Willowdene Nursery School

Willowdene Nursery School 42 Reading Road, Chineham, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 8LT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/01/2015 16/01/2012

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 The accuracy and rigour of staff assessments supports effective planning for each child's next steps in learning, so children make excellent progress.  Staff offer children extensive and exciting opportunities to learn and develop new skills. They encourage them to investigate, create, and rejoice in their achievements.  Children's needs and strengths are quickly identified and exceptionally well met through highly effective partnership working with parents and carers.  Strong leadership drives forward improvements in the nursery year after year, and supports staff that are eager to do their very best for the children in their care.  Staff help to prepare children well for changes in their lives. Children are socially, emotionally, and developmentally ready for their moves to school.

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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 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, equal opportunities, 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, the nursery's systems for planning, evaluation, and exchanging information with parents and external professionals.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and reviewed written communication from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the leadership team and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Willowdene Nursery School registered in 1990. It offers sessional and full day care, before and after school care, and a holiday club. The nursery operates from the ground floor of a house in Chineham near Basingstoke in Hampshire. Children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. There are currently 68 children on roll, all in the early years age group. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who are learning English as an additional language. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three, and four. The nursery employs 21 members of staff, including five office and domestic staff. Sixteen members of the teaching team hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager is a qualified teacher.

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

 extend further the range of resources available to support parents in building on children's enthusiasm for stories and early literacy at home.

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who attend

Children benefit from extremely high standards of education and teaching at this homely nursery. This is due to the manager's long-term drive towards excellence, coupled with the willingness of her highly capable and experienced team to meet those expectations. Staff provide children with a wide choice of inspiring educational experiences throughout each day. During the inspection babies' practised new skills as they listened to the sounds they made manipulating noisy toys and striking out at home-made instruments. Their sessions were full of laughter and praise as staff noticed their smallest achievements, and encouraged them towards their next steps in learning. Toddlers explored and experimented with sand, water, craft materials, and construction. They learned to concentrate for longer periods as observant staff knew precisely when to add a new resource to enrich their ideas and further challenge their thinking. Motivated by their love

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who attend

for the children, and a desire to be innovative and exciting teachers, staff routinely reflect on their effectiveness in improving children's learning. This combination of skills ensures that children of all ages make excellent progress during their time at the nursery.

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who attend

Exceptional monitoring underpins staff's effectiveness in developing children's strengths, and helping them raise all aspects of their development to the highest levels. Staff observe, enjoy, and record children's latest achievements. They share, celebrate, and discuss these with children's parents through quick comments, lasting photographs and more formal up-dates. In partnership with parents, staff target children's next steps in learning and plan activities to help them progress. Staff tracking and knowledge of children's skills is so precise that they consistently build upon and enhance children's achievements across every part of their day. For example, staff prepare an outstanding slide show each day when the pre-school group focus on higher-level skills to excite their learning and prepare them for their moves to school. During the inspection, all the children were highly engaged in choosing and ordering the correct labels and numbers as

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who attend

they identified the day, date, and month of the year. They eagerly identified numbers and letters. For example, children quickly guessed familiar words such as, 'Flower' and 'Frog', so staff challenged them to think and discuss the meaning of less familiar words, such as 'First'. Children linked letters and sounds quickly and repeatedly as they practised saying 'F', seeing it on the screen and associating it with pictures, sound, letter, and written words. Children engaged so readily in these animated activities that letter sounds became meaningful; children linked letters with the written text, and gained control of their pronunciation. Excited by the story line, children announced their intention to follow it through in their afternoon play. Before long, they were confidently practising 'F' as they made up games with 'Funny fairies, flying past fierce pirates'. Staff prepare children extremely well for the next steps in their learning; consequently, children make excellent

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who attend

and timely progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Staff are highly effective when working with parents to address delays or gaps in children's progress. For example, they competently create additional activities to support children with speech and language delay while they wait for specialist guidance. These early and sharply focused interventions significantly reduce the likelihood of longer term difficulties as children soon match their age group in skills and confidence.

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

Children form exceptional relationships with the staff who care for them each day. This means that children are confident to explore the rich and diverse activities staff prepare, and parents know their children feel safe and happy. Staff share daily care plans and regularly up-date children's internet based interactive diary with parents. Some parents carry on the high levels of information exchange staff offer from their earliest meetings. They comment that when they had struggled to see photographs and notes on line, staff patiently taught them again, and offered to print the diaries for them. This is typical of a team who strive to do the very best for the children in their care and the families they support. Parents also comment on the smooth way the team manage children's moves within the nursery. Visits back and forth between the baby and toddler groups help babies and staff know each other well prior to any moves. Children make strong friendships as

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

they mix with different age groups and siblings during their many sessions of free-play.

