The Oaks Nursery

The Oaks Nursery Hildenborough Primary School, Riding Lane, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 9HY

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 November 2017 3 June 2015

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The inspirational manager leads a highly motivated staff team who have the best interests of children at the heart of everything they do. Children's ideas are highly valued and reflected in the activities available.  All staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. They clearly know the children's next steps in their development and plan meticulously, covering all areas of learning exceptionally well.  The manager's highly effective monitoring of children's progress identifies their individual needs and ensures that staff are able to close any gaps in learning swiftly and effectively.  Staff give children's personal, social and emotional development high priority. All children settle well. They are extremely confident and form close attachments to the staff.  The environment, indoors and outdoors, is extremely welcoming to all. The extensive display of children's work reflects the value staff place on children's achievements.

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 There are excellent partnerships with parents. Communication with all parents is strong with many different ways of keeping in touch and encouraging parents to be part of their children's learning. Staff also work closely with other agencies and local schools to ensure consistency for all children.

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

 continue to develop all children's sense of identity so they see themselves positively reflected in all areas of the nursery.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the routines of the setting and evaluated the quality of teaching inside and outside.  The inspectors spoke to staff and children at various times during the inspection.  The inspectors spoke to a number of parents and took note of their comments and experiences.  The inspectors reviewed policies and procedures.  The inspectors met with the manager to discuss how she monitors and evaluates practice within the setting.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The manager works exceptionally closely with staff to share her expert knowledge of how children learn. Staff continually plan highly effective activities that meet the needs and abilities of all children. Teaching is monitored incisively to identify training needs. A recent mathematics course has significantly helped staff to raise children's awareness of numbers, shapes and sizes. Safeguarding is effective. All staff know the procedures to follow to help protect children's safety and welfare, including understanding whom to contact to seek advice.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff effortlessly challenge children to extend their learning. They make excellent use of questioning skills to encourage children to think for themselves. For example, staff use phrases such as, 'I wonder what happens' and 'what do you think?' Staff help children understand the world around them. For example, they sensitively explain the reasons why we use poppies to celebrate Armistice Day. Staff swiftly adapt activities to meet children's interests and requests. A corner of the nursery becomes a hospital, complete with plentiful resources for children to treat staff with a variety of ailments. Children record these ailments on a whiteboard, explaining so that everyone then knows what is wrong. Staff use extremely creative methods to support children's mathematical skills. For example, children devised their own number line and recorded this using photographs to depict different values. Staff provide positive images of cultural diversity in most areas of the

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

nursery, including skin-tone paints to enable children to create paintings. However, staff acknowledge they miss occasional opportunities to build on this further.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are highly inspired to learn and develop their knowledge. For example, they dig excitedly in the sand for 'dinosaur bones' and this generates extensive discussions about dinosaurs. Children of all ages form exceptional social skills. They play extremely cooperatively, such as in the mud kitchen, where they share their creative ideas. There are many opportunities for children to be physically active. For example, they move around a track outside in many different ways using bicycles, scooters and wheeled toys. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They consistently share and take turns in their play and are kind and respectful to their friends.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make significant progress. They confidently recognise simple letters and attempt to write their names. Children develop meaningful friendships, as they happily share resources. They discuss their activities and wait in anticipation for their friends to arrive. Children are especially kind and respectful to each other. For example, older children are considerate of ensuring the younger children fully understand the games they play together. These skills prepare children extremely well for starting school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 127700 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1089377 Type of provision Sessional 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 20 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person The Oaks Nursery Committee

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 3 June 2015 Telephone number 01732 834401

p.4

reference number

The Oaks Nursery opened in 1994. It operates from a mobile unit in the grounds of Hildenborough Primary School near Tonbridge, Kent. The nursery accepts funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.30am to 3.30pm during term time only. There are six members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. One staff member holds qualified teacher status.

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