Puddleduck Nursery School

Puddleduck Nursery School Puddleduck Nursery School, Woodlands Park, Bedford Road, Clapham, Bedfordshire, MK41 6EJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 June 2018 1 December 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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 Since the last inspection, new strategies for observing and assessing children's development have been introduced. Staff use these well to help build on children's individual learning needs and effectively support children to make good progress.  Children's communication and language skills are excellent. Babies make their needs known through using clear and simple words. Toddlers constantly chatter as they play, and attentive staff listen and respond enthusiastically. Pre-school children use extensive language to hold in-depth discussions and debates with each other and with adults.  Outdoor learning for children at this nursery is outstanding. Children learn how to manage risk for themselves, such as when they make obstacles courses from milk crates and planks of wood. Children are highly active as they skilfully kick balls into a net and negotiate cars around a roundabout, set up by attentive members of staff.

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This provision is good

 Parents speak positively about the care and education staff provide. They feel that staff provide a homely atmosphere and this helps children to settle and feel secure.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not gather as much information as possible from parents about children's abilities when they first start, to help them more closely monitor children's progress from their starting points.  Staff do not always encourage pre-school children to express their own ideas and use their creativity when taking part in adult-planned activities.

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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

 seek more detailed information from parents to help to precisely identify children's starting points in learning, to monitor their progress even more closely from the start  support children in the pre-school room to express their own ideas and creativity when taking part in adult-planned activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's teaching and interactions with children indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to staff and children, and held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector observed an adult-led activity with the manager and held a discussion with her about the staff's teaching skills and children's learning.  The inspector looked at a sample of paperwork, including staff qualifications and suitability checks. The safeguarding policies and procedures were also seen.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a robust knowledge and understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate concerns about children's welfare. They effectively use self-evaluation and have addressed all the actions and recommendations that were set at the last inspection. Staff turnover is low, despite this the provider has robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place. This helps to ensure that new staff are suitable to work with children. A thorough induction process helps staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. Managers effectively support staff through supervision meetings and through monitoring their practice and teaching skills. Staff talk about the positive impact that training has on their practice. For example, they have developed their understanding of how effective environments can positively support children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use their observations and assessments of children's learning to identify what they need to learn next. They plan activities based on children's interests and that are appropriate to their developmental needs. For example, when babies show an interest in animals, staff create a tray of natural materials and place toy animals in there. They effectively support babies' language development as they narrate their play and introduce them to new words. Staff support toddlers to understand how to make new colours by mixing paint together. Children show great excitement in their learning as they describe their pictures as 'rainbows'. Staff working with pre-school children teach them about different aspects of the world. For example, they teach them how to research and retrieve information by using computers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are highly confident and independent. They warmly welcome visitors to the nursery and are keen to show them what they can do. Children are extremely proud of the skills they have developed and demonstrate high levels of self-esteem. The staff team is very well established and this has a tremendous impact on the key-person system. Staff have known some children for many years and have a very deep understanding of their individual needs and personalities. This helps them to superbly tailor their care and support for each child. Staff help children to learn about their similarities and differences very effectively. For example, children use the computer to make personal fact sheets. This gives them wonderful opportunities to share what they feel are important aspects of their life with their friends.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress and are well prepared with the skills they need for their next stage of learning and for starting school. Babies enjoy books as they share stories with adults or look at books independently. Toddlers engage well in imaginative play, such as when using the mud kitchen outdoors. Many pre-school children are able to use pencils very well for drawing and writing their names, and other simple words.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY346123 Local authority Bedford Borough Inspection number 1119504 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 40 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Rosedale Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 December 2017 Telephone number 01234 330957

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reference number

Puddleduck Nursery School registered in 2007 and is managed by Rosedale Nursery Ltd. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff, nine of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 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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