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

Staff are currently enthusiastically preparing 'Busy bags', which provide guidance, ideas, and resources for parents to use at home with their children. Unlike their story bags, staff design these as tools to support children through specific events such as, saying goodbye to the dummy, potty training, and starting school. Parents are keen to use these bags, but also express their need for guidance in other areas. For example, how to turn bedtime stories into a high quality end to busy days, and how to introduce reading books. Staff work closely with their colleagues at the local primary schools to ensure they teach children appropriate personal, social, and literacy skills for school. Staff also use their excellent programme of visits between the nursery and schools to prepare children emotionally for this significant change in their lives. As some of the nursery team, including the much-loved cook, also support their afterschool club, children benefit from

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

Staff consistently gave the highest priority to the children's well-being and support their growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, children are aware of the importance of wearing bicycle helmets when using any of the wheeled toys outside. Staff discuss the necessary precautions children must follow when using their climbing wall. As a result, children know that with adventures came responsibility; super- heroes can have daring games, but not at the risk of hurting themselves or each other. Staff explain their expectations clearly and consistently throughout the day, through stories, pictures, and patient discussion. Photographs of how 'Happy Helpers' tidy away toys in each area of the nursery, clearly help children to know where to find and replace toys. As a result of staffs' clear planning and expectations, children's behaviour is exceptionally good. Children interact with each other in a joyful, friendly and cooperative

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

manner as they play imaginatively and prepare for their next activities.

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

The cook's creative menus are familiar to children and parents alike as she produces colourful recipe cards for children to see in the nursery or to use at home. Flags, symbols, and key words in other languages raise awareness of the different foods children like, and languages they speak. A wealth of initiatives for children and their parents, celebrate diversity in language, and include parents in every aspect of nursery life. Story telling is a key focus across the nursery. Staff welcome parents in to read stories in different languages or share their working role in the community. Special visitors spark children's interest in searching for the lollipop, traffic lights, or safe crossing place as they explore their community. A trip to a local school is another good reason for children to learn to catch a bus and investigate where they live. Staff use stories and rhymes to portray positive attitudes of friendship and trust. Staff tackle tricky subjects such as biting, kicking,

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

or being hurtful, through stories with puppets and storyboards. Children thoroughly enjoy learning to make up their own stories in their key group times. During the inspection some focused specifically on making up their own story, by taking turns to select a picture of something to include. Others created a story around the sea-life they were exploring and a third group asked for a story line to be added to their craftwork. Attentive staff use every opportunity to strengthen children's personal, social, and emotional skills so they gain confidence in all areas of life. This is a vibrant, nurturing and highly motivating environment where all children thrive.

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provision

All paperwork is in place and used by staff to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff regularly refresh their training in child protection so they are very clear and confident about how to address any concerns. Initial vetting, induction and probationary periods help to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Annual declarations, regular supervisions and professional appraisals, help to ensure staff remain suitable and appropriately skilled for their roles. All staff hold current certificates in paediatric first aid, food hygiene, and health and safety. Staff diligently follow procedures for recording any accidents, injuries, illness, or medication staff administer, and share these with parents. Security around, and into, the premises is excellent and risk assessments minimise the risk of any harm coming to children while they attend the nursery. Safety across the well-maintained premises,

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provision

exciting outdoor environment, and wide range of equipment is the highest priority for all staff, helping to keep children as safe as possible.

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provision

The manager oversees an extremely thorough system for self-evaluation; drawing together ideas for further improvement and celebrating the significant progress the team make each year. She sets, and monitors, exceptionally high standards of teaching and record keeping across the nursery. The manager and her senior staff work together extremely well and check that every child achieves high levels of education and care. All staff reflect on their practice and evaluate the impact of their teaching and training on children's progress. This is greatly assisted by periods of study as staff learn to apply new guidance and meet the special educational needs and/or disabilities of individual children. Highly effective programmes of professional development underpin staff's knowledge and skills in meeting the needs of all children. As a result, the nursery is vibrant, the children are happy and keen to learn, and staff diligently meet all the requirements of the Early

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provision

Staff prepare and provide information and practical help to support individual children and their families on many levels. The quality of information for parents is excellent, both before and during their child's placement. Staff meet children's individual needs well through the trusting and respectful relationships they foster with parents and outside agencies. Highly effective partnerships help to meet all children's needs. Parents say they feel welcome and extremely confident in the nursery team. They were very keen to express their high levels of satisfaction with the nursery and the progress their children were making.

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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 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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 507837 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 846834 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 68 Name of provider Marilyn Hargraves Date of previous inspection 16/01/2012 Telephone number 01256 324191

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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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