The Ark Nursery and Space Out of School Club

The Ark Nursery and Space Out of School Club Dean Hey Farm, Cragg Vale, HEBDEN BRIDGE, West Yorkshire, HX7 5RU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 February 2018 Not applicable

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leaders are passionate about staff's professional development and raising standards. They are inspirational and innovative in their drive to share exemplary practice. They support other providers to raise outcomes for all children extremely well. Parents describe staff as loving, caring and understanding. They say they are, 'Blown away' by, 'Amazing' practice that exceeds their expectations.  Leaders' evaluation of staff's practice is meticulous. Parents, children and other professionals are fully involved in making positive changes to enhance children's future learning. Leaders' superb partnerships with parents and other professionals support successful monitoring of individual children's progress. They immediately identify and addresses any gaps in their learning.  Staff are highly skilled at making learning exciting and at motivating children's desire to learn and discover exceptionally well. Their first-rate knowledge of how children learn

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This provision is outstanding

means staff provide a rich, varied and imaginative curriculum. They precisely focus planning to give children the very best opportunities to reach their learning goals.  Staff's exuberant enthusiasm inspires children's imaginative play. Children climb, 'Truly magnificent mountains' and rescue their friends from hungry wolves. They show wonder as they breathe, 'Chilly dragon breath' in the cold weather.

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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

 continue to strengthen the already excellent monitoring and assessment processes to focus even more precisely on how different groups of children are progressing and evaluate the impact on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspectors spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspectors completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspectors held a meeting with the manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders have an exceptional understanding of child protection and are highly vigilant. All staff have an in-depth knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to report any concerns. Leaders relentlessly look for ways to enhance their practice, through training and research. They monitor and improve standards of teaching highly effectively through focused coaching and mentoring. Leaders fully exploit staff's strengths to provide children with exemplary care and learning. For example, staff use their training in forest schools exceptionally well to enhance outcomes for children significantly. The close monitoring of individual children shows that they make exceptionally rapid progress. The provider plans to extend the already excellent assessments of children's progress to include more groups of children, to help them evaluate the effectiveness of learning even more precisely.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are passionate in their teaching. They listen perceptively to children and encourage them to question, think critically, make links and recall learning. For example, they discuss which animals might hatch from eggs. Babies delight in exploring water and paint with their whole body. They squeal excitedly as they make big splashes and wet paint squelches between their toes. Staff effortlessly promote mathematics throughout play and daily routines. Children learn how to group objects, estimate and measure. Children learn that print is all around them, including marks they have made, books and a range of texts. For example, menus display what food is on offer at mealtimes. Staff have an excellent understanding of how using a wide range of tools, such as tongs, helps children to develop the coordination and muscle control they need for early writing.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are highly effective in teaching children to identify hazards in their play and to keep themselves safe from an early age. Children settle quickly and have superb relationships with adults and each other. Children observe the effects that exercise and the cold weather have on their bodies. They learn robust hygiene routines and enjoy an enormous range of healthy home-cooked food. Staff ensure the learning environment is exceptionally organised, vibrant and highly welcoming. It inspires and stimulates children to investigate. Children who are tired from the excitement sleep nestled in cosy blankets.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language, make exceptionally rapid progress from their starting points. They develop exceedingly positive behaviour and high levels of self-control. They become confident, self-assured and highly independent, motivated learners. Children have superb communication, language and social skills. They enjoy a vast range of experiences that promotes understanding of families and the wider world. They are exceptionally well prepared for the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY492427 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 1024694 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 - 14 Total number of places 205 Number of children on roll 212 Name of registered person The Ark Experience Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01422 882010

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reference number

The Ark Nursery and Space Out of School Club registered in 2002. There are 52 members of childcare staff. Of these, 37 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including one who holds early years teacher status. The nursery opens all year round, Monday to Friday, from 7am until 6.30pm, except for bank holidays, two training days and the week between Christmas and New Year. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. During term time, the out-of-school provision opens from 7am to 8.45am and from 3pm to 6.30pm. It opens from 7am to 6.30pm during the school holidays.

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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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