Willowdene at Sherfield Park

Willowdene at Sherfield Park SHERFIELD PARK COMMUNITY CENTRE, Sunwood Drive, Hook, Hants, RG27 0FP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/03/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Well-planned and interesting educational activities help children to make good progress in all areas of learning and development.  Experienced, skilled staff are very effective in identifying when children need additional help and work well with parents and outside agencies to secure appropriate help quickly.  Managers monitor the delivery of the educational programmes, planning and assessment effectively. As a result, children's needs are well met through high quality teaching.  Staff understand their responsibility to ensure that the nursery meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and have effective systems to monitor their implementation.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to develop children's skills and responsibility to look after their indoor and outdoor spaces are sometimes missed.  Outdoor learning experiences in the garden and in the local community are less well developed.

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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 compulsory part 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 a wide range of activities across all areas of the nursery and talked with staff and children about what they were doing.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documents and procedures relating to safeguarding, staffing, supervision, risk assessment and health and safety, and checked a selection of other policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of children's records, and the nursery's systems for planning, evaluation and exchanging information with parents and external professionals.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the leadership team and observed staff leading small group work with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Willowdene at Sherfield Park Nursery registered in 2013. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The purpose designed nursery forms part of Sherfield Park Community Centre, near Basingstoke. Children have access to a dedicated secure outdoor play area. The nursery operates each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It closes on bank holidays. The nursery offers a range of start times and children may attend for part or all of the day. The nursery owner is a qualified teacher. She employs four members of teaching staff and a cook. Currently, three members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above and one is a trainee.

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

 help children learn to address the risks of spills, think through how to manage them and provide tools for them to do so, developing children's responsibility and ability to care of their environment

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

 extend opportunities for children to play and investigate outside and in the community, in all weathers.

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who attend

Children quickly engage in interesting learning experiences while in the care of welcoming, capable and experienced staff. Resources and activities that promote learning and challenge across all areas of development are easily accessible to children. This means children may choose to explore their own interests; playing with what they know or trying something new. For example, staff place a large tray of dried pasta next to shelving where children can see and reach different sizes of pots and utensils. Children enjoy learning how to handle familiar tools for pouring, scooping and measuring. Staff give children plenty of time to investigate different dried materials. They carefully observe how children play and what they know before adding in a little more challenge. The quality of teaching is consistently good, motivating children to participate and learn. Children's fascination increases, as staff encourage them to add water to the tray and discover how the pasta

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who attend

changes in texture and handling. Children's imaginations are 'fired up' as they pretend they are chefs preparing and tasting a new meal. Proud of their achievements, they confidently share their successes with the staff and children around them. Experienced staff quickly build on these moments, helping children who are new to the setting invite friends into their play. A keen focus on developing children's personal, social and communication skills ensures children learn the foundations for future progress. Staff plan activities around the interests and needs of children, and do so with the children. Having observed children's interest in their postal deliveries, staff help them create a post office in the corner of the room. Children try out ways to do things, learn to review if strategies work, and share new ideas with each other. Children plan and find the things they will need, such as a cash till and weighing scales, tables, chairs and materials for writing,

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who attend

sticking and printing. Staff carefully weave in all areas of learning and development as they build on children's enthusiasm and identify next steps in their learning. Staff help children needing practice in handling small items to wrap and stick parcels or design and paint a post box. Children, who would not choose to pick up a pencil, see the purpose of 'writing' on cards and envelopes. Staff build on children's interests and challenge them further. They find pictures and plan trips to support children's understanding of their local community. Gaps in children's knowledge are quickly addressed because staff use effective monitoring systems to inform the education programmes they deliver. In this way, staff ensure children make steady progress towards the early learning goal and are ready for their next steps at home and at school.Experienced, skilled staff are highly effective in identifying children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff

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who attend

work well with parents and specialists to help put in place the additional support children need to address later starts, gaps or delays in learning. Progress checks for two-year-old children and regular written updates, link staff and parents as they share information on children's development. Staff are currently trialling the most efficient way of recording their observations and next steps for children online. Parents note how much they enjoy linking in with their children's activities and achievements promptly. They also share photos and updates from their own weekend activities for their children to talk about at nursery. Parents quickly access a photograph, which helps their child to share special moments in their day. However, the emphasis is then upon parents to print the pictures and memories of their choosing to make a record of their child's learning journey.

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

Good systems are in place to help children enter and settle into the nursery with confidence and growing independence. All staff are skilled and sensitive in helping children form secure emotional attachments. They gather information on children's needs and preferences likes and dislikes, before they start and use this information wisely. New parents note how quickly their children build a trusting relationship with their key person. This gives children a strong base from which to explore the nursery, speak to new people and begin to make new friends. Staff are patient, kind and highly effective in settling children who lack confidence or experience in developing social skills. They gently and persistently model their expectations for children's behaviour and talk children through strategies to help them manage turn-taking and sharing. Generally, children learn to behave well, develop self-control and show tolerance towards different approaches.

