The Strawberry Patch Nursery & Preschool

Inspection of The Strawberry Patch Nursery & Preschool Becketts Farm, Hempstead, HOLT, Norfolk NR25 6LB

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at this excellent nursery. They have extensive, varied opportunities to learn and develop in a welcoming, interesting environment. The management team and staff carefully plan, implement and review a high-quality curriculum. From an early age, children are highly motivated and active learners. They are eager to join in with activities and excitedly show visitors, such as the inspector, their work and favourite resources or toys. Children are sometimes reluctant to go home because they have become so engrossed in what they are doing.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are superb role models and pay careful attention to children's emotional development and well-being. They talk to children about feelings and provide practical activities to help children express their emotions. For instance, children make sensory 'emotion' bottles and listen to staff read stories about different feelings and emotional situations. Babies and toddlers exercise their curiosity as they explore their surroundings and select resources with confidence. They hold out light-up toys to staff to switch on and clap their hands delightedly as staff sing to them.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education, such as school. This is due to the high quality of teaching across the nursery. Staff reflect on their own practice regularly and are well supported by the passionate management team. Children's learning is monitored exceptionally well. This helps staff to swiftly identify and address any gaps in learning. The management team continually reviews and evaluates the children's progress and the quality of their learning. The manager seeks feedback from staff and families. This helps to create precisely targeted plans for improvement, across the nursery as a whole and for individual rooms and staff.

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need to do better?

n Self-evaluation is sharply focused on the needs of families and improving the experiences of children and staff. As a result, the nursery has held community events, developed the garden spaces and created a new staff rest area and meeting space. The nursery team is successful in its commitment to providing children with the best possible start to their learning journey. n Children benefit from an extremely effective key-person system that helps them to build strong relationships with staff. New children settle quickly because staff work closely with parents to understand their routines and unique personalities. Staff are warm and responsive in their interactions with children and make them feel valued. Children demonstrate that they feel exceptionally safe and secure. n Children show high levels of independence. For example, they serve themselves lunch, put their own shoes and aprons on, wash their hands well and make

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need to do better?

6 November 2019 choices about what to play with. Staff give 'star of the day' helpers responsibility for particular tasks, such as handing out cutlery and wipes to their friends. Children take pride in this and show the inspector their name on the written list of helpers. n Staff are highly attentive to children's individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding. They ensure every child receives extremely effective, tailored learning support. n Parents speak highly of the 'wonderful' nursery. They praise how hard the management team and staff work to develop excellent relationships with families, hosting events and making sure they are 'always available' to speak to. Parents state how impressed they are with the quality of service provided and how their children have 'blossomed' during their time here. They feel very involved in their children's learning and know how they can contribute to staff

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need to do better?

planning and assessments. n Staff are extremely skilled in promoting the development of children's speech. For example, they frequently use songs and rhymes in their everyday interactions, using these as prime opportunities to promote new, interesting vocabulary. n Children manage their own behaviour as they follow established rules for outdoor play. They hold large sticks with care and know the rules for climbing trees and using the nature swing. Children use the 'talking stick' to take turns telling each other about their morning spent in the orchard. They share the most interesting thing they saw and the activity they enjoyed most. Children demonstrate that they know how to keep themselves safe as they navigate through the farm site and help staff to check for risks, such as vehicles on the track. n Staff teach children to use mathematical skills in a practical way. For example, children count then write down how many children are present when taking the

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need to do better?

register and learn how to mix a particular colour with the paints available.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a robust knowledge of the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They have an excellent understanding of the procedures to follow to protect children from harm. Staff know the whistleblowing policy and procedure for reporting allegations. The management team ensures staff keep their knowledge up to date. Staff regularly attend training, have briefings during staff meetings and access online refresher courses. When appointing new staff, the management team follows thorough recruitment processes. This ensures staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY245165 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10113140 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 to 8 Total number of places 98 Number of children on roll 105 Name of registered person The Strawberry Patch Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01263 711229 Date of previous inspection 7 August 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The Strawberry Patch Nursery & Preschool registered in 2003. The nursery employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including five with level 6 qualifications. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year, closing for two weeks at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk across all areas of the setting and grounds to explain how the early years provision and curriculum is organised. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the manager and deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of all persons working on the premises. n The deputy manager completed a joint observation and evaluation of an activity with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. She also took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

6 November 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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