Buntings Nursery - Stanstead Abbotts

Buntings Nursery - Stanstead Abbotts 2b High Street, Stanstead Abbotts, Herts, SG12 8AB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 April 2016 Not applicable

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The provider does not ensure that the minimum required staff ratios are met at all times to meet children's needs at the start of the day.  Supervision meetings to enhance staff's professional development are not regular enough to focus sharply on raising practice to the highest level.  On occasions, staff do not consistently reinforce young children's growing awareness of how hygiene practices contribute to their good health.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff accurately assess children's development. Regular observations are used to update assessments of children's progress. Staff effectively incorporate children's next steps in learning and their interests into stimulating activities that engage them.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are warmly welcomed and regularly encouraged to extend their children's learning at home. Photographs, learning profiles and daily discussions are shared to ensure that parents are consistently updated with their children's progress.  Children's physical development is good. Staff provide daily opportunities for them to enjoy fresh air and exercise, such as planting and growing seeds and walks in the local community.  Babies and young children develop curiosity and positive attitudes towards learning, helping prepare them well for their next stage of learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure that the minimum required staff ratios for children of all ages are met at all times. 04/05/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 enhance the regularity of performance management processes to extend staff's professional development so that it increases the potential to deliver the highest- quality provision  promote opportunities for children to learn about the importance of good hygiene and how it links with their health.

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Inspection activities

 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about this provider.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the owners. The inspector held a meeting with the nursery co-owners and discussed staff qualifications, employment, recruitment and induction.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's registers, policies and procedures and she saw evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector took account of the views of some parents through discussions held during the inspection and written feedback received.  The inspector discussed with the joint owners how they monitor and evaluate practice. The inspector also viewed some records of reflective practice, such as action plans to support staff in making continuous improvements.  The inspector looked at the safeguarding procedures and complaints record. She spoke

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Inspection activities

to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection and viewed children's observation and assessment records.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She assessed how children are supervised and observed how staff are deployed within the nursery.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

On occasions, at the start of the day staff ratios are not met, which is a breach of the legal requirements. However, the breach has occurred for only short periods of time and has had minimal negative impact on children's well-being. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff demonstrate a suitable knowledge and understanding of how to protect the children in their care. All suitability checks are completed to ensure that staff are qualified, experienced and suitable to work at the nursery. Additionally, the owners use effective recruitment and induction procedures. The joint owners have the necessary skills to improve the quality of the provision and staff work well together. They are beginning to evaluate and discuss improvements that will have a positive impact on children's outcomes. Contingency plans are in place to ensure that staff illness does not impact on children in a negative way. For example, regular bank staff are contacted to work at short

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan activities according to children's individual learning needs. They consistently track the good progress children are making and plan activities that incorporate their interests. Older children fully engage in themed activities. For example, they are currently learning about life cycles. They are motivated to learn as staff provide frogspawn and tadpoles for them to look at and talk about. Children skilfully use magnifying glasses and explain how the tadpoles have changed. They are keen to share their knowledge of how the tadpoles will look once they become frogs. Young babies have good opportunities to explore a range of different media and materials. They splash happily in water and watch with interest as sand falls through their fingers. Children's communication and language development are strongly promoted. Staff introduce regular story and singing times and use probing questions to extend children's thinking further.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff support children to be independent. From a young age they are encouraged to feed themselves. They have opportunities to freely choose toys and resources, supporting them to follow their individual interests. Children behave appropriately and staff are suitable role models. The key-person system is effective in ensuring that parents are able to work together with staff to support children's overall care and well-being. Children are provided with a healthy range of meals and snacks cooked from fresh ingredients each day, with dietary and specific needs taken into account. However, when young children's soothers fall to the floor, staff do not reinforce children's awareness of how good hygiene practice contributes to good health.

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Outcomes for children are good

Overall, all children are making good progress in their learning given their starting points and capabilities. All children, including those with special educational needs or disability, are acquiring the key skills they need for future learning. Children build strong relationships and develop solid friendships with other children as they freely explore the many interesting activities within the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485615 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1048377 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 - 5 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Mrs Michelle Ward and Mrs Emma Edwards Partnership Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01763272868

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Setting details

Buntings Nursery - Stanstead Abbotts was registered in 2014. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff, including the joint owners/managers. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. This includes one of the owners who has early years professional status, and the deputy manager, who has a level 6 childcare degree. The nursery is situated on the first floor of a building in Stanstead Abbotts and is privately owned and managed. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. Children have access to a large open-plan play space and an enclosed area on the ground floor is available for outdoor play. The setting provides care for children with special educational needs or disability.

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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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