Rocking Horse Nursery

Rocking Horse Nursery The Old Brewery House, Bath Road, Shaw, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 8EF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 June 2017 19 March 2015

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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

 Staff are good role models for children. They take every opportunity to support and praise children's good manners and positive behaviour. Children behave well.  Staff form good relationships with parents. They keep parents well informed about their children's learning and consider their views well.  Partnership working is strong. Links with the local community, external childcare professionals and other childcare settings are well established. There is a good system for sharing information about children's learning, which helps all children make good progress.  The manager continuously evaluates the service they provide. She considers the views of children, staff and parents before making improvements that benefit the children.  Staff support children's healthy lifestyles well. For example, they create exciting programmes outdoors and work very effectively to support children's healthy eating.

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This provision is good

 There is a good key-person system, which successfully helps support children's emotional well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although staff support the older children well to be ready for school overall, they miss opportunities to encourage the younger children to do more things for themselves and become more independent.  Noise levels in some areas mean children cannot hear, especially at mealtimes. For example, when children have snack, noise levels are high and children are unable to engage in conversations, listen and build good social skills.

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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

 focus on supporting the younger children more to extend their independence skills to do more things for themselves  adapt mealtimes to better support children to develop their social skills, engage in conversations and listen.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's records, and policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke to the manager, staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector observed staff's interactions with the children, inside and outside.  The inspector had a tour of the premises and looked at the available resources, inside and outside.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and observed children with staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager has a good understanding of how children develop and learn. She is ambitious, enthusiastic and has high expectations of all staff. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The manager and staff are aware of the signs and symptoms to be alert to, and they receive ongoing training and support to maintain their knowledge of how to keep children safe. They know how to respond promptly to any concerns about children's welfare. The manager has robust systems for recruitment, vetting and staff supervision to monitor their practice. She encourages staff to observe each other's practice, which helps them to reflect and identify how they can further develop their skills. Staff receive good support to attend training to improve teaching standards even further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children are confident to lead their own play. They engage successfully with others in their learning, using the good range of resources. For example, they share well as they play together with the balls outside. Staff extend children's learning well. For example, they form a 'jungle train' as they explore the trees and imagine what they may find. This helps build children's imagination and thinking skills. Younger children match blocks as they learn to count and develop good mathematical skills. Children receive good support and interaction from staff that prepare them well for their next stage of learning and their eventual move to school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children have a strong sense of belonging and are emotionally secure. They are happy, settled and enter the nursery confidently, benefiting from enthusiastic and welcoming staff. Children have good opportunities to play outside, be physically active, and develop coordination and control of their bodies. Staff extend outdoor learning well through an effective and exciting programme which allows children to build a good understanding of the world. For example, outside professionals visit to enhance the programme following forest school activities. Children develop good personal hygiene skills. For example, outside professionals, such as the oral health nurse, teach children about brushing their teeth, helping children to learn positive healthy habits from a young age.

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Outcomes for children are good

Older children develop their early writing skills well ready for school. For example, they make marks on whiteboards and paper to represent their name. Babies explore the environment. They feel different textures, examine beads and develop their fine motor skills to put them into metal tins. Children of all ages have good access to books and writing resources, and practise their early reading and writing skills. Older children use electronic devices to learn letters and sounds, which helps support early reading skills. Children develop good skills that prepare them well for their next stages of learning and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY104146 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 1091290 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 0 - 8 Total number of places 39 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Fiona Mhairi Milner

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 March 2015 Telephone number 01225 700894

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reference number

Rocking Horse Nursery registered in 2002. It is situated in the village of Shaw, on the outskirts of the town of Melksham in Wiltshire. It opens from 8am until 6pm, all year. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. It employs 13 staff who work directly with the children. Of these, 11 staff members hold an early years qualification. One holds early years professional status and 10 hold relevant qualifications from level 3 to level 5. There is also a chef and a cleaner.

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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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