Strawberry Fields Day Nursery

Strawberry Fields Day Nursery 37 Stuart Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 4AD

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 February 2017 23 January 2014

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 The manager and staff keep parents fully informed and provide an effective shared learning approach. For example, they share activity ideas with parents daily.  Staff know children well. They support them to settle happily into play. Children have a positive level of emotional well-being and a good sense of belonging.  Children are polite and behave well. For instance, they say 'please' and 'thank you' with no reminders and independently resolve minor conflicts with a level of maturity.  There is a good range of opportunities to encourage children to gain skills that support their future learning. Children make good progress. For example, they learn mathematics, such as counting and understanding the value of money, as they play.  All children have good opportunities to explore and investigate. For example, older children explore the shadows they make on overhead projectors, and babies enjoy feeling different textures such as oats and foam.

p.1

This provision is good

 Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, children are keen to help prepare nutritiously balanced meals and snacks such as fruit kebabs.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff miss some opportunities for children to speak their home language during their play.  Staff do not consistently organise some group activities and routines effectively to encourage all children to be fully interested and engaged throughout.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 extend the opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language in play more effectively  improve the organisation of some group activities and routines to ensure all children are fully engaged and interested.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's interactions with children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at written documentation, including a sample of policies and procedures, risk assessments and staff training records.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff, and took their views into consideration.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager works closely with staff to effectively evaluate and review practice. For example, they observe and reflect on activities daily to improve future practice. This has a positive impact on children's learning outcomes. The manager monitors the quality of teaching and learning experiences well. She holds one-to-one support meetings with staff and provides them with constructive advice. The manager motivates and encourages staff to extend their current knowledge and skills. For example, staff attend beneficial training, such as understanding the different ways that children manage their feelings. The manager uses additional funding well to support children's individual learning needs. For instance, she purchases resources to further engage children in their development. All staff have a detailed understanding of the safeguarding procedures to follow and know how to confidently follow up welfare concerns. Safeguarding is effective.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff help support children to manage the move to school well. For example, they encourage children to take home the nursery toy 'Dave the Dragon' to talk to and 'write' down their thoughts about going to school, to share with their friends back at nursery. The manager and staff closely track and monitor children's progress. This helps them to highlight and provide individual support to narrow any gaps in development promptly. Staff skilfully build upon children's spontaneous play. For example, children enjoyed reading a book about balloons, and the staff extended their enjoyment by blowing up different balloons. Staff support children of all ages to develop their communication skills. For instance, older children use puppets to confidently make up their own stories, and staff use facial expressions and tones of voice to communicate effectively with babies.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children show understanding and respect towards other people's similarities and differences. For example, they celebrate festivals from around the world and learn new skills as they cook foods from different countries. Staff help children to develop good physical skills. Older children climb and balance on large obstacles, such as crates and tyres, and babies explore smaller equipment, such as balance rockers.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who need extra support, make good progress in their learning. Children learn skills that prepare them well for school. They develop good early reading abilities. For example, they use simple written instructions and visual picture prompts to make their own dough. Children engage in activities that require a good level of maturity. For example, they participate in regular science experiments, such as making 'exploding volcanos'. Babies are well prepared for the next stages in their development.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 103731 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 1068351 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 1 - 4 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Strawberry Fields Day Nursery Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2014 Telephone number 01634 577282

p.4

reference number

Strawberry Fields Day Nursery registered in 1992. It is privately run and operates from a house in Gillingham, Kent. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 16 staff, of these, 14 hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including three staff who hold level 5 qualifications.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5