Mereside Farm Children's Nursery

Mereside Farm Children's Nursery Peterbrook Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 1HZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 April 2016 Not applicable

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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 provider and the manager are an effective team. They are committed to offering high-quality provision for children. Effective self-evaluation clearly identifies areas for improvement and takes into account the views of children and parents.  Children enjoy their time in the well-organised learning environment where they freely explore and investigate. Children engage well and learn to cooperate with their friends. They enjoy making choices about their play. Children are making good progress in their learning.  All staff demonstrate a secure understanding of how children learn. They plan a good balance of activities based on children's interests and needs. Children spend much time playing outdoors where they learn to manage risks safely and develop their physical skills.  Teaching practice in the pre-school room is very effective. Staff are highly responsive to children during activities. Well-timed questions challenge children's thinking.

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This provision is good

 There are strong partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of the nursery and enjoy receiving regular information about their children's care, learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The accuracy of the assessments of children's learning and development is not always as precise as possible.  Staff working with younger children have not fully considered the different ways to further develop their teaching practice to the highest level.

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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

 refine further the good arrangements for assessing children's level of achievement, in order to identify even more precisely their next steps in learning and increase the potential for them to make rapid progress  identify ways to continually enhance teaching practice, so that younger children reach the highest levels of attainment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and the provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager leads a strong and dedicated staff team. Staff benefit from consistent support, such as regular one-to-one meetings and opportunities to attend training courses. They regularly complete mandatory training, including safeguarding. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Children's safety is promoted extremely well through robust safeguarding procedures. Staff know how to recognise and respond to signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect. The manager and staff work effectively with other professionals. The manager monitors the quality of the curriculum to ensure all children receive a broad range of learning experiences. Any gaps in learning are accurately identified and quickly addressed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children well in their learning and encourage them to be active learners. Staff in the baby room provide babies with an exciting range of sensory activities, such as sensory bottles and play dough, to develop their investigative skills. Toddlers delight as they move toy cars attached to felt-tipped pens. They are interested in the effects of movements which leave marks. Pre-school children demonstrate impressive skills as they follow instructions that contain several ideas and actions. For example, they enthusiastically take part in an obstacle course. Children know which items to pick up and which objects to walk over. Regular observations and assessments enable staff to plan next steps in learning for all children. Staff provide parents with play ideas to help them continue their children's learning at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

All staff are kind and caring. High priority is given to settling children in gradually. Staff build attachments with them and get to know their families. Each room contains a family tree where children can look at pictures of their own and each other's families. Staff are good role models. They talk to children with respect and offer clear guidance and expectations. This helps children to behave well and make friends. Children enjoy a variety of healthy snacks and freshly prepared meals. They learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles. They become independent from an early age, for example, younger children are encouraged to feed themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their starting points. They are well prepared for their next stage of learning or their move to school. Children listen well and join in with favourite nursery rhymes and stories. Children experience a broad range of purposeful activities to develop their literacy and mathematical skills. Pre-school children confidently count to 10 and beyond as they line up to go outside. Young children are beginning to compare shape and size as they play and explore. Children enjoy drawing, writing and recording numbers. They independently use fun and interactive software to support their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477418 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 993490 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 73 Name of provider Lowdan Holdings Limited Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0121 430 7113

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Setting details

Mereside Farm Children's Nursery was registered in 2014. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The manager holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs or disability 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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