Diggers Forest School Nursery

Diggers Forest School Nursery South Gardens, South Harting GU31 5QJ

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Inspection date 10 April 2019 Previous inspection date 21 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 manager is ambitious and very experienced. She accurately sets targets and works closely with the provider and staff to successfully implement these. The views of parents and children are included in the evaluations of the nursery to help make continuous improvements. n Staff know children well and they have good relationships with them. They help younger children to settle and reassure them as necessary with cuddles and soothing words. This helps to support their emotional well-being. n Staff effectively enhance children's physical development. For instance, older children enjoy walking to their designated play area in the woods and delight in using swings which they help to make. Staff successfully help younger children's balancing and coordination skills when climbing up steep slopes. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They adapt activities accordingly to help ensure all children can take part. Staff work

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This provision is good

closely with parents to share information about their children's individual care and learning needs. n Parents are very complimentary about the nursery. They say that their children's confidence and speaking skills have increased since coming to the setting. Staff invite parents to meetings to discuss their children's progress and they also have daily discussions. n The management team has not fully developed the links with other professionals involved in children's lives to share what they know about children's learning and development. n The staff monitoring procedure is not sharply focused to help each member of staff extend their knowledge and raise the quality of teaching to the highest level.

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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 partnerships with other professionals involved in children's lives, to support continuity in teaching and care n make greater use of existing staff monitoring procedures to more precisely identify areas to develop further and raise the quality of teaching to a higher level.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector went on a walk with the children and staff to the woods. She observed the quality of teaching during activities outdoors and indoors. She assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector held meetings with the management team. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times. n The inspector looked at samples of children's records. She also looked at evidence of the suitability of staff working with the children. n The inspector spoke to some parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Since the last inspection, there is a new staff team in place. They work together well to share their knowledge and the well-qualified staff members are good role models for less experienced staff. The management team ensure that robust recruitment, vetting, induction and supervision procedures are followed. They encourage staff to do continuous training and professional development. For instance, some staff have completed qualifications related to outdoor learning. This has a positive impact on the experiences offered to children. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare. Staff continually risk assess all areas and supervise children at all times in the surrounding areas. The manager regularly checks children's progress to identify and address any potential gaps in learning. She helps staff to develop a deeper

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

understanding about assessment procedures and how different groups of children learn.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan activities based on children's interests and they encourage children to develop a deep understanding of the world around them. Staff effectively use children's natural curiosity to help develop their language and understanding. For instance, staff talk to children about what they are doing and children attempt to copy what they say. Older children enjoy taking part in sensory experiences, such as mud painting. Staff show them how use brushes and rollers to make leaf rubbings and pictures of their own choice. This helps to support their early mark-making skills. Staff successfully use various strategies, such as visual aids, to support children who speak English as an additional language. Children are inquisitive and thoroughly enjoy helping to make dough. They discuss how to make it less sticky and successfully make items of their own choice.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are very attentive to children's needs. They promote children's health with nutritious meals and an abundance of exercise, such as when exploring the vast outdoor play areas and woodland. Staff encourage children to develop good self-help skills from an early age. For instance, children confidently carry their plates and collect their boots in readiness for outdoor play. Children behave very well. Staff consistently praise the children, helping to promote their confidence and self-esteem. Children are very aware about how to keep themselves safe, such as when they are near the lakes. They know the boundaries that they must follow when playing outdoors. For instance, children confidently tell visitors that they must not go past the painted mushroom signs.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children successfully gain the skills they need to move on to the next stage of their learning or school. This includes children who receive funded education, children who speak English as an additional language and those with SEND. Children are very confident and eager to learn. They make independent choices about their play. They know from a very young age how to manage risks to keep themselves safe. Younger children learn new words and attempt to communicate these. Older children know how to problem solve and learn how to count.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491076 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10076520 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Diggers Club Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 April 2016 Telephone number 01730825622 01730 826711

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reference number

Diggers Nursery registered in 2015. It operates from the Scout Hut in South Harting, near Petersfield, Hampshire. The provider employs nine members of staff. Of these, six hold qualifications at level 2 or above. Three staff members hold forest school qualifications. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5.30pm, all year round, with the exception of Wednesdays when the nursery closes at 4pm. The provider is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years.

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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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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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