Red Hen Day Nursery

Red Hen Childrens Day Nursery & Kidz Crew Out-of-School Club Manor House Farm, Reston Road, Legbourne, LOUTH, Lincolnshire, LN11 8LS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/10/2013 12/03/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Practice in this nursery is truly worthy of dissemination to other providers. Leadership is inspirational and drives the pursuit of excellence in all of the setting's activities. This ensures all children's needs are met exceptionally well.  Children are highly motivated and consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. Staff have very high expectations of themselves, and children, and use their expert knowledge and understanding of how children learn through exciting, fun and challenging opportunities, to provide an educational programme that stimulates and engages all children.  Thorough systems are in place to reflect and review all areas of practice and provision, driving improvements forward, to enhance the extremely good outcomes for children further.  Staff promote positive attitudes and good relationships in children, so that they develop skills for the future. Children's health and well-being is given very high priority, as staff

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This provision is outstanding

teach them to make healthy food choices.  The rich, varied and exciting environment provides challenge and promotes learning, providing a strong base for children to manage risks and understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy. The highly effective use of the outdoor provision enhances children's learning in all areas.

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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 had a tour of the premises, surrounding outdoor areas and went on a activity to the woods with a group of children and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the owner and managers, talked to staff and key persons and carried out observations at the wood and talked this through with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff, including recruitment procedures, and referred to the settings self-evaluation documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of several parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children throughout the inspection and spoke with them to gain their views.

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Information about the setting

Red Hen Children's Day Nursery and Kidz Crew Out of School Club opened in 2004. It is privately run and operates from converted farm buildings adjacent to the owners' home and farm on the outskirts of the village of Legbourne, Lincolnshire. There is a fully enclosed central courtyard for outdoor play which can be directly accessed from all the playrooms. There is also a separate mound area with vegetable patch and a further enclosed paddock area where children are able to access animals and nature walks.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 106 children on roll who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm all year round, except for public holidays and Christmas week. The out of school club is open 8am to 6pm during school holidays. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions and come from a wide catchment area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff in addition to the owner. Of these, all staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery also employs a management team, kitchen and domestic staff. The owner holds a degree in early years. The nursery receives support from the local authority. They are a member of various organisations, including, Select Lincolnshire and the National Day Nurseries Association.

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

 enhance the already good information in the setting, concerning children's two year progress check, by encouraging other providers and professionals, particularly health visitors, to more actively contribute to these assessments.

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who attend

Children thrive in this inspirational nursery. The staff have expert knowledge of how children learn through play. This means that they gather valuable information from their detailed observations of children. Staff expertly use this information to plan very exciting and challenging activities through which all children make excellent progress. Children develop their own learning styles, as staff provide a wealth of high quality resources and toys which are easily accessible in all rooms. Use of the outdoor environment is exceptionally well planned for to ensure all children have meaningful learning opportunities. For example, when collecting apples and pears to make juice the children found that some fruit was too hard for the wooden presses. This was turned into an excellent learning opportunity to look at the weight needed to crush the fruit, to get some juice. The fruit was placed into sacks and driven over by a tractor. The children watched

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who attend

with excitement and then examined the results to see if the tractor was heavy enough to make the juice. This expert knowledge of how children learn means staff can quickly adapt their teaching to make innovate use of these spontaneous events.

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who attend

Each child's key person works closely with parents to share information about children's progress and to plan how they can support and extend children's learning at home. Children's progress is documented in special 'Red books' which are treasured by the nursery and staff. Great thought and care is given to personalising these books and presenting children's achievements and their next steps in learning. Consequently, parents actively contribute to their child's records and add personal touches of their own, adding useful comments about what their child has achieved at home. This makes an extremely valuable contribution to assessments and future planning so that children continually build on their learning.

