Head Start Day Nursery

Head Start Day Nursery 54 Station Road, New Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 1QG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 January 2016 19 April 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The management team implements robust recruitment procedures to ensure that they employ the best possible staff. Regular observation of staff's teaching, together with effective supervisions and appraisals, leads to high levels of consistent practice.  The dedicated staff are good, positive role models. They teach children well and have high expectations. Children's behaviour is excellent. They play and learn together extremely well and make effective friendships.  Children who speak English as an additional language, disabled children and those with special educational needs are skilfully supported. The nursery staff incorporate specialist services' targets into their educational plans for children. This helps all children make good progress towards the early learning goals.  The key-person system is strong. Right from the start, staff find out from parents what children can already do. They support children who are new to the nursery very well,

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This provision is good

which helps them to settle quickly.  The nursery staff have established strong partnerships with parents. Parents talk about the care and support the nursery staff provide for them and their children, especially at difficult family times.  Staff actively use the nursery garden to enhance the children's enjoyment of the natural environment. Children enjoy looking for bugs and are careful not to hurt them.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff do not support all children to understand why they need to wash their hands at appropriate times.  In the garden, the outdoor classroom is not always stimulating and well-resourced to support the learning of those children who prefer to be outdoors.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 provide children with clear messages about when it is appropriate to wash their hands in order to best support their good health  ensure that resources and activities in the outdoor classroom are stimulating and welcoming to support the learning of all children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and in the outside play areas.  The inspector talked to the staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector carried out a joint observation and held a meeting with the manager and owner.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documents and a range of other documents, including the safeguarding procedure.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and of the nursery's self-evaluation form.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff have an excellent understanding of how to protect and safeguard children. They are fully aware of their responsibility to report any concerns about children's well-being and are confident in their ability to recognise child protection issues. The staff and management team use effective systems to review the educational programmes and to track the progress of both individual children and groups. The management team has good relationships with the local further education colleges. They work in partnership with them to employ and train apprentices. This is highly successful and many apprentices, on completion of their training, are employed as qualified staff members. Staff are supported with a targeted programme of professional development. This helps them to continuously develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children of all ages are eager to investigate and enjoy the many varied experiences on offer. The well-qualified staff ensure the activities help to promote their all-round development. They encourage children to use all of their senses as they learn. Young children enjoy filling containers with cooked pasta, and staff support their language development by modelling new words, such as slimy. Babies use sticks to splash in water and are encouraged to feel smooth rocks as they explore. Older children delight in digging in the mud and talk about how they are making compost. Staff support children well in their play, for example, they encourage them to find objects to weigh on balance scales. Children talk about items being heavy and light. Staff promote their understanding even more as they question children about how they can make both sides equal. Staff use their wealth of knowledge and experience to precisely identify and assess children's starting

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

points and ongoing development. This helps to ensure all children make good progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are extremely confident and hold very effective conversations with each other and adults. They discuss their experiences from home and eagerly talk about forthcoming events, such as holidays. Staff support children to use their physical skills outdoors. Children walk carefully around or jump in and out of shapes they draw on the floor. Within the garden area, an outdoor classroom is available for a wide range of activities, such as writing. However, the staff do not always ensure that this is presented as a welcoming environment. Consequently, the needs of those children who prefer to learn outdoors are not best met. The staff are meticulous in ensuring the food they provide is healthy and meets the dietary needs of all children. However, on occasions they do not always support children to understand about when it is appropriate to wash their hands, such as before eating.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make consistent progress. Staff accurately assess children's development and provide a range of experiences that meets their individual needs. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY217518 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 1024258 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 73 Name of provider Head Start (Enfield) Limited Date of previous inspection 19 April 2011 Telephone number 01438 840 681

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Setting details

Head Start Day Nursery was registered in 2002. The nursery employs 23 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports disabled children and those with special educational needs, and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Setting details

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

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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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