St Paul's Walden Nursery

St Paul's Walden Nursery St. Pauls Walden Junior School, Bendish Lane, Whitwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 8HX

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Inspection date 10 December 2018 Previous inspection date 8 October 2015

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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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This provision is good

n Staff complete observations of children's learning effectively and their progress is monitored closely by the manager. This helps to ensure any emerging gaps in individual children's development and between different groups of children close quickly. n Children quickly develop strong bonds with staff, who are kind and responsive to their needs. Children are happy, settled and enjoy their time in the nursery. n The nursery is safe and secure. The small staff team is well qualified and experienced. They are deployed effectively to maintain ratios and ensure that children's safety and needs are met. n Children have numerous opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. The good- quality resources enable children to spend a significant amount of time learning to confidently count, recognise numbers, shape and size as they play. All children make good progress. n The manager has not yet fully embedded sharply focused evaluations of the quality of

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This provision is good

teaching to move staff's practice forward and support all children's progress even further. n Opportunities for gaining ongoing information from parents about children's interests at home have not yet been sharpened.

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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 use systems for staff performance management and supervision more effectively to evaluate the impact of staff's practice on children's learning and raise the quality of teaching to a higher level n enhance strategies to help parents share what they know their children can do at home on an ongoing basis.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. She spoke to children and staff throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at children's assessment records and the planning documentation. She carried out a joint observation with the manager. She also discussed children's progress with the manager, staff and parents. n The inspector had a tour of the nursery room. She held meetings with the management team at appropriate times during the inspection. The inspector also discussed the nursery's self-evaluation arrangements. n The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of staff, including qualifications and training certificates. She also sampled a selection of the nursery's policy and procedures and staff files. n The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The new management team and staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children's welfare. Staff know the correct procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's well- being. They ensure children are always well supervised. The management team follows rigorous procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager provides regular meetings to discuss and check staff knowledge and ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities. Partnerships with other professionals are good. For instance, staff share detailed information with the feeder school when children move on, to promote continuity in care and learning. Parents are complimentary about the quality of the provision, commenting particularly on the friendliness of staff and the welcome that their children receive. The enthusiastic manager and staff have worked tirelessly to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

improve practice. They seek the views of parents and children and make meaningful changes that drive further improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are skilled at supporting children's language and communication skills and provide a good range of exciting and carefully planned activities. Staff provide lots of opportunities to develop children's creativity and imagination. For example, children delight in building a 'dog shelter' with large construction blocks. Children's early literacy skills are developing well. Staff share books with children and involve them in the story, asking questions about what is happening. Children have numerous opportunities to develop their curiosity. For example, young children practise rolling and handling skills as they use glitter, dough and various cutters to create pretend Christmas cakes.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff make time to share details about children's learning with parents. This promotes positive relationships with parents, overall. Children are keen to show their balance and coordination skills in the outdoor area. For example, children help to arrange different objects to make an obstacle course to jump, walk and slide across and demonstrate good physical skills. Two-year-old children are active as they fill and empty containers with leaves and mud. Children are independent and staff offer good support to promote their social skills. For example, children take responsibility and select cutlery. plates and pour their own milk into cereal bowls at snack time. Staff talk to children about the benefits of healthy eating and good hygiene procedures.

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Outcomes for children are good

Close monitoring of the educational programmes by the manager ensures all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make consistently good progress from their starting points. Children are motivated to learn new skills. They are happy, settle quickly and grow in confidence. They gain good skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning and their eventual move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY293964 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10063570 Type of provision Full day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person St Paul's Walden Pre-School Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 October 2015 Telephone number 01438 871166 or 07748 170675

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reference number

St. Paul's Walden Nursery registered in 2004. The nursery is situated in the grounds of St. Paul's Walden Junior School in the village of Whitwell. The nursery employs five members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 5 to level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3pm, term time only. 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.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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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