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who attend

Staff invite parents to share stories or cultural events with all the children and to attend play sessions to find out how they learn through play. Staff encourage parents to share basic words in their home languages in order to support children for whom English is an additional language. Parents are extremely well-informed about children's activities and their purpose through the highly informative displays in each room and around the nursery. Each room has a journal which is used to great effect to keep a record of how the children have spent their time. Older children actively contribute to this journal and are very proud to talk about what they have been doing and have written. All children are extremely well motivated and engaged in their learning. This is because the learning environment reflects their interests and they have a wide choice of exciting and stimulating resources which they use in whichever way they choose.

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who attend

Staff guide children's play through highly skilled questioning which challenges all children so their learning is maximised during all activities and routines. The high quality teaching is consistent throughout the nursery and staff develop children's language and communication skills very effectively. Staff encourage children to think about the colours, shapes and sizes of wooden blocks or the toys they use in the sand and water, introducing new words, such as trowel, for the tools they have in the sand pit.

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who attend

The exciting, stimulating and extremely well organised nursery, together with the courtyard, garden areas, paddocks and woods provides children with ample space to explore and learn. For example, on the walk up to the woods, young children talk excitedly about the horses in the paddock. They talk about going down to the woods to find the fairies. Children's enthusiasm is expertly harnessed by staff to engage children in learning about different aspects of science through practical experiences. They find fairy cups that are acorn shells, and this leads to talking about the different leaves they find and why the leaves come off the trees. Children's imagination is fully supported as staff aid them to make up their own stories. Staff initiate the story by using the children's names and events they are familiar with and then encourage the children to take over making up and telling the next part of the story. Consequently, children make excellent progress in

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who attend

Children learn to count and problem solve in maths, through activities that interest them. For example, using potatoes to measure how tall they are or looking at the staff car number plates to see what numbers and letters they recognise. Toddlers learn to count by helping collect sweet chestnuts. Babies are encouraged to explore different textures using their senses and have ample space to practise crawling and learning to stand. Home visits are undertaken to ensure all children, including babies' starting points and needs are fully gathered so they settle quickly and make progress as soon as they start at the nursery.

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

Staff give the utmost priority to children's health and well-being. They ensure that all children's needs are met, as they work very closely with parents and carers so that their children receive continuity of care. As a result, children are extremely happy and secure. They see their siblings at nursery throughout the day, as all children eat together so that they get to know each other and all staff. This helps children to feel secure if their key person is not present, as they form very close bonds with each other and staff. There are excellent relationships between children and staff, which mean there is an exceptionally happy, nurturing atmosphere in each room. Behaviour is excellent, as staff set clear boundaries and plan activities and discussions so that children begin to understand how their actions can affect other children or adults.

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

Staff teach children about safety and skilfully support children to learn to manage risks for themselves. For example, when in the woods children climb on branches and stumps, however, as it is raining the wood is slippery, staff help children work out it is not safe to climb on the wood when it is wet. This means children learn to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. Older children are encouraged to model safe behaviour for younger children including how to carry large branches, by dragging them behind them. This excellent teaching, through helping older children explain to their peers, means children actively manage risks themselves and help keep each other safe.

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

Children learn to make healthy food choices, as staff involve parents in the nursery menus, share recipes and invite them to take part in healthy food initiatives. The nursery provides children with extremely healthy meals and snacks and has several healthy eating awards. The children learn about how food is produced, including an age appropriate understanding about how meat comes from the farm pigs. They see how their meals are cooked because the kitchen has a large open hatch. This helps ensure children understand the process and this is enhanced through frequent opportunities for children to prepare food, including vegetables they have grown.

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

Children have fresh air and exercise each day at nursery, in the central court yard, on the mound and field, or on walks through the paddock to the woods. Children use the outdoor environment in all weathers and understand the need to put waterproof clothing, hats and boots on before going out in the rain. Staff encourage all children to be independent, and older children are competent in putting on and taking off their protective clothing. Consequently, children are well prepared for school. Children's opinions and achievements are highly valued and they receive frequent praise from staff, which gives them increasing confidence and high self-esteem. Staff are very aware of children's individual needs, as they ask children who are toilet training if they need to go or if children need to sleep or have quiet time. Babies have high levels of quality interaction with staff and they delight when their sibling comes to join them in the baby room for some family time.

