Whanau Day Nursery Harpenden

Playschool Nursery Harpenden The Laurels, 22 Leyton Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2HU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 August 2016 18 February 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

 The providers have a good understanding of their role and responsibility to keep children safe and to promote their education effectively. Documentation is maintained to a very high standard and all records required for the safe and efficient management of the setting are in place.  The quality of teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Staff understand how children learn and plan activities based on their individual needs and interests. Children make very good progress in their learning.  Staff are encouraged to further develop their professional qualifications. For example, five new members of staff are currently working towards appropriate childcare qualifications.  Staff keep parents well informed about their children's progress. They give parents ideas about how to support children's learning at home. These good partnerships with parents have a positive impact on children's learning and development.

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This provision is good

 Self-evaluation is thorough and takes into account the views of staff, children and parents. Strengths and weaknesses are effectively identified and addressed. Managers use the detailed improvement plans well to build on and extend the provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, staff do not use questions effectively to support and extend children's language and thinking as fully as possible.  Babies and younger children are not consistently offered a wider range of resources to investigate and explore, to extend their understanding of the natural world.

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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

 support and extend children's language and thinking skills as fully as possible, to help them reach the highest levels of achievement  increase opportunities for babies and young children to explore and investigate the natural world.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with the managers, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records.  The inspector reviewed evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff, self- evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of children, staff and parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The managers show a high level of commitment to maintain good standards throughout the nursery. This helps to ensure that all requirements are met. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff update their knowledge regularly, such as through quizzes and staff meetings. They understand the process to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of children or families. Recent training has strengthened staff's understanding of the latest guidance on keeping children safe. The managers follow robust procedures when recruiting and vetting staff to ensure they are suitable to work with children. There are effective security systems in place to keep children safe and good standards of cleanliness are maintained. The managers monitor teaching closely and provide staff with regular supervision to identify ways of further supporting their professional development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know the children well. They regularly observe them in their play and use this information effectively to identify what they need to learn next. This ensures that children make good progress in their learning. Staff's interaction with children is warm, caring and always positive. They sit with younger children and join in with their play, repeating words to help their understanding and develop their communication and language skills. Older children enjoy talking about their new school in group sessions. Staff extend children's play. For example, they encourage children to recognise numbers or shapes in the environment and count objects throughout the day.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children build close bonds with the staff. Babies' individual care routines are respected, which helps them to feel settled and secure. Staff encourage children to develop a strong sense of belonging. For example, pictures of their families are displayed in the rooms. Staff are good role models. They teach them to understand how to share and take turns. Snack and mealtimes are happy and social occasions. Staff make good use of these opportunities to teach children about the importance of a healthy diet and good personal hygiene. Children learn the importance of keeping themselves safe in the sun by wearing hats and having regular drinks. They learn about the wider world through a variety of resources, local outings and visitors to the nursery, such as police and fire officers. Staff plan many activities and experiences that help children to respect and celebrate differences and diversity in society.

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Outcomes for children are good

Staff place a very good focus on promoting the prime areas of learning. This helps children develop the knowledge and understanding from which they can build on and learn new skills. All children, including those with special educational needs or disability, make good progress during their time at the nursery. Staff use very effective tracking systems to identify any gaps in children's learning. Targeted interventions are quickly put in place to enable all groups of children to achieve well. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and are developing key skills ready for their future learning and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY389549 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1068009 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 86 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person Playschool Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 February 2013 Telephone number 01582 766 674

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reference number

Playschool Nursery Harpenden was registered in 2009. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Two staff hold appropriate qualifications at level 5, six hold qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. Both managers hold early years professional status. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs or disability.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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