Little Hands Nursery School - Linton & Bartlow

Little Hands Nursery School - Linton & Bartlow Three Hills Farm, Bartlow, CAMBRIDGE, CB21 4EN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 March 2017 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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 The provider and the very well-qualified manager motivate the staff team well. Staff are supported to further their skills through professional development and qualification courses. They strive for outstanding quality throughout the nursery.  Children learn about how to care for living creatures and the natural environment. They are very careful as they handle the guinea pig. They enjoy learning about seasonal changes as staff make excellent use of the garden and the surrounding countryside.  Children are making very good progress with their speech and language development. Older children chat, discuss and debate through play and adult-planned activities. Younger children find their voices through singing. They enthusiastically join in as staff sing their favourite songs.  Parents and grandparents speak highly of the staff. They talk about how their children are cared for superbly and, especially, enjoy being outside. They also talk about how

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This provision is good

the staff support younger siblings and families, particularly when they are going through difficult times.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, some members of staff do not help children to learn how they can find out information for themselves on topics that interest them, such as dinosaur names.  Staff do not provide many opportunities for children to show an interest in technological toys or learn how to operate simple technological equipment.

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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 children's understanding of the world, providing them with more opportunities to find things out for themselves  provide further opportunities for children to develop their skills when using a range of technological toys and equipment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and outside.  The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the day and held a meeting with the provider.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, information about the self-evaluation and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspector checked the evidence showing the suitability of staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff know the possible signs of abuse and when and where to refer any concerns they may have about a child in their care. The provider has established robust recruitment procedures to help ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff's performance is monitored through supervision meetings and targeted training. Staff in the baby room talk about the positive impact training has had on their understanding of how young children develop. The manager and the staff are highly reflective on their practice. They are currently reviewing the use of the outdoor area to make it into an even more effective learning environment for children of all ages.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff provide interesting and challenging activities that match children's interests both inside and outdoors. Children spend time exploring dough, sand and mud. They use their imaginations well as they talk about what they are making, such as pizza and chocolate cake. Staff support learning as they provide them with extra resources, such as water and different shape cutters. Younger children eagerly explore their environment. Staff support children's developing physical skills by helping them to stand to look out of the low-level window. Staff introduce babies to numbers and counting as they count how many pegs they place in a cup and how many cups they stack up. Staff observe what children know and can do and use this to plan for their individual next steps in learning. They regularly share development information with parents and find out about children's achievements at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children thoroughly enjoy the excellent outdoor area. From the moment, they arrive at the nursery, many children choose to be outside. Staff provide a wealth of activities and resources. They are highly aware that some children prefer to learn outdoors, so they ensure they can access all areas of learning. Children play cooperatively, sharing toys and taking turns. They are extremely confident and self-assured. As they jump off tyres, children describe their jumps as, 'Amazing'. Babies settle at the nursery very quickly. They swiftly form strong bonds with their key person. Staff know their individual needs very well and give time and attention to meet these each day. Children discuss which foods are healthy and talk about only having cake as a treat. They are very independent as they learn how to attend to their own care needs.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make at least good progress. From an early age, children show their developing literacy skills. For example, children under two years of age hold pencils correctly and make a range of marks on paper. Pre-school children enjoy discussing rhyming words as they listen to stories. Children show an interest in numbers and quickly begin to recognise numbers between 10 and 20. Children are rapidly gaining the skills they need for the move to their next stage of learning or on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485632 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 1002450 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 39 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person Little Hands Nursery Schools Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01223 897945

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reference number

Little Hands Nursery School - Linton & Bartlow was registered in 2015. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including the manager who holds early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am 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

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

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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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