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

However, staff do not routinely challenge children to respect or care for their nursery, which spoils the enjoyment of others. For example, children have beautiful, bright purpose designed play areas. Understandably, they spill water and compost and drop counters and beads on the floor. Unfortunately, tools are neither plentiful nor at hand for children to work together to clear up spills. Every day opportunities to teach children to respect their nursery and each other's place in it are therefore missed. Staff do however, organise the nursery to help children's increasing independence in personal care routines such as toileting, hand washing and using tissues. Children also practice personal skills when preparing healthy snacks of fruit and home-grown produce. There are keen gardeners amongst the teaching staff who inspire children to wonder at the different ways plants grow throughout the year. Children learn to plant and nurture seeds and bulbs, beans and

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

plug plants. They learn scissor control through trimming seed packets and big pots of grass, and trim cress for their sandwiches. Staff cleverly use planting to support rhymes, story telling and mathematics as they measure the growth of beanstalks and enormous pumpkins. Children are therefore learning to care for other parts of their environment and keenly support the nursery plan for a new rabbit. Staff encourage children to play outside each morning and afternoon and the nursery is well designed for children to move easily between inside and outdoors. The nursery is so new that the outdoor learning area is not as well organised or resourced as the indoors. Nor are systems fully in place to make the most of exploring the local community, where there are pathways through trees and wildlife areas with fields and parks to play on. These areas are still to be developed. Staff are also working hard to build good networks and links with local services and schools.

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

Good relationships with some support agencies are already in place to help individual children make rapid progress in specific areas. Plans are also unfolding to ensure children make smooth moves to their school placements. Most children are already emotionally well-prepared for the next stage in their learning due to the dedication of a perceptive and caring team of staff.

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provision

Children and their families benefit from a leadership team where knowledge and experience in early years practice combines with enthusiasm for developing a new community nursery. The nursery owner has a very secure understanding of how to meet the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Both the owner and her manager know how to design and oversee good quality education programmes to underpin children's learning and development. They also have robust and consistent measures in place to ensure that staff know how much progress children are making and where they may need additional help. As a result, children's individual needs are recognised, targeted and supported. Consequently, effective relationships with local services and parents help provide timely interventions and specialist guidance. The leadership team also clearly understand and have good procedures in place to meet the

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provision

safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff complete training in safeguarding and are some are particularly knowledgeable in this area, enabling them to protect children appropriately. Staff recruitment, supervision and training also have a strong focus on safeguarding and child protection. Contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children's Board are also on display should staff or parents seek them in a hurry. The nursery produces and displays a comprehensive series of information sheets for parents. These guide them through complaint procedures and supply parents with a wealth of information on local support services. The umbrella organisation also regularly updates a very comprehensive website with information useful to parents. The manager diligently administers procedures for ensuring the continued suitability of those who work at the nursery. Systems of induction training, appraisals and supervisions are

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provision

already underway. This keeps all staff clearly focused on making every effort to keep children safe. Identifying and meeting staff training needs also supports improvements towards children's achievements. The nurseries policies and procedures for assessing any risk to children's safety are also on their website for parents to review. Routine procedures for risk assessments for inside and outside are regularly checked. This helps to make sure the environment remains a safe place for children to play and learn. All mandatory documentation for the safe management of the nursery is in place and is accurately maintained. All staff have recently updated first aid training and the cook has training in hygienic food preparation. Snack materials are kept fresh in a fridge within the nursery and lunch materials are stored in clearly designated areas within the main kitchen. Staff are mindful of both hygiene and safety when transporting hot meals from the kitchen to

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provision

the nursery. First Aid kits are accessible in case of accident or injury. The setting keeps written records of accidents, injuries and first aid treatment including evidence of when parents are informed. Records are reviewed regularly for trends and further risk assessment. While the nursery works well with the new community centre management, they have added further evacuation practices to ensure all the children attending experience these drills. The nursery has good systems in place to prevent unauthorised access. Children are signed over to parents within the nursery where they are clearly separate from the busy activities of the community centre reception area. The nursery's strong drive and commitment to provide high quality services to children and their families is evident in the progress they have made in establishing this new setting. Self-evaluation and areas for improvement are beginning to formulate. Staff also know how they aim to

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provision

continue to develop and improve the nursery to support the growing needs of the children. Parents are excited by this new venture and commend the staff for their care and dedication to meeting the children's needs.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY469484 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 940191 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Marilyn Hargraves Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01256324191

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Setting details

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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