High Bank Nursery

High Bank Nursery High Bank Farm, Cleasby Road, Stapleton, DARLINGTON, County Durham, DL2 2QE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 September 2016 10 September 2013

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Teaching is outstanding. Children's natural curiosity and exploratory instincts are very well fostered because their surroundings supply endlessly fascinating challenges. Children develop a strong impulse to learn and exceptional skills for their future.  Staff make regular, accurate assessments of what children know and can do, and activities are carefully planned. These focus precisely on children's interests and rapidly build their skills and knowledge.  The manager is committed to providing high-quality care and inspirational learning for children. She is highly motivated and staff work exceptionally well together, creating a secure, safe and wonderful learning environment for children. Self-evaluation processes actively contribute to sustaining the highly effective provision and the outstanding service they provide.  Staff work exceptionally well with parents and are very successful in engaging them in

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This provision is outstanding

their children's learning. Parents are highly complimentary about the service provided. They value the excellent advice, feedback and support they receive and comment how much their children enjoy attending.  Staff develop exceptionally strong and positive relationships with children. This promotes an excellent sense of security and emotional well-being, so that children form highly positive attachments and show great motivation in their learning.  The behaviour of children is outstanding. Staff are exceptionally consistent in their routines, management of behaviour and in their demonstration at all times of courtesy and consideration for the feelings of others. Children copy this behaviour and behave exceptionally well at all times.  Children's management of their own safety is impressive. They are skilled at measuring the risks for themselves and others to make sure they stay safe.

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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

 continue to review and explore professional development opportunities to sustain excellence in practice and teaching skills.

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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 manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to some parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff prioritise children's safety and know how to respond to any concerns about their welfare. Robust recruitment arrangements are in place. The induction and probationary periods give leaders time to assess the skills of new staff. Ongoing supervision and appraisals identify staff's professional development needs. The manager astutely identifies the impact of teaching on children's care, learning and development and priorities for improvement. This has led to identifying further staff training to help enhance and continuously build upon children's already excellent physical development. Leaders are considering how to further improve the existing systems that review the excellent practice to ensure it is sustained.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The well-qualified staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn and provide rich, varied and imaginative experiences that engage and motivate children. The staff have high expectations and their skilled questioning encourages children to investigate for themselves. Children are inspired to achieve by the enabling approach of all staff. Children spend almost all their time choosing, creating and doing their own activities. This contributes strongly to the development of excellent communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. The exceptional level of challenge provided by the adventurous and highly stimulating environment enables children to explore and extend their own capabilities within safe and supervised surroundings. This helps to empower children to try new experiences. Children express huge satisfaction when they harvest the vegetables they have grown and younger children are involved in fruit tasting. The teaching of early

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

reading and writing skills is highly effective. For example, children copy words to use in the kitchen and make marks using sticks. Children's imaginative play is supported as they take everyone on a trip on the bus. Early mathematical skills are weaved seamlessly through children's play, whether it be through counting vegetables, comparing numbers, or finding shapes they recognise in the world around them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff use their considerable expertise to teach children safe behaviours. Children recognise and identify the possible dangers outdoors. This strongly contributes to children's very good skills in assessing and managing the risks they want to take. For example, children know that they must take care when the logs are wet and slippery. Regardless of the weather conditions, children dress appropriately and venture eagerly outside. Here children have excellent opportunities to gain first-hand experiences of life and growth, along with endless opportunities for creativity, imagination and physical development.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make outstanding progress given their starting points. Children with special educational needs are extremely well supported by a range of professionals. All children's self-assurance prepares them extremely well for the next stage of their education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY259723 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 1064429 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 68 Number of children on roll 139 Name of registered person Lesley & Alan Thompson Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 September 2013 Telephone number 01325 365885

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reference number

High Bank Nursery was registered in 2003. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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