Harpers Nursery school

Harpers Nursery school Harpers Farm, Summerhill, Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 1JU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 September 2017 19 November 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

 Parents value the frequent communication they receive about their child's learning and progress. They appreciate the tips they are given to support their child's learning at home. Parents enjoy the regular, informal opportunities there are to meet with staff and other parents, such as at the family picnic.  Relationships between children and staff, including key persons, are strong. Children feel safe, behave well and are unfailingly polite. This helps to support their self- confidence and self-awareness.  Children have a wide range of opportunities to explore the world around them. They plant, harvest and eat vegetables, such as carrots. Children observe life cycles in action. For instance, they observe chickens hatching out, learn to care for them and once they are grown, collect their eggs.  The staff work well with other settings, including schools, and information about children's learning and development is shared. Communication is regular between the

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This provision is good

nursery staff and other providers with whom they share the care of children. This helps to support good progress and continuity in children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Children who prefer to learn outside do not consistently have enough resources or opportunities to develop their mathematical skills.  Occasionally, some members of staff do not consistently challenge children within their chosen activity and move their learning forward.

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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

 provide more opportunities and resources for children who prefer to learn outside to develop their mathematical skills  challenge children consistently within their chosen activities to help move their learning forward.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding children.  The inspector checked the evidence relating to the suitability of staff and looked at children's learning and progress records.  The inspector and the manager observed members of staff interacting with children, discussed their practice and the systems in place for improving staff practice.  The inspector read documents relating to the evaluation of the nursery and discussed these with the manager.  The inspector spoke to a range of parents and children, and took their views into consideration.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a clear understanding of how to keep children safe from harm. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Staff work well with other professionals to support the learning of children who have special educational needs. Senior leaders and other staff check the progress of children regularly. They identify delays in learning and take steps to close the gaps. Staff benefit from one-to-one meetings with the manager to discuss their practice and training needs. This helps to support improvement in their knowledge and skills. Leaders evaluate their work accurately and make improvements to benefit children's development. For example, children now have access to an area of woodland where they enjoy raking the leaves, collecting acorns and making pictures from natural materials.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

When children start at the nursery, there are meetings between parents and key persons to establish children's achievements and preferences. Appropriate activities are planned to help children move forward in their learning. Children use their imaginations in an interesting way. For instance, they create a 'fruit cake' from dough and decorate it with toy fruits and candles. Children confidently use prior learning in their play. For example, when they play with the rainbow rice, they talk about the 'pot of gold' at the end of the rainbow and the leprechaun who walks across it. There are a variety of ways for children to develop early writing skills. For instance, older children voluntarily write their names and younger ones paint fruit to print with.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children follow good hygiene practices. They are encouraged to wash and dry their hands thoroughly. Children understand routines. For instance, they take their lunch out of their lunchbox and put it on a tray. They know that they have to eat their sandwiches first. Children share and take turns, instantly sharing the dough when asked by another child. They play cooperatively together. For example, when children in the role-play corner are getting ready for dance lessons they helpfully support each other in putting on the appropriate clothes. There are a range of opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and to accept that people are not all the same. For instance, parents from other cultures share their experiences with the children and bring in traditional foods for them to try. Children take part in events, such as Remembrance Day.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are well prepared for their future learning. Their early reading skills are effectively encouraged. Children listen attentively to and enjoy stories. They sit in the cosy book corner to share stories with each other and with adults. They learn to recognise and write their names. Children develop good communication skills and extend their vocabulary. For example, a young child talks about 'splodges' of glue. Children are confident, independent learners. They happily lead their own learning and manage their personal care needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127225 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1070218 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 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Claire Jane Wickham

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 November 2014 Telephone number 01580211236

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reference number

Harpers Nursery school operates in Goudhurst, Kent. The nursery is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3.30pm during the autumn and spring terms and from Monday to Friday from 9am to 3.30pm during the summer term. The provider employs a team of six staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 or level 4. The provider receives funding to provide free 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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