The Palace Day Nursery

The Palace Day Nursery 2 Windsor Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2LN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 February 2018 7 August 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

 The nursery's management team is effective in driving improvement. Managers demonstrate a strong commitment to achieving excellence in all areas. They have high expectations for the provision and the quality of care and learning for all children.  Relationships with parents and carers are friendly and trusting. Staff are committed to working together with them to ensure continuity of care and learning for their children. Parents are kept well informed through written and daily verbal communication.  Staff know the children well. They talk confidently about where children are in their learning and development and what they need to do to support their continuing progress.  Transitions from home to the nursery are managed well. Settling-in procedures are tailored to the individual needs of each child and their family. Staff find out about children's established routines for feeding and sleeping. They follow these, promoting

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The evaluation of staff performance is not a fully effective aid to monitoring and supporting their practice.  Staff do not consistently consider a wide range of activities when planning for the outdoor environment and this does not fully support those who learn best when outdoors.

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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

 develop the opportunities available for staff to receive support and share good practice  make better use of a range of activities outdoors to promote all children's progress.

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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 at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider and manager and also discussed self- evaluation.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery, records of children's learning and a selection of policies and other records.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management and staff team reflect on the service that they provide. They seek the views of parents as part of their self-evaluation and planning for improvement. They are committed to providing a high-quality experience for all children. Overall, a system of supervision and training opportunities are in place to help staff improve their knowledge and skills. For example, staff in the baby room have completed training in working with babies and have made changes to the physical environment to meet the children's needs more effectively. The management team monitors the progress of groups of children, including those who receive additional funding. Any gaps are quickly identified and managed, supporting all children to make good progress. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to protect the welfare of children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe children as they play and evaluate their observations well. They are confident to carry through their findings into planning, generally. The quality of teaching is good. Staff engage in the children's play and take some opportunities to extend their learning. For example, they provide children with real vegetables in the role-play area. They talk to children about cooking the vegetables and the need to be careful around cookers as they may be hot. They encourage the children to count the number of carrots. Staff promote children's thinking skills carefully, asking questions and giving them time to consider and express their own responses. Staff promote children's communication skills effectively, including those who speak English as an additional language. The gestures and babbles of babies are responded to positively.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and settled. They come into the nursery readily and develop secure emotional bonds with staff. Each child has a named person to take responsibility for ensuring that their care and learning needs are met. Key persons build friendly and trusting relationships with parents and children. Parents hold staff in high regard, describing them as 'friendly' and 'caring'. They appreciate the good levels of support that staff give them with child-rearing practices. Children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff have a positive approach to diversity. They support children to learn about the wider world beyond their own experiences. Children play well together. Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately and remind them about the need to share. Good behaviour and individual efforts are valued and praised.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress and develop the key skills needed for school. They are independent learners who confidently lead their own play. Children recognise their written name and are encouraged to make marks and practise their early writing skills. Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. For example, they learn about the importance of good hygiene routines. Children develop their physical skills. They enjoy kicking balls in the garden and balancing on the low-level balancing beams.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY341118 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 1070827 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 1 - 8 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 59 Name of registered person Green Stone Investments Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 August 2014 Telephone number 01908 640901

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reference number

The Palace Day Nursery registered in 2006. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff, 11 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, closing for a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery 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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