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

Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery and the dedication of staff and the owners. They comment on how 'fantastic the overall care, location and facilities, including the outdoor area and the care is second to none'. Other parents comment about how much confidence and trust they have in the staff and how the setting is 'magical'. Transitions to new rooms in the nursery and to school are extremely well managed so that children are very secure. Children know all the nursery staff and spend increasing amounts of time in the new room with their key person until they feel secure. Parents are involved in the process and children do not move until they are ready. Staff invite teachers from the local schools to visit the children at nursery and they share information about their progress and individual needs so that these continue to be met.

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provision

Since the last inspection the owners, managers and staff have been highly successful in maintaining the highest level of achievements. Exceptional monitoring, support, direction and training is provided by the owners, which ensures all staff aim for, and can provide, the very best care and education for children. This includes the provision of the very best equipment in the nursery and an effective appraisal system and tailored training, to support all staff to provide the very best for children. The owner of the nursery has an exceptional knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and continues to inspire and drive all of the staff team to continually achieve the highest of standards. This includes supporting staff to pursue their professional development. As a result, senior staff who lead each area within the nursery have an exceptional combined level of expert knowledge of childcare and education, with a number of staff holding degrees and Early Years

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provision

Practitioner Status. The manager effectively harnesses this expert knowledge to direct all practice within the nursery.

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provision

The owner, manager and deputy manager spend time in each area of the nursery and make it their business to know that each child and family receive the support they need, which is an exceptional achievement in a nursery of this size. All senior staff are effective in leading and supporting their team to aspire to provide the very best, using strategies, such as peer observations, to share expert knowledge and support ongoing development. As a result, the pursuit of excellence is embedded in all activities and every member of staff is highly committed and effective. This ensures children benefit enormously from an extremely high quality inclusive learning environment, stimulating educational programmes and individual learning.

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provision

Children are kept safe, as the management team use robust procedures to ensure staff understand and implement the comprehensive safeguarding policy and risk assessments. Meticulous record keeping and frequent analysis of medical and accident records means that children are extremely well protected. The premises are very secure and highly effective recruitment and inductions mean that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are very vigilant in their supervision of children and ratios are strictly adhered to. Staff have paediatric first-aid qualifications and there are rigorous procedures for the collection of children so that they are safe. Staff adhere to the nursery's no smoking policy and children are guided by staff to assess risks indoors and outdoors so that any potential hazards to children or staff are identified and action taken to minimise any risk.

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provision

Very strong and well-established partnerships with other professionals and local early years providers mean that children and their families are exceptionally well supported. The nursery management team are extremely conscientious in finding ways to provide every possible opportunity to accommodate children's individual needs so that their learning potential and well-being is maximised. Through this dedication they have identified ways to develop closer links with health visitors to ensure the 'progress check at age two' has more information. This has yet to be implemented to enhance the already good information, to more precisely identify each child's strengths and weakness. The nursery initiates links between local schools, children's centres and nurseries so that they all benefit from mutual support and share information about children's progress and needs. This means that children who attend other settings receive continuity of care and learning

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provision

and staff share ideas and best practice. The nursery provides an invaluable resource for the community in the support of children's learning so that they have a firm foundation on which to build their future 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 EY279807 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 936800

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 106 Name of provider D R Harrison Ltd Date of previous inspection 12/03/2012 Telephone number 01507 603535

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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 Inspection report: Red Hen Childrens Day Nursery & Kidz Crew Out-of-School Club, 16/10/2013 10 of 11

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Type of provision

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. Inspection report: Red Hen Childrens Day Nursery & Kidz Crew Out-of-School Club, 16/10/2013 11 of 11

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Type of provision

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.

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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