are appropriate. Management know how to protect the children in their care. All practitioners have a basic knowledge and sound understanding of safeguarding issues; for example, they are aware of their local procedures for child protection and know who to call should they be concerned. Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that adults working with the children are suitable to do so. Management provide a provision that is safe as they carry out risk assessments in all areas and minimise risks to children. They ensures that the environment is safe, secure and well maintained, promoting children's safety at all times. All the required documentation is organised to ensure that the setting delivers appropriate care and education for the children and their families.

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provision

Leadership of the provision sets high aspirations for quality in the future. Accurate identification of priorities through self-evaluation has resulted in changes from this September to systematically improve the quality of the provision. For example, the management has identified the need to monitor the delivery of the educational programmes. They have introduced new forms to show children's observations, next steps, individual planning and achievements in all seven areas of learning. However, although the children are making steady progress towards the early learning goals they are not reaching their full potential because the practitioners are not fully implementing the changes that have been introduced to challenge the individual needs of the children.

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provision

Management are committed to improving their service. Regular staff meetings provide valuable opportunities for staff to share practice and to identify their training needs, which are prioritised. Practitioners are accessing training from the local authority and management have put together a training programme. They have not yet devised supervisions of staff, but have put together an appraisal system which to date has not yet been implemented and therefore has not had an impact on the children's care and learning. Management continually strives to ensure that the setting provides an inclusive service where all children and parents are welcome. Staff are effectively deployed to support children during all activities and to ensure that supervision is consistently maintained. Parents are provided with information about the provision through written information and the parent information pack. Systems are in place to include parents in

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provision

children's learning and development. When children start, an initial discussion and assessment takes place to obtain information about their child's interests and abilities in order to determine their starting points. This promotes a two-way parental involvement. All children receive happy and enjoyable early experiences. Practitioners create a calm environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating where children enjoy their learning and are able to grow in confidence.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY443659 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 788185

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Gina Smith Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07971 441534

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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