Castle Nursery

Castle Nursery De Vere Primary School, Kirby Hall Road, Castle Hedingham, HALSTEAD, Essex, CO9 3EA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 February 2017 28 February 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 inspirational. Staff have an expert knowledge of how children learn best through play and first-hand experiences. They ensure that activities provide optimum challenge and are sharply focused on what individual children need to learn next.  Children flourish in the extremely caring, safe and secure environment. Staff fully understand the needs of the children and their families. Parents are very appreciative of the exceptional lengths staff go to in tailoring the provision to meet the needs of all children and exceeding expectations of quality and standards.  The nursery provides a rich and vibrant learning environment where the children are highly stimulated. Varied and imaginative play experiences for children, especially outdoors, are delivered by staff who have an excellent understanding of how children learn.  Leadership is highly effective. The management team shows a strong focus and

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This provision is outstanding

passionate drive to provide excellent care and inspirational learning for children. Staff are highly motivated and work exceptionally well together, creating a wonderful learning environment for children.  Excellent partnership working helps to promote a complementary approach to children's learning and development between the setting and home. There is an exemplary focus on fully involving parents and families in children's learning. Staff and parents eagerly talk about the children's current and emerging interests and abilities. They exchange ideas to further enhance children's progress.  Rigorous and highly effective systems for observing, assessing and monitoring children's progress are in place. This helps to promote the highest level of achievement for children of all ages.

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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 implement innovative ways to enrich children's mathematical learning experiences, analysing the impact of this on their further attainment.

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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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery provider.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a number of 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. Managers ensure staff are vigilant and confident in following the stringent procedures to record and report any concerns about a child's welfare in a timely manner. Managers lead a strong and experienced team. All staff have an uncompromising commitment towards improvement and enthusiastically reflect on, and evaluate, all aspects of the provision. They frequently seek the opinions of children, parents, carers and other professionals, in order to pinpoint key priorities for further enhancement. They have exciting ideas and are working with others to fulfil plans to help them enhance their mathematical provision even further, in order to ensure that the excellent standard of the educational programmes is maintained.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff know precisely what to do to enrich children's learning. There is an excellent focus on learning, both indoors and outdoors. The highly effective teaching and superbly stimulating activities help to challenge children and build on their interests. Consequently, all children are very well prepared for school. Staff have excellent procedures to ensure that their assessments of children's achievement are precise and accurate. There is swift identification of any concerns about children's progress. Specific input is sought from relevant agencies and professionals to ensure children make the best progress possible. Staff use their knowledge of each child to plan extremely imaginative activities which thoroughly engage all groups of children and promote all aspects of learning. For example, staff help children to think through their ideas during group storytelling sessions. The superb key-person approach ensures that parents are extremely well informed about their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

children's achievements and progress. They are regularly invited to share information about their child's development and are actively involved in their child's learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children's social and emotional development are given the highest priority. They consistently value their efforts and contributions. Staff provide a variety of experiences in the local community for children to learn about the wider world, such as shopping trips to the local village shop. Children develop an excellent understanding of managing their personal safety. For example, staff actively involve them in carrying out daily risk assessments of the nursery environment to help keep themselves and their peers safe. Children's physical well-being is superbly promoted. They observe the effects of exercise on their bodies during 'healthy heart' time and know why they need to eat healthy foods.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children feel very secure, happy and relaxed in their play. They make exceptional progress given their starting points and are particularly well prepared for change when it is time to move on. Children are remarkably independent in care routines and in their play. Staff offer a proportionate amount of guidance and support so that children quickly become empowered to do things for themselves. Staff sensitively teach children to understand behavioural expectations. All children behave exceptionally well and demonstrate high levels of cooperation with others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY451282 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1066173 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Castle Hedingham Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 28 February 2013 Telephone number 01787 463450

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reference number

Castle Nursery was registered in 2012. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 5, one at level 4, two at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens on Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.30pm. 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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