Squirrels Nursery (Watford Ascot)

Squirrels Nursery (Watford Ascot) Ascot Community Free School, Ascot Road, Watford, Herts, WD18 8AD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 July 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 Good 2

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This provision is good

 All staff have good relationships with children. They greet children and their parents warmly when they arrive. Key persons know the children in their group well. This helps them to meet children's care needs and recognise when they require additional support, such as cuddles, reassurance or guidance.  Daily discussions between parents and staff help to develop good partnerships and involve parents in their children's learning. For example, staff share information about what children have eaten and how they have been during the day.  Staff complete daily risk assessments, which helps to identify and minimise any hazards before children arrive.  There are effective links with schools. Staff share information about children's progress and encourage teachers to visit the children in the nursery. This helps children to develop confidence in the next stage of their learning and be familiar with their teacher.

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This provision is good

 The manager has good recruitment procedures. For example, she ensures that she has seen proof of staff's qualifications and references from previous employers. The manager regularly checks with staff that they are still suitable to work with children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Sometimes, staff do not make the most of their knowledge of what children know and can do to extend their play and learning even further.  Staff miss opportunities to make the most of the wide range of resources in order to ignite children's curiosity and interest further.

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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

 consider ways to encourage staff to consistently extend children's play and exploration  make greater use of available resources to fully occupy and interest children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and looked at all areas that children use.  The inspector spoke to parents to gather their views about their children's progress and care.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and had discussions regarding children's learning.  The inspector sampled relevant documentation, including safeguarding policies and procedures, staff suitability checks and training records.  The inspector observed staff and children playing together and spoke to children, staff, the manager and director.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a child's safety or welfare. They undertake regular training, such as through online courses, which helps to update and refresh their knowledge of current safeguarding practices. Staff know the procedures to follow to ensure that any adult collecting children has authorisation to do so. The manager regularly works alongside staff and observes their interactions with children. Staff meet frequently with the manager, which provides opportunities for them to discuss their practice and identify relevant training. The manager uses money from additional funding effectively. For example, staff attend training to support children who need additional help in their speaking and listening skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff understand how to help children make good progress. They regularly observe children's achievements and use this knowledge to plan for the next steps in their learning. Staff sensitively join in with children's play. For example, they help older children to build a train track. Staff introduce mathematical language into children's play. For example, they encourage children to think about how tall or short their tower of bricks is when they stand up beside it. Staff provide opportunities, such as parents' evenings and daily verbal feedback, to involve parents in their children's learning. They share information with parents about children's next steps in learning, which helps to support consistency between home and the setting.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff encourage children to independently manage their own personal care needs. For example, they help themselves to drinks when thirsty. Staff encourage younger children's imaginative skills. For example, children enjoy pretending to cook meals and giving their friends plates of food. They use oven gloves and remember that the oven is hot, which shows their understanding of keeping themselves safe and what they see at home. Children have many opportunities to learn about the differences between themselves and others. For example, staff make good use of a colourful wall display which highlights the cultural diversity of children's backgrounds and home lives. There are good arrangements to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know who to contact to seek support and guidance in order to help provide tailored learning opportunities for children to catch up.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop a good range of skills that helps to prepare them for school. For example, older children use paint and their imaginative skills to create pictures of flowers, which they confidently share with staff. Children lead their own play and organise roles between themselves. For example, they decide who will stand and count, while their friends quickly find places outside to hide. Younger children use their fingers and hands to create patterns in foam, which helps to support their early writing skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY492561 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1108392 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 40 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Squirrels Day Nurseries (Watford) Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01923 256561

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reference number

Squirrels Day Nursery (Watford Ascot) registered in 2015. It operates independently from within Ascot Community Free School, in Watford. There are 10 members of staff, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 2 to level 6. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There is also funding for children eligible to receive the early years pupil premium. The nursery operates Monday to Friday for most of the year, from 8am to 6pm.

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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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