Kindred Islington

Inspection of The Grove Nursery and Preschool Shepperton House, 83-93 Shepperton Road, LONDON N1 3DF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are happy to attend nursery. Older children demonstrate their independence as they hang up their coats in the lobby when they arrive. Babies separate easily from parents and settle quickly into the daily routine. Children have access to a wide range of resources. This supports them to use their imagination and creativity. Children have plenty of opportunities to read books and develop their artistic skills throughout the day. Staff have high expectations of all children. They adapt activities effectively to meet each child's next steps in learning.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to be kind and considerate. Babies learn to share and older children develop their social skills. Staff set a good example of positive behaviour. For example, staff help children resolve conflicts by giving children the words they need to express their feelings. Children form positive attachments with the staff who care for them. Babies get plenty of warm hugs and reassurance when they are upset. Children develop strong bonds with their peers. Many children start to attend the nursery as babies. They get to know their friends well as they grow and learn together. Children acquire the skills and independence they need for the next stage in their learning, including starting school.

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need to do better?

n The manager maintains good relationships with parents and other local agencies. The nursery signposts parents to a range of activities and services in the local area. Staff encourage parents and children to borrow books from a lending library in the lobby. This helps parents to continue children's learning journey at home and in the wider community. n The nursery has limited outside space. Children take daily trips to local parks where they can extend their physical skills. Sometimes, children take the train to visit the woods where they learn new skills, such as climbing and collecting natural resources. This supports children's understanding of the natural environment. n Staff use the trips to and from the nursery as an opportunity to teach children about road safety. Children put on their coats and bright high-visibility vests. They hold hands in pairs as they walk and follow instruction well. This

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need to do better?

contributes to children's understanding of their personal safety. n Staff say they are happy at the nursery and work well as a team. The manager encourages staff to contribute ideas and make changes. This supports the continuous development of the nursery. However, there are not enough opportunities to help staff develop their teaching practice. Monitoring is not yet sufficiently focused on improving the quality of teaching. Some staff, particularly relief staff, lack confidence in their teaching practice. This means teaching is not always of a consistently high quality and some children lose interest during

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need to do better?

19 February 2020 adult-led activities. n There has been a positive impact from recent changes in the pre-school room. Staff in this room focus on using children's interests to extend their learning and introduce new topics. For example, staff creatively use children's interest in the police to introduce more 'people who help us'. This approach helps children to develop their interests and engage their curiosity. n Children learn about healthy eating. The cook accommodates allergies and dietary preferences with ease. Food is appetising and healthy. Children sit together to eat. Staff use this as an opportunity to promote social mealtimes. They encourage children to try new foods. This supports children's understanding of how to stay healthy. n The manager has up-to-date policies and procedures in place which reflect current guidance. Staff say they feel comfortable talking to the manager when they are unsure.

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need to do better?

n Children behave well at nursery. Staff help children to gain confidence and form friendships. Children learn to be polite and say 'please' and 'thank you'. They are conscious of their safety. They walk in the nursery and climb the stairs with care. This helps to maintain a calm and orderly environment.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. She ensures that staff know who to contact should they have any concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff receive safeguarding training through the local authority. Staff conduct regular risk assessments of the premises and outings to maintain a safe environment. Staff and children practise regular fire drills. This ensures children in the upstairs rooms know how to leave the building calmly and safely. The manager has robust procedures in place to check the suitability of staff at recruitment.

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should:

n strengthen monitoring and focus more precisely on raising the quality of practice even further n ensure group activities consistently provide the highest level of support and challenge to maintain children's interest.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131691 Local authority Islington Inspection number 10138045 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 4 Total number of places 78 Number of children on roll 93 Name of registered person The Grove Nursery and Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 020 7226 4037 Date of previous inspection 1 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Grove Nursery and Preschool was registered in 1999. The nursery employs 48 members of childcare staff. Of these, 23 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. One has early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager and discussed how the environment supports the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector engaged in discussions with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed the impact self-evaluation has on the nursery. n The inspector took account of parents' written views and feedback.

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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

19 February 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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