Toad Hall Nursery Berkhamsted

Toad Hall Nursery Berkhamsted Gossoms End, Victory Road, Berkhamsted HP4 1DL

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Inspection date 15 October 2018 Previous inspection date 27 January 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n Children develop a strong sense of security and emotional well-being. For example, babies enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff who are patient and kind. Staff welcome all the children warmly and enable them to quickly settle and gain confidence. n Staff plan exciting activities that motivate children to concentrate well and gain the necessary skills to help prepare them for their future learning. n The manager monitors children's development. She rigorously checks that the strategies in place are working well to ensure all children make consistently good progress. n Children develop good levels of independence and learn to manage their own needs successfully. They have good opportunities for fresh air and exercise and they develop good balance, coordination and awareness of space as they ride wheeled toys, attend dance and music sessions and play ball games.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n At times, staff do not provide enough challenge to extend the learning for those younger children who are showing a growing interest in developing their early number skills. n Occasionally, staff do not always give older children to time to think and respond to questions to help them extend their ideas even 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

n extend younger children's mathematical skills further, helping them to build on their knowledge of counting n give older children more time to think, respond to questions and extend their ideas to further support their learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector had a tour of the nursery. The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning and development. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and area manager. They discussed how the senior management team knows what to improve, how well they know the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, and the accuracy of their evaluations. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector took account of the views of parents, children and staff spoken to on the day of the inspection. n The inspector examined children's records, planning documents, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision, staffing ratios and a range of other documents, including accident records.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. There are secure recruitment procedures to check the suitability of staff. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The manager continues to source a range of training that helps staff to improve the outcomes for children. For instance, staff have attended training focused on promoting natural items in children's play. This has a positive impact on staff's ability to plan additional activities that enhance children's understanding of the world further. Parents are involved in the evaluation of the nursery and provide regular feedback through questionnaires, parent forums and discussions held with the staff team. Staff work well with relevant agencies and other professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff provide good opportunities for older children to experiment and investigate different sensory resources. For example, pre-school children confidently use pipettes and carefully squeeze different coloured liquids into large test tubes. Toddlers experiment with different coloured paints and children observe the changes that happen to colours when they mix them. Babies eagerly join in with songs and rhymes. Overall, children are encouraged to gain skills to learn new words and listen to others. For example, staff model clear speaking and careful listening, giving babies opportunities to learn new words, such as 'flour', 'bowl' and 'spoon', while pretending to bake cakes in the role-play area.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The well-established key-person system helps children form very close relationships and promotes their well-being. For instance, key persons focus on spending more time with older children in small-group activities. Staff are good role models. They encourage children's good behaviour, providing praise that raises their self-esteem to high levels. Children have a positive sense of themselves and their place in the world. For example older children draw pictures of themselves. They enthusiastically describe themselves and talk about their family members.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated and keen to learn. Younger children are developing an interest in literacy. For instance, they choose to sit with staff and look through books together. Older children concentrate well in activities that interest them and they persevere. For example, they work out the best way to thread cereal onto sticks of spaghetti. All children develop skills that will support them with the next stage of their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY465422 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10068910 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 77 Number of children on roll 120 Name of registered person Careroom Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 January 2014 Telephone number 01442 871777

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reference number

Toad Hall Nursery Berkhamsted registered in 2013. It is one of 13 nurseries run by Careroom Ltd which operates Toad Hall Nursery Group. The nursery offers core hours from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. It is open for 51 weeks of the year, closing for Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery is in receipt of funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 25 members of staff, of whom 21 hold qualifications at level 6, level 3 or level 2. The nursery has a full-time cook.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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