The Old Potting Shed

The Old Potting Shed Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, North Somerset BS40 7RE

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Inspection date 24 April 2019 Previous inspection date 14 April 2016

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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 The management team and staff are keen to make ongoing improvements. For example, they track and evaluate children's progress regularly. This has helped them to identify and introduce more ways to encourage children's early writing skills. n Children learn well through exploration and investigation. Staff provide a wide range of interesting resources for children to develop their ideas in their play. Children are keen to participate in activities and make good progress from their starting points. n Staff form positive relationships with parents and encourage their involvement with children's learning well. For instance, by sharing ideas for activities to do at home. n Children respond easily to the caring, reassuring approach staff provide. Staff praise children often and help them feel valued, welcomed and settled in their care. n Although the managers support staff development well overall, they do not monitor the

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This provision is good

effectiveness of all aspects of their daily practice as well as possible. For example, to ensure all staff are fully aware of children's current next steps of learning and implement all operational policies and procedures consistently well. n At times, staff do not organise daily routines, such as mealtimes, as well as possible. For instance, to minimise the time children sit waiting and fully support their independence and social skills. n Staff do not actively liaise with other settings children attend to share information about their achievements and promote continuity in their learning more effectively.

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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 strengthen systems for monitoring staff practice to fully support the current learning needs of all children and ensure staff implement all operational policies and procedures as effectively as possible n improve the organisation of daily routines, such as mealtimes, to support children's independence and social skills consistently well n develop strategies to consistently liaise more effectively with other settings children attend, to support a more continuous approach for their care and learning needs.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed children's interactions in play indoors and outdoors, and discussed their learning and development with staff. n The inspector viewed documentation such as operational policies, procedures and required records, including first-aid and qualification certificates. n The inspector undertook a joint observation of an activity with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken with during the inspection. n The inspector held discussions with the owner and manager, including about self- evaluation procedures and how these help staff make ongoing improvements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team and staff understand procedures to follow and who to contact in the event of a concern. The management team continues to look for ways to develop children's learning and has completed training about a specific learning philosophy. This has raised staff awareness of ways to provide more purposeful learning environments to motivate children's interests more effectively. The management team and staff monitor children's achievements in liaison with parents, keeping them well informed of their children's progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff promote children's understanding of the world effectively through their play. For example, older children like shining torches around the toys and see the effects of light and dark as they switch them on and off. Younger children enjoy pressing buttons on interactive toys and books to activate colourful lights and sounds. Children benefit from a wide variety of visits with staff. For instance, they enjoy hearing a choir sing at a nearby cathedral and visit a local farm to see some cows and learn where milk comes from. Staff skilfully extend children's early mathematical awareness in play. For instance, younger children play with small plastic ducks and happily help to count these with staff. They see if the ducks float in a bowl of water. Older children compare the sizes of the branches they collect in the woods and decide which is the tallest and shortest. They recognise numbers of personal significance, such as their age, and say, 'Soon I'm going

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

to be four and then I will go to big school'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff encourage children's physical skills well and help them develop positive attitudes to staying fit and healthy. For example, older children lift small planks of wood across a large tyre to make a bridge. They become absorbed painting using large arm movements. Younger children clamber on the low 'climbing tree' and splash happily in puddles. Babies gain confidence in their mobility and develop balance as they crawl and climb across the soft-play equipment. Children behave well. Staff actively support children to share toys, be kind and interact positively. For instance, older children show delight when they see a friend arriving.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop confidence in their skills and become active learners. They are well prepared for their move to school. Children become confident communicators. For instance, babies babble happily in their play and start to use two-word sentences, such as 'bye, bye'. Younger children say their toes are 'straight', and the 'Gruffalo' has 'turned out' toes. Older children describe a worm they find in the garden, saying, 'It's big and long'. They learn words such as 'regenerate' when discussing the worm's skin with staff.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY433944 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10074913 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 - 7 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Home from School Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 April 2016 Telephone number 07777 692115

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reference number

The Old Potting Shed registered in 2011. This privately owned setting operates from premises within the grounds of Coombe Lodge in Blagdon, North Somerset. It is open from 8am until 6.30pm Monday to Thursday, and from 8am until 6pm on Fridays, for 50 weeks of the year. A holiday club operates during school holiday times. The setting receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The owner holds qualified teacher status and employs 10 staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds a level 4 qualification and three hold level 3 early years qualifications.

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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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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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