Skylarks Day Care

Inspection of Batford Day Care Holcroft Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 5BQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

The robust planning in preparation for the opening of the younger room has proved to be successful. All children are very happy and eagerly explore the inviting environments. They confidently help themselves to a wide variety of resources, including many natural and interesting items. Children show that they feel safe and secure as they enjoy frequent cuddles with the nurturing and caring staff team. Younger children use their hands to explore the sensation of coloured water in a tray. They discover how toy ducks float and create patterns in the water when they push them.

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The provision is good

Older children are very inquisitive and enthusiastic to learn. They use small tools to squash tea bags in a cup and observe how the clear water changes colour. Children describe this as 'mud'. They add milk and are astonished at how this creates a different colour. Staff help children to understand the meaning of 'dissolve' as they add sugar to the milky liquid and notice how it changes in texture. Children show a good awareness of the uniqueness of themselves and others. They explore and discuss the contents of treasure baskets containing traditional artifacts that represent different cultures.

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need to do better?

n Children show an excellent attitude towards learning. Their behaviour is exemplary as they play harmoniously together. Staff are positive role models and provide children with warm praise for their achievements. This further boosts children's already considerable confidence and sense of worth. n The management team is ambitious and highly reflective of the provision it provides. Staff speak very highly of the support that they receive from the manager. She implements systems to ensure that staff's workload is effectively managed and their well-being is consistently supported. This means that staff feel valued and enjoy their role. n Staff skilfully help children to use early mathematics in their play. For example, older children use large wooden shapes to create complex structures. Younger children proudly identify the shapes they create from dough. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff begin to build positive relationships

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need to do better?

and gather information on children's starting points during home visits before children attend. They help to ensure consistency of children's care and learning. For example, parents receive regular updates of their child's good progress and ideas to support learning at home. In addition, staff warmly invite parents to many organised events. Parents feel that staff know their children exceptionally well and regard the setting as 'home from home'. n Children have regular access to the inviting outdoor environment. They engage in regular physical activities. Forest school sessions support children to develop

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need to do better?

14 January 2020 an excellent understanding of the natural world and assess their own risks. For example, children use a specialist knife to carefully carve lengths of wood. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who receive additional funding, make good progress in relation to their starting points. Strong partnerships with parents and other professionals support these children to reach their full potential. In addition, specific programmes of support, such as the nurture group, have a positive impact on children's language skills and emotional resilience. n Excellent relationships between the on-site nursery school and the setting mean that children benefit from a very consistent approach towards their learning. The superb sharing of information means that those children who are cared for by both provisions are very happy and make a seamless move to nursery school when the time comes.

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need to do better?

n Children are motivated to join in with planned activities. However, the learning intention of these activities is not always precise. On occasion, staff do not adapt their teaching. This means that children of different ages and abilities are not always given further levels of challenge to help them to build on their skills. n Meal and snack times are a social and calm occasion where staff sit with children and engage in discussion with them. Staff support children to understand that the food they are eating is good for their body. However, staff practice is not yet embedded to support older children to fully develop their independence and carry out age-appropriate responsibilities, such as serving themselves food and managing their own outer clothing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the procedure to follow should they have concerns about a child or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. They regularly update their training to support their safeguarding knowledge, which includes training around wider safeguarding concerns. This helps to promote children's safety and well-being. The management team follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff and takes steps to assess their ongoing suitability.

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should:

n enhance the quality of teaching to provide appropriate challenge for children of differing ages and abilities n strengthen opportunities for older children to be independent and to carry out age-appropriate responsibilities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY301868 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127354 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 1 to 4 Total number of places 63 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Batford Day Care Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01582713872 Date of previous inspection 24 May 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Batford Day Care registered in 2005. It operates from the same premises as Batford Nursery and there is a family centre hub based on site. The setting employs 33 members of childcare staff. Of these, 23 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including both the manager and deputy manager who have early years professional status, and a qualified early years teacher. The setting is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It operates a holiday play scheme during school holidays, with the exception of Christmas. The setting provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager completed a walk around the setting and discussed the manager's plans and reasoning for the early years curriculum. n The inspector held discussions with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She held a meeting with the manager, deputy manager and headteacher of the host nursery school. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and reviewed a sample of records, including evidence of staff suitability and qualifications. n The inspector observed the quality of staff's teaching and their interactions with children during activities indoors and outside. She assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

14 January 2020 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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