The Cottage Nursery

The Cottage Nursery Alexander Hall, Faringdon Road, Watchfield, Nr Swindon, Wiltshire, SN6 8TS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 June 2018 26 June 2017

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 Staff support children's personal, social and emotional development effectively, including those from service families who often have relatively short placements in the nursery. Children are very settled and familiar with routines. They demonstrate good behaviour and enjoy positive relationships.  Key persons know their children well. They have a confident understanding of how to observe and assess children's development. Key persons use this information well to help them plan stimulating experiences that support children to make good progress.  Most staff support children's learning successfully and there are several strong role models within the team to showcase good-quality teaching to others.  Leaders, managers and staff have a confident understanding of safeguarding procedures to help keep children safe.  Leaders and managers identify the strengths of the nursery and areas for further development accurately. They demonstrate a clear ability to make sustained

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This provision is good

improvements that lead to better outcomes for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Sometimes staff who are less confident do not make the best use of their interactions with children to explore ideas more fully and build on their interests further.

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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

 support less-confident staff to use the highest-quality interactions with children to explore ideas more fully and build on their interests further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in each age group, including activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector completed joint observations with each of the joint managers.  The inspector talked to key persons, staff, managers, parents and children at appropriate points throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, evidence of staff suitability and qualifications, written comments from parents and the nursery's self-evaluation form.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and managers keep staff up to date with relevant procedures to develop their understanding successfully. Staff respond swiftly to any concerns about children's welfare and they support families sensitively where needed. Leaders and managers welcome feedback from staff, parents and children to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of practice in the nursery. They monitor and develop the knowledge and skills of the staff team well. For example, following various training to improve the quality of teaching, children achieve better rates of progress in their learning. Leaders and managers compare carefully the progress of individuals and different groups of children to help staff respond successfully to any gaps in learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff work closely with parents to find out about children's levels of development on entry and to share relevant information about their progress. They support children's language development effectively, including those who speak English as an additional language. Staff teach children effectively, overall. For example, staff working with pre-school children encourage them to solve problems, use their mathematical knowledge, practise early writing skills and develop their vocabulary effectively. Staff work well in partnership with external agencies to provide good-quality support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide a warm welcome to all families and embrace their different cultures, languages and backgrounds positively. They help children to settle quickly in the nursery and to feel secure with their key person. Staff support children to be kind and helpful, and they provide plentiful opportunities to develop good levels of independence. For example, toddlers take responsibility for small tasks routinely as they enjoy wiping their faces after eating and checking in a mirror that they have done this correctly. Staff help children to develop positive attitudes to safe and healthy lifestyles, such as teaching them about fire safety and the importance of nutritious food.

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Outcomes for children are good

Babies are curious and enjoy exploring the play environment. They practise physical skills freely, such as pulling up to standing. Toddlers and younger pre-school children play well alongside each other and develop some important academic skills, such as an understanding of number and mathematical language. Older children are well prepared for school. They show good levels of confidence as they consider solutions to problems using their knowledge of mathematics and how things work. They join in enthusiastically with stories, showing a good understanding of rhyme and a wide range of vocabulary.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY381532 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1108555 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 - 4 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person The Cottage Nursery

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 26 June 2017 Telephone number 01793 784109

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reference number

The Cottage Nursery registered in 2008 and is run by a company of the same name. It is located in Watchfield on the Wiltshire/Oxfordshire border. The nursery is open on weekdays from 8am until 6pm for 50 weeks of the year. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 21 staff, and 17 hold relevant qualifications at levels 2, 3, 4 or 5.

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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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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