Naturally Learning Charlestown

Naturally Learning Charlestown OLD CHURCH HALL CHURCH ROAD, CHARLESTOWN, ST AUSTELL PL25 3NS

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Inspection date 28 February 2019 Previous inspection date 4 February 2016

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

n The members of the management team have an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements. Coupled with their vast knowledge, they ensure all children make exceptional progress to meet their outcomes. For example, staff teach children how to make a fire safely. n Senior management provides exceptional supervision for all staff and apprentices. It mentors them extensively to ensure they continue to build on their already excellent teaching skills, to benefit children. n Children's behaviour is exemplary. They play exceptionally well together, showing the utmost respect towards others and the natural environment. They have a thorough understanding of how to keep safe, using hand tools competently. n Excellent teaching resources acquired from visits to other countries help inspire children's communication and imagination to high levels. For instance, they use resources to create their own wonderful stories.

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This provision is outstanding

n All children have extensive opportunities to explore the outdoors. They construct natural climbing frames made from fallen trees, create 'rope swings' and thoroughly enjoy 'mud sliding', to help support excellent physical skills. n Parents are superbly involved in their children's learning. Staff organise highly exciting events, such as a 'night in the woods' evening, where parents and their children cook popcorn over an open fire and make spectacular spider webs. Parents also attend the 'play cafe', where they receive excellent support in areas such as breastfeeding and weaning, and attend sessions such as pregnancy yoga. n Children have excellent opportunities to be creative. For instance, they engage in 'transient art', making non-permanent artwork from natural resources either as a group or individually. They use empty frames, mirrors, chalkboards and dough to create a space for their highly innovative creations.

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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 utilise every opportunity to enhance children's already excellent mathematical experiences.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector held a meeting with the management team to discuss aspects relating to leadership, self-evaluation and staff supervision. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector spoke to parents and children to gain their thoughts and views on the provision. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager to assess the quality of staff teaching. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation, such as staff qualifications and suitability, safeguarding policies, and children's assessment records.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Management and staff have an extensive understanding of child protection procedures and know how to keep children safe from harm, including risks within the community. For example, the manager carries out extensive tree and wind surveys to ensure the environment is safe for children to use. Management ensures staff have high levels of training to support their professional development so that they meet children's needs. For instance, staff extend their knowledge around 'attachments', using this exceptionally well to ensure children are continually nurtured in a 'home-from- home' environment, extensively supporting their emotional well-being. Management monitors children's progress exceptionally well, accurately analysing gaps in children's learning and meeting their needs rapidly. Management meticulously reflects on practice through its detailed self-evaluation process. For instance, plans to enhance partnerships

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

with other professionals even further are underway, to support children's already excellent transition to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff plan engaging activities for children based on their observations and children's interests, using these to form precise assessments. Younger children gain an extensive understanding of the world around them. For instance, they thoroughly enjoy playing with pebbles and seaweed at the beach, and excitably paddle their feet in the sea. Older children extensively learn scientific methods on how to open pine cones by baking them on the campfire. They use these to make natural bird feeders, showing care for living things. Children learn a comprehensive range of plants, such as hawthorn and blackthorn, and plant saplings independently in the ground, which supports their understanding of growth exceptionally well. Sometimes, there are missed occasions to enhance the already excellent mathematical opportunities even further.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children develop a superb understanding of how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For instance, they grow various food, such as courgettes and wild garlic. They pick elderberries and dandelions, using these to make delightful snacks such as dandelion marmalade and elderflower cordial. Children learn how to make alternative methods for supporting their personal hygiene. For instance, they create an inventive hands-free way to wash their hands using a 'tippy tap', to develop independence as well as an understanding of how to reduce the transmission of bacteria. Staff superbly help children to feel emotionally secure and are highly sensitive to children's care needs. They create a unique 'family tree' using woodland resources and photographs of children's families.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children flourish in this exceptional setting and make excellent progress in all areas of development. Babies explore beautiful hand-painted black and white pebbles, and toddlers enjoy hiding and swinging in the hammock outside. This helps them to develop an excellent range of sensory experiences. Older children learn extensively about recycling and sustainability, inspiring them to take care of the planet. All children gain excellent skills for their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485042 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10062261 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 - 5 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person Naturally Learning Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 February 2016 Telephone number 01726 339855

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reference number

Naturally Learning Charlestown re-registered in 2015 and operates in Charlestown, near to St Austell, Cornwall. The nursery opens each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are 15 members of staff working with the children. Three members of staff hold qualifications at level 6, six members of staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3, one holds a level 2 qualification, and five members of staff are unqualified.

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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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If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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