Seedlings Day Nursery

Seedlings Day Nursery 9-11 Firs Close, Forest Hill, London, SE23 1BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 May 2018 1 October 2015

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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, who are also the providers, play an extremely active role in the day-to-day organisation of this exceptionally high-quality nursery. They set extremely high standards of care, teaching and learning. As a result, children are exceptionally happy and settled. They make rapid progress from when they first start.  The extremely sharp focus of leaders ensures that staff, children and parents have an active role in the self-evaluation process. For example, leaders say parents' forum meetings are used as a platform for discussion and decision making.  Staff are exceptional role models, friendly and extremely enthusiastic, who without compromise provide an excellent model for children's behaviour towards each other.  Children are excited, enthused and exceptionally eager to share their experiences. For example, when they return from the outdoor learning school they excitedly say, 'We saw a grass snake.' They hold up their arms and shout, 'It was this big!'

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff expertly provide activities that centre on rising to challenges and solving problems. For example, toddlers learn how to turn on and off the tap from the water butt as they water vegetables growing outdoors. Older children work out how many plates they need as they help to lay the table.  Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents say children are 'fulfilled and enriched'.

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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

 enhance the already good-quality peer-on-peer observations, to develop further staff performance to an even higher level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed documentation, including children's records, risk assessments, and accident and incident records.  The inspector checked staff qualifications, such as paediatric first aid, and documents confirming the ongoing suitability of staff and recruitment procedures.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the leader and assessed the effect of the quality of teaching and learning.  The inspector spoke to children and observed them during their play.  The inspector spoke with parents to seek their views and comments.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and staff are highly vigilant and clearly understand their duty to protect children. They confidently know how to recognise and report any signs that indicate a child may be at risk of harm. Leaders regularly meet with staff to ensure they understand their role to declare their ongoing suitably. They set high expectations and are extremely eager to support staff professional development. Staff develop high- level skills and expertise, which they use to maintain outstanding levels of care and teaching. However, leaders would like to embed further peer-on-peer observations to develop the excellent practice even further. Recruitment procedures for new staff are detailed to ensure they are suitable. Leaders are exceptional role models who lead by example. They value and respect others through all the nursery's practices, and demonstrate that promoting diversity and equality is at the heart of all that they do.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Highly qualified and skilled staff have very high expectations of what all children can achieve. Staff skilfully encourage older children to use more adventurous words. They model language remarkably well. For example, staff point to pictures of a royal wedding and say, 'She is stunning.' Children reply, 'She is stunningly beautiful.' Staff provide an exceptional range of exciting activities to ignite children's curiosity. For example, children use magnifying glasses to investigate wiggling worms. They are extremely fascinated to see how they move. Staff are highly skilled in supporting babies' emerging communication development. For example, babies respond very positively and delight in making sounds and repeating words.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have formed extremely close relationships with staff and each other. Staff successfully support children's health and physical exercise to a very high standard. Children have an excellent understanding of keeping themselves safe. For example, they very confidently and correctly answer staff questions about safety as they prepare to visit and play in the woods and use equipment at the outdoor learning school. Children skilfully serve themselves nutritious meals and enjoy an excellent range of exciting play and physical activities in the outside area. Staff accompany children as they move through the nursery, to enable them to be familiar with staff and children. This helps children to be extremely secure in their new surroundings.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are highly inquisitive and very enthusiastic learners. They are excellent communicators and have a wide vocabulary. Children are extremely sociable. They ask the inspector, 'What is your name?' and, 'What are you doing here?' Children gain excellent mathematical, reading, writing and independence skills that help prepare them exceptionally well for the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY287094 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 1129072 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 74 Name of registered person Seedlings Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 October 2015 Telephone number 020 8291 3344

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reference number

Seedlings Day Nursery registered in 2004. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 21 members of staff. Of these, 18 have a recognised early years qualification, and two hold early years professional status or qualified teacher status.

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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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