Riverbanks Nursery

Riverbanks Nursery Lower Luton Road, HARPENDEN, Hertfordshire, AL5 5EP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 September 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 well-qualified staff team has a good knowledge and understanding of the early years foundation stage. They implement the learning and development requirements effectively and plan a good range of activities and experiences for children to enjoy.  Partnerships with other settings and professionals are good. The staff team encourages regular communication and the sharing of information to support children. This helps to enhance the transitions children make when moving on to their next stage of learning.  Children's physical development is promoted well. Daily opportunities for outside play support children to have regular fresh air and exercise.  Staff are provided with an effective programme of professional development that supports them to improve their knowledge, understanding and practice. The manager provides a consistent approach to supervision and performance management. She regularly monitors staff practice and tackles issues of under performance quickly.

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This provision is good

 Children's personal, social and emotional development are well promoted through regular praise. An example of this is how children's special achievements are shared on the celebration tree for everyone to acknowledge. Staff regularly promote children's self-confidence by telling them how good they are during their play.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff do not always consider how younger children at different stages of development can be fully involved when taking part in planned activities together.  Staff do not always promote effective strategies to engage parents in extending their children's learning at home.

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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

 enhance the opportunities for younger children to become deeply involved in planned activities  strengthen opportunities for sharing ideas and activities with parents to further support and extend their children's learning at home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the setting's self-evaluation, policies, procedures and she saw evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views in written feedback.  The inspector accompanied the nursery staff and children on a listening walk. She spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff demonstrate a strong understanding of how to protect children in their care. They regularly attend appropriate training and feed back to the rest of the team to promote a consistent awareness of changes to legislation or updates. Staff take the time to really listen and respond to children, helping them to feel safe and secure. The manager provides robust recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager and staff team work very well together and continually reflect on their practice. They evaluate adult-led and group activities on a regular basis and use these evaluations to plan future activities and experiences that support children to make good progress. Staff have good relationships with parents. However, they do not always provide parents with enough information to support them in extending their children's learning at home.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children are happy, settled and valued. They confidently engage in a range of activities that is linked to their interests and next steps in learning. Staff consistently observe children, identify their next steps in learning and plan for these. For example, children's communication and language development are well supported through regular opportunities for stories and singing time. Their mathematical development is encouraged through daily activities. For example, children enjoy identifying numbers and putting them into order. However, some younger children find small pegs used to hang the number cards too difficult to manage and they lose interest in the activity. All staff promote equality and diversity and ensure that children learn about the wider world through activities, discussions and a range of resources. Staff challenge children appropriately. For example, on a listening walk younger children talk about the things they can hear, while

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

older children have clipboards with pictures of items to identify through sound.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children demonstrate that they feel safe in their environment and they have a good understanding of rules, routines and boundaries. For example, they quickly and excitedly set to work tidying up as the special music is played. The key-person system and the settling-in period are well organised with effective home visits planned to help children settle with ease. Children behave well, they build strong friendships with staff and other children and show care and concern for others. Children learn about healthy lifestyles through activities and daily discussions at snack times.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in all areas of learning. Staff use their assessments to identify potential areas in which children need more help and they provide positive support so that children catch up in these areas. This ensures that all children are well prepared for school or their next stage of learning. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play and develop good self-esteem. They confidently ride tricycles, communicate with their peers and make decisions about their play. Children are successful learners and confident individuals.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477572 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 974120 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Riverbanks Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01582 461608

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reference number

Riverbanks Nursery was registered in 2014. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager who has a qualification at level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Thursday, from 8.45am to 4pm and on a Friday from 8.45am and 1.30pm, term time only. The nursery also provides a holiday playscheme for two weeks during the summer holidays. 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

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