Starfish Day Nursery and Preschool

Starfish Day Nursery and Preschool 19 Boxgrove Lane, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 2TD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 May 2016 19 June 2013

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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

 All children make good progress and are well prepared for their next stage in learning. Staff plan and provide interesting and motivating learning activities, and children are keen to take part.  Children have close relationships with their key person and other staff. Children use good social skills; they take turns, share ideas and treat each other with kindness and consideration. Children behave well.  The manager evaluates the setting effectively. She identifies areas for development and makes positive changes that improve outcomes for children.  The manager monitors staff performance effectively, including through staff observations, formal appraisals and supervision meetings.  Partnerships with parents, other providers, and professionals are positive and successful. Children benefit from continuity because of a shared understanding of their care and learning needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Younger children do not have regular experiences to explore and investigate using their senses, particularly in the baby room.  Staff do not always recognise opportunities to help children to practise their early writing skills.

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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

 extend opportunities for younger children to use their senses to investigate and experiment with a variety of textures and materials, to satisfy their curious and exploratory nature, with particular regard to the baby room  seize all chances to help children to develop their emergent writing skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions with children inside and outside.  The inspector conducted a leadership and management meeting with the management team.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with parents and children and considered their views.  The inspector looked at a sample of documentation, including children's learning journals.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and her team understand the procedures to follow should they have any concerns. The manager identifies training opportunities for her staff that have a very positive impact on children's experiences. For example, following training, staff have looked carefully at provision for boys and thought about the different ways to extend the curriculum outdoors. Staff use their qualifications and experience well and work closely with other professionals to support children who have special educational needs. They track children's progress to help identify and address any gaps in their development. They plan a range of activities in response to children's interests and needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make detailed observations and assessments of children's learning and use the information to plan a range of experiences to help children achieve their next steps in learning. Children respond well to the planned activities. For example, older children enjoy exploring sand and mud, and make predictions about the effects of adding water. Staff are skilled at extending children's learning. For example, children struggled to make water run down a pipe, so staff helped children to solve the problem and find a practical solution. Staff support babies' attempts at walking well, such as through praise and helping them to negotiate spaces safely. Children have lots of opportunities to follow their own ideas. For example, children enjoyed exploring play dough. They chopped it up into tiny pieces and staff encouraged them to think about quantity and combine numbers, to help children develop their understanding of addition and subtraction.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children benefit from an attractive and well-considered learning environment. Staff support children well to develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, children have continuous access to the garden and engage in a variety of activities that support their all-round development. They get plenty of fresh air and exercise, and eat a range of home-made healthy meals. Children build kind and caring relationships with their key person and their peers. For example, older children help younger children to find the things they need when playing in the pretend kitchen area.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are settled and happy. They make their own plans and direct their own play. Children operate with growing levels of independence and confidence, and are really engaged in their learning. For example, older children enjoyed plopping pebbles into water, mesmerised as they investigated the concepts of floating and sinking.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY365640 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 1028492 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 - 8 Total number of places 96 Number of children on roll 116 Name of provider Casterbridge Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 19 June 2013 Telephone number 01483 877975

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Setting details

Starfish Day Nursery and Preschool registered in 2007. The setting is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, 51 weeks of the year. A team of 28 staff works with the children. Of these, one holds a relevant early years qualification at level 6, one holds a qualification at level 5, 14 hold qualifications at level 3, and three staff hold qualifications at level 2. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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