Hidden Garden Day Nursery, Buttercup Barn

Buttercup Barn Day Nursery Ltd Clays End Farm, Newton St. Loe, BATH, BA2 9JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/05/2013 25/03/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress in their learning and development because they enjoy a wide range of experiences.  Children's language development is consistently supported by staff who interact warmly with them and build on their vocabularies.  Children form secure attachments with their key person, which helps them feel safe and secure.  Staff foster positive relationships with parents and involve them in all aspects of the nursery.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's choice regarding indoor and outdoor play is not always flexible to benefit all children.  Staff do not always make full use of everyday opportunities to further develop children's independence with their health and self-care skills.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 observed activities indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the owner / deputy manager, staff, parents and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation of staff and children at an activity, with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, staff suitably checks and attendance registers.

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Information about the setting

Buttercup Barn Day Nursery is privately owned and run by the manager. It was registered in 2009 and operates from converted premises situated near Newton St Loe, to the west of Bath. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area and are take part in forest school activities in the surrounding area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are currently 72 children on roll. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and / or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery employs 13 members of staff and along with the owner/manager; they all work directly with the children. Most staff hold a relevant qualification in early years.

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

 improve opportunities for all children to play outdoors when they wish to

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

 develop children's independence further and consistently help to prevent the spread of infection by encouraging children to wash their hands and to understand the importance of this.

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who attend

Children of all ages are happy and settled at the nursery because they take part in an exciting range of activities and experiences. As a result, they make good progress in all areas of learning. Staff know their key children very well and through observation and assessment, effectively tailor activities to meet their individual needs and interests. Staff make regular assessments of children's progress, which they share with parents. This means any gaps in children's development are identified early and parents are involved and can contribute to their child's learning.

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who attend

Children demonstrate their creative skills and imagination when participating in fun and engaging activities. For example, babies delight in using their senses to explore the flour play. They use utensils to scoop and pour the flour into containers and tubes made from both natural and manmade materials. Babies benefit from a range of experiences outside; they climb the steps and go down the slide, push balls down the guttering and transport sand from one place to another. However not all babies had the opportunity to play outside in the morning because they did not have any sunscreen at the nursery. This does not fully benefit those children who prefer to learn outdoors. Older children use their imaginations well as they role-play on the stage at the 'Buttercup Theatre'. They pretend to be princesses and pirates as a member of staff narrates the story. Staff effectively extend children's learning as they support them to develop their ideas to make props to

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who attend

use in their play. Children chat to one another excitedly as they design treasure maps, crowns and swords. Younger children dress up as fire fighters as they pretend to put fires out in the garden. This means children use their imaginations well. Children's communication and language is promoted well. They happily engage in lively conversations with the staff about places they have visited. Staff extend children's vocabulary and understanding well through introducing words such as 'aquarium'. Children confidently contribute their ideas to the discussion about what an aquarium is and what you can see there.

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who attend

Children have many opportunities to explore and investigate. They look at different bones and decide where in the body each one belongs. Children listen well to stories, they take it in turns to count the items of fruit from the bag to show how many pieces the caterpillar eats in the story. They notice changes in the environment too. Children observe caterpillars as they grow and change into butterflies before they let them go.

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who attend

The good organisation of the resources and the well-planned activities means that children are able to make independent choices in their play. Resources can sometimes get a bit untidy but the staff are quick to remind children to tidy away and sing a song about tidying as they help them. Older children develop their social skills effectively as they confidently ask questions, play cooperatively with their friends and take turns in their play. This prepares them well for the next stage in their development.

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

Children feel very safe and secure in the nursery because there is an effective key person system in place, which promotes children's emotional and physical well-being. Children are assigned a key person who gets to know the child and their family well. A secure 'buddy' system is in place to ensure there is always someone else that knows the child equally as well and can step in, in the key person's absence. As a result, children develop close attachments to all staff and develop into confident individuals with high self-esteem. Children move into the next age group with a clear, well-established hand over from one key person to another, further promoting children's safety and security. Children learn how to use tools such as knives and scissors with careful monitoring and understand the rules and boundaries to keep them safe. They learn how to evacuate the premises quickly and safely through regular practice of the fire drill.

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

Children's behaviour is good. Staff act as good role models and help the children to manage their own behaviour effectively. For example, when disagreements arise, staff skilfully encourage the children to think about the effect their actions has on others, helping them to compromise and negotiate if necessary. Staff are extremely patient with children allowing them time to think and make the right decisions, giving the children much praise when they do.

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

Children are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy eating a range of balanced nutritious meals and snacks each day provided by the nursery. Children's independence skills are well promoted as they serve themselves and pour their own drinks at meal times. Children in the pre-school room confidently manage their self-care skills for themselves. However, children in the baby and toddler rooms are guided one at a time to wash their hands, which does not fully promote their independence. In addition, some babies return to playing after washing their hands, which does not fully reduce the risk of cross infection effectively. Children have a well resourced inviting outside area, which promotes their physical development effectively. Children climb, balance, play imaginatively and learn new skills at forest school sessions. The nursery is a clean, well-resourced and welcoming environment.

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provision

The management and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are well safeguarded because staff are vigilant and have a good knowledge of safeguarding issues and procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child in their care. All required documentation is in place to support children's safety and welfare. There are robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place and secure systems for the monitoring of staff's performance to ensure continued suitability. Staff deployment is effective and children are supervised appropriately. The ratio of staff to children is appropriate and on many occasions, the number of adults caring for children exceeds the number required. As a result, children all receive the support they need and their individual needs are met well. The leadership and management are extremely effective at embedding ambition and

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provision

driving improvement. There is a strong feeling of teamwork in the nursery, ensuring that staff at all levels are appropriately monitored and supported. For example, the nursery manager is extremely well supported by her deputy and in the manager's absence she ensures the nursery continues to provide a high quality service. There is a strong commitment to ongoing training and all recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed extremely well. Self-evaluation is robust. Staff meet and discuss aspects of the nursery on a monthly basis. Responses to parent questionnaires and discussions with children also play a part in helping the staff to reflect on their practice and make improvements.

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provision

The management and staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. Through staff meetings and planning sessions the educational programme is effectively monitored to ensure that a broad range of activities are offered in all areas of learning. The basis of the teaching is good because staff have a secure understanding of each area of learning and how children learn effectively.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong. Daily feedback and regular meetings with their child's key person ensures that parents are fully involved in their child's learning. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection express how happy they are with the nursery. Parents describe the settling in procedures and the dedication of the key person as fantastic and compliment the staff on their happy and friendly approach. Partnerships with other settings the children attend are also good. Effective systems are in place for sharing information to ensure a consistent approach to children's care and learning.

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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 action. 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 EY400741 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 910838

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 72 Name of provider Buttercup Barn Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 25/03/2010 Telephone number 01225 874003

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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