Birchanger Nursery

Birchanger Nursery Birchanger Primary School, Birchwood, Birchanger, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 5QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 September 2016 1 December 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 Significant improvement has been made since the last inspection. The focused manager regularly evaluates the impact of her detailed action plans. For example, the supervision of staff practice now effectively supports staff to improve their personal effectiveness and enables them to deliver good quality teaching.  Staff adhere consistently to agreed strategies to manage children's behaviour. This helps children to learn good social skills. For example, children recognise that they can use a sand timer to share favourite resources and receive warm praise for being kind.  Staff benefit from recent training on how to promote children's speech and language development. They skilfully question children, clearly pronounce words and engage them in purposeful discussions at every opportunity. Children become animated as they talk about special occasions, the stormy overnight weather and recall past experiences.

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This provision is good

 The key-person system effectively promotes children's well-being. Staff work cooperatively with parents and outside agencies as needed, to tailor the care and learning that they provide for each child.  Parents express that their children have a lovely time at the nursery and value the advice and support they gain from staff. For example, staff suggest techniques to manage children's behaviour at home and offer ideas to extend children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always make the most of every opportunity to encourage children to develop their skills in critical thinking.  Staff do not always provide enough daily opportunities for children to take part in energetic play.

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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

 give children more opportunities to think about how they can solve simple problems, predict what might happen and complete tasks for themselves  provide more opportunities for children to run, jump, skip and hop, in order to promote optimum levels of physical development.

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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. She spoke to children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager and held discussions with all members of staff.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation, including a self-evaluation form, action plans, policies and registers. She looked at records of children's development on an online learning system.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector saw evidence of the suitability of all staff working at the nursery and all members of the elected parent committee. She saw other documentation in relation to the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The provider ensures that all adults involved in the nursery have undergone full suitability checks. Staff know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns for a child's welfare. The manager monitors the overall progress of children to help secure appropriate interventions. For example, staff attended training on how to plan for younger children and shared the knowledge they gained with other staff. The manager is excited about future plans to provide even more outdoor natural experiences for children. She has been proactive in gaining support from local advisers and attends regular manager's meetings to share best practice and keep her knowledge up to date. This demonstrates her capacity to sustain continuous improvement.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Parents contribute to children's initial assessments and are kept well informed about their progress. Examples of how this is achieved are through daily discussions, an established online learning system and newly introduced parents' evenings. Staff know children well and carefully observe them. They note their interests and preferred learning styles to complement planned topics and help them to achieve their next steps in learning. Children revel in imaginative role play as they build stories around toys, dress up and pretend to talk to parents on a play telephone. They manipulate soft, coloured dough to represent a birthday cake and use one-handed tools to cut straws to make candles. Children enjoy mixing paint and water to explore colours. They practise their smaller physical skills as they use droppers and watering cans to squeeze and pour various quantities of water.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children settle with ease in this calm, welcoming environment. They develop affectionate attachments with staff and ask for help as needed. Staff ensure children are emotionally well prepared for the next stages in their learning. For example, they take them to visit their new school classrooms. Staff teach children about people and communities beyond their immediate experiences. Some of the ways they do this is through inviting parents in to talk about their occupations and to share their own cultural traditions. Children demonstrate suitable self-help skills. They pour their own drinks and clear away their plates when they finish at snack time. Staff ensure children are well informed about where they can access fresh drinking water throughout each session. In addition, they encourage children to try new foods each week, such as avocado, to help promote their good health.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make at least typical progress. This includes those who have special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. Assessments are precise and used effectively by staff to support children's ongoing development. Children are enthusiastic learners who follow instructions well. They develop a love of books and show interest in illustrations and print. Following targeted plans, boys now show an increased interest in writing activities and give meaning to marks as they draw. Children know how to operate simple equipment and demonstrate good mathematical skills as they count and categorise objects. They develop the key skills that they need for the move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 402982 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1034281 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Birchanger Nursery Unit Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 December 2015 Telephone number 01279 810800

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reference number

Birchanger Nursery was registered in 2001. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens Monday and Friday from 9am until 12.30pm, Wednesday from 9am until 11.40am and on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am until 11.40am and then 12.25pm until 3.05pm, during term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports a small number of children who have special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. It 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

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

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