Toad Hall Nursery Hitchin

Toad Hall Nursery Hitchin 23-25 Bury Mead Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1RT

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Inspection date 7 February 2019 Previous inspection date 13 August 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 Managers support staff to progress in their roles effectively. They provide relevant training for staff to develop their practice. They take on board staff's individual interests and strengths. Room leaders act as positive role models for members of the wider staff team. They support them effectively to develop their interactions with children positively. n Children settle quickly into their daily routines at the nursery. Staff get to know the children well and develop positive relationships with them. They plan exciting activities for children based on their interests, which helps them to remain motivated and focused as they learn. n The managers and staff at the nursery build strong relationships with the children and their families. Parents enjoy attending the range of family activities on offer. Managers support parents to help their children to be ready for their move to school. For instance, they provide training events for parents on topics such as supporting children

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This provision is good

to link letters to sounds so that they can improve their understanding of the subject further. n All children make good progress at the nursery. Staff work closely with parents when children start. This helps them to accurately identify children's initial starting points. They monitor children's progress well and set them achievable next steps in their learning. n Staff do not consistently make the most of opportunities to extend older children's vocabulary fully.

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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 opportunities for older children to develop their vocabulary further, and support them to make more rapid progress with their communication and language development.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector had a tour of the premises. n The inspector and the managers jointly observed a planned activity. They discussed the quality of teaching and the impact of this on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with the managers. She looked at a range of documentation, including policies, staff suitability documents and children's learning records. n The inspector read letters and emails from parents and carers. She took their views into consideration.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff know how to recognise the signs of potential abuse and who to report their concerns to. Staff support the children to develop their awareness of the local community. For instance, they collect food and deliver it to a local charity. Staff talk to the children about the importance of helping others. Staff find their regular supervision meetings with managers helpful and informative. Additional funding that the nursery receives is used effectively. Staff share information with other professionals to support children with their move to school. The managers take on board feedback and suggestions from parents and colleagues. This further supports them to improve the provision they offer.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff relate children's learning to their real-life experiences. For instance, they talk to children about their baby siblings as they read a story. Staff support children's number recognition positively. For example, they look at the numbers together on the syringes they use to move water in a tray. Staff praise children for identifying the correct numbers. Staff skilfully support children's imaginative play. They use a wide range of questions which help children to think in more depth about the games they play. The oldest children show curiosity about how things work. Staff encourage them to solve problems. For example, they help them to work out how to move water through tubes and pipettes into different containers. Staff support babies kindly, and gently encourage them to explore independently. Staff provide children with resources that interest them. Children are motivated learners.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Babies are cared for well. They develop good relationships with the staff and turn to them for comfort and support. Older children confidently ask staff for help when they need to. Children behave very well throughout the nursery. The staff act as positive role models for them. Children are polite and develop a good understanding of sharing and taking turns with their friends. Staff talk to them about the meals they eat and how the food helps to keep them healthy. They talk about where their food comes from. For example, children talk about how the carrots they eat are grown in the ground. Staff expertly support children who have allergies. They recognise the importance of ensuring that food is not cross-contaminated to keep children safe.

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Outcomes for children are good

Babies explore the environment confidently. They investigate the different textures of the toys they play with. Older children develop their knowledge of letters and the sounds they represent. For instance, they sound out the letters in their name on their name cards. Children explore the soft-play toys with enjoyment. They develop their larger muscles, for example, as they climb, jump and crawl through the equipment enthusiastically. Children have fun learning outside. They develop their smaller muscles, for example when they weave ribbons in and out of each other. Older children develop their small-muscle skills even further, as they practise holding pens and begin to write their names. Children confidently move on to the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY239470 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10063551 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 95 Number of children on roll 124 Name of registered person Careroom Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 August 2015 Telephone number 01462 450354

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reference number

Toad Hall Nursery Hitchin registered in 2002. The nursery employs 42 members of staff. Of these, 32 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including three who hold qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am 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.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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