Audlen House Day Nursery

Audlen House Day Nursery 131-133 Station Road, THATCHAM, Berkshire RG19 4QH

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Inspection date 11 July 2019 Previous inspection date 10 February 2014

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 Staff consistently implement and use the provider's robust policies, procedures and risk assessments to fully promote children's health, safety and well-being. There is an extremely high focus on keeping children safe. For example, staff have completed 'loose parts' training. They plan the environment very effectively and have embedded this knowledge extremely well in order to keep young children safe. n The senior management team is inspirational and has extremely strong expectations of its staff and for children. Highly dedicated staff embark on a robust programme of professional development to ensure they meet children's needs and are suitable for their roles. Regular and focused reflection on the environment means that children thrive in extremely interesting and challenging environments. n Enthusiastic staff know children incredibly well. They gain extensive insight to assess children's starting points through discussions with parents and observations of children

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This provision is outstanding

during their settling-in times. Teaching is of a very high quality. n Passionate staff confidently extend children's learning. Highly skilled staff pay great attention to developing babies' listening and communication skills. They introduce lively songs and repetitive rhymes alongside a prop box to successfully aid babies' understanding. Babies eagerly clap and laugh excitedly when anticipating the words and actions. When they choose a prop, such as a doll, they cuddle and rock with it while staff sing 'Miss Polly' enthusiastically. n Staff use accurate systems for making observations of children's achievements and in planning precisely for their next steps in learning. Senior managers have rigorous methods for monitoring the quality of these achievements and in ensuring timely intervention is made, if needed, to help ensure all children reach their potential. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding, make rapid progress.

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This provision is outstanding

n Children are extremely motivated to learn. All children behave impeccably at all times. They show utmost respect for each other, staff and their environment.

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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 continue to explore even more ways to build on excellent teaching to enhance children's physical opportunities, particularly for when taking managed risks in outdoor play.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed staff interacting with children during very well-planned activities indoors and outdoors. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy. They discussed how staff plan for children's learning and how they are supported in their roles. n The inspector spoke with children, staff and parents. She read written feedback from parents and took this into account. n The inspector met with the senior management team. They discussed how staff evaluate the quality of practice and how the children's developmental progress is monitored. n The inspector sampled the provider's documentation and children's records.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Managers are extremely proactive in supporting staff through highly effective supervision. Innovative practice to enhance teaching is very well embedded. For example, a video is used to help staff evaluate the quality of their interactions. Staff have a clear vision to improve practice further. This includes extensive plans to enhance children's outdoor learning, to offer continued challenging experiences, such as forest- school activities. Staff are passionate to embrace their skills further. For example, they state training to guide children's exploratory and creative play has made an exceptional impact on how children work together to broaden their thinking skills. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure knowledge of all safeguarding matters and know how to protect children. The provider uses extensive systems for the recruitment of staff. Partnerships with other professionals are extremely well established. Staff are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

exceptionally confident to intervene if needed to help ensure all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, reach their potential.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff use outstanding teaching skills, gained through support from the senior team and in conjunction with early years advisers, who monitor practice. Staff are highly proficient at enhancing learning. For example, they promote literacy awareness during cooking activities by helping children gain knowledge of written words on ingredients and recipes. Staff use exceptional skills to enhance older children's awareness of mathematics by encouraging children to think critically when solving problems. For instance, confident children know if there are six of them, but only four bowls, they need two more. They work out that there will not be enough flour for all of them and suggest opening another packet. Highly successful strategies help to engage parents to be involved in children's learning at home. This includes 'news flash' topics, when, for instance, parents send in photographs of children's bedrooms, to support the innovative

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

ways staff find out more about their interests.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Competent staff expertly guide children's personal independence. For example, staff work with parents to support very consistent methods for children's toilet training and self-care skills. Staff sensitively help young children to be aware of the language of feelings. This is demonstrated as they sing 'If you are happy and you know it' adapted to thoughts of happy, sad and cross. Children thrive in the highly stimulating learning environment, with so many opportunities to try new things and adapt their play. Very sociable, older children instigate races outdoors, understanding 'ready, steady, go'.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children use an exceptionally broad range of skills to support their next stages of learning. Babies are highly inquisitive during sensory play activity to make bubbles. Older children experiment colour mixing, using only prime colours. In the superb outdoor classroom, children make 'ice creams' to sell to their friends, carefully negotiating the price to pay. Children 'cook' with an extremely broad range of utensils, pots and pans in the mud kitchen. They warmly share ideas as they mix herbs in a pestle and mortar.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY100052 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 10108526 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 - 11 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Myrtle Tree Holdings Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 February 2014 Telephone number 01635 876667

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reference number

Audlen House Day Nursery registered in 2002. It is one of two privately owned nurseries of the same provider, and is located in Thatcham, Berkshire. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery also offers a holiday club for children aged five to 11 years. There are 13 members of staff. Of these, one holds early years professional status and 10 staff have relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year.

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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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