Whanau Day Nursery Welwyn GC

Playschool Nursery Welwyn GC Trevelyan House, 7 Church Street, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6NT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 July 2017 6 February 2014

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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

 Children are enthusiastic learners who are keen to learn and investigate. They engage in a rich range of interesting learning experiences, indoors and outdoors. For example, they learn about life cycles as they observe chicks hatching from their eggs.  The sensory room provides all children with a sanctuary, enabling them time to relax, explore a wide variety of sensory equipment and promote a strong sense of well-being.  Staff develop strong relationships with parents. There is an effective two-way flow of information to aid children’s care and learning. Parents describe the well qualified and motivated team of staff as very professional and friendly.  The management team is committed to support staff in their continued professional development. Staff receive regular supervision meetings and have good training opportunities. This helps children to benefit from newly introduced methods of practice,

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This provision is good

such as enhancing staff’s use of mathematical language and introducing specific activities to strengthen children’s mathematical skills even further.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff provide fewer rich and varied opportunities for children to learn about people and communities beyond their immediate experience.  On occasions, when key persons are busy supporting individual children they do not fully inform other staff how to encourage their younger key children to engage in the stimulating activities.

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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

 enrich opportunities for children to learn more about people and places in their wider community  strengthen the communication between key persons to consistently support younger children in their learning.

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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 at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager, who is one of the providers.  The inspector held a meeting with both providers. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided and also spoke to parents during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The management team and staff are very aware of the procedures for identifying and responding to any concerns about a child's welfare. Children's safety is at the heart of every member of staff. A fingerprint recognition system ensures that it is only they that are permitted to gain access to children's rooms. The management team thoroughly monitors children's progress, including specific groups of children. The whole staff team is reflective and regularly evaluates the provision they offer. Their commitment helps them to drive forward identified areas for improvement. Staff work in close partnership with other professionals and parents to effectively help children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children are motivated to complete challenging activities in this welcoming nursery. For example, younger children work out through trial and error how to complete complex puzzles. Staff share their individual skills with children. For instance, they teach them how to speak in Italian. Babies are fascinated as they explore the texture of paint on their hands as they spread it across a cardboard box. Staff consistently respond to babies' babbles and their early attempts at talking. This helps them to learn the pattern of speech. Older children are very much in control of their own learning. They think about how they can extend their learning further and set themselves individual challenges.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children behave well and develop secure and friendly relationships with each other from an early age. Staff follow robust procedures at mealtimes to manage children's allergies or preferences. They place a strong emphasis on promoting children's personal awareness of their own needs. For example, they talk about and ask children if they have any allergies. Children develop good physical skills both indoors and outdoors. For instance, older children run at speed and confidently jump along stepping stones. Babies develop strength in their legs in preparation for walking and crawl across padded bridges.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good and some make better than good progress in relation to their starting points. For instance, older children link letters to sounds. They enjoy playing a game of i-spy and identify items beginning with different letters of the alphabet. The most able children begin to blend sounds together and write sentences using lower- and upper- case letters. They independently select the correct number card to represent the date and solve complex mathematical problems. Children gain the necessary skills needed to help prepare them for their future learning at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY466391 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1088184 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 - 4 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person Playschool Nursery (Welwyn GC) LLP

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 6 February 2014 Telephone number 01707 330482

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reference number

Playschool Nursery Welwyn GC registered in 2013. It is one of three settings privately owned by the same providers. It employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including two members of staff with early years professional status. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. It 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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