First Place Nursery

First Place Nursery Centurion House, Watling Street, Radlett, Hertfordshire, WD7 7GB

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 June 2017 10 April 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

 Staff have developed close partnerships with parents. They share the assessments of children's progress on a regular basis. Staff provide daily updates and give parents ideas that can be used at home to further their children's learning.  Children build close attachments to their key person. These support them to settle quickly into the nursery routine. Staff meet the needs of each individual child. They have gradual settling-in sessions that help children to grow in confidence.  Staff incorporate children's interests in the planning of the wide range of activities available. Older children enjoy the challenge of matching items with the correct letter of the alphabet that these start with. For example, a toy ladybird matches with the tub with the letter L on it.  Children delight in the different areas to explore outside. They enjoy climbing and exploring in the wooded area. Children develop their physical skills, for instance, as

p.1

This provision is good

they ride push-along bicycles and search for toy dinosaurs in the clay and sand.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff complete regular and thorough assessments of children's progress. However, they do not always make the best possible use of this information to target specific next steps in learning, in order to support children to make even more rapid progress.  Children, sometimes, have to wait too long before they can move from one activity to another, such as moving to their nursery room after having breakfast. At these times, they are not as highly engaged as at other periods in the day.

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

 enhance the use of information gathered from assessments to provide children with more specific next steps in learning that enable them to make even more rapid progress  review the organisation of activities to reduce the time that children have to wait and further support their continued engagement in highly purposeful play and learning.

p.2

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 manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a good understanding about the signs and symptoms of abuse. They follow the nursery's policies and procedures and report any concerns about children's welfare to the local authority. There is a rigorous system of supervision meetings to support staff in their practice. The manager and staff identify areas for development and attend training and professional development opportunities to gain new knowledge and strengthen their skills. Staff regularly gather the views of parents and children. They incorporate these important views into their plans for further development and change. Staff have built very close links with schools that children move on to. They hold coffee mornings for parents to meet staff from their children's new schools and share assessments of their learning and development with them.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff frequently ask questions during story sessions, helping children to learn to predict what may happen next and share their ideas with each other. Children's mathematical skills are promoted well. Staff challenge children in their play to solve simple problems. For example, they ask children how many more apples are needed to make five and ask how many there will be in total if they add two more. Staff help to extend children's speech and communication skills. They talk to them about what they are doing, such as when children serve food and ice cream at their pretend shop.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children behave well and staff provide consistent messages to support their understanding. They learn to negotiate between themselves to share and take turns with toys. Staff frequently provide praise and encouragement, helping to promote and raise children's sense of self-esteem. Children have conversations during mealtimes about where food comes from and where it grows. They talk about which foods are good for them. Children enjoy planting and caring for vegetables and fruit as they grow. They take part in creative activities that help to promote their understanding about the differences and similarities between themselves and others. Children's growing independence is encouraged and they eagerly help to tidy up at the end of a session.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Children are eager learners. They learn the skills needed to be ready for their move on to school. Children make good progress from their starting points. They enjoy practising their early writing skills, such as forming the letters of their names on pictures. Younger children delight in searching for treasures that are buried in the sand. They match the items they find with the treasures shown on printed sheets.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY424059 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1088115 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 88 Number of children on roll 113 Name of registered person First Place Nurseries Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 April 2014 Telephone number 01923 857060

p.4

reference number

First Place Nursery registered in 2011. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff, 15 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above: 12 at Level 3; 1 at Level 4; 1 at Level 6 and 1 at EYP teacher level. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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