Cedar House Day Nursery

Inspection of Cedar House Day Nursery Ransom Wood Business Park, Southwell Road West, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG21 0HJ

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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

The outdoor environment is truly inspirational. Children can completely lose themselves safely in the wild and inviting, free-growing foliage. They can explore and extend their imaginations on and in the strategically placed resources, such as wigwams or vehicles. Children sit at a steering wheel and eloquently recall a recent trip they took on an aeroplane to New Zealand.

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The provision is good

Children are happy and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They form excellent relationships with the staff who look after them. This is particularly evident in the baby room where young children who have recently started show very secure emotional attachments to staff. Throughout the nursery, there is an extremely homely and enjoyable atmosphere.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage babies to explore freely, which allows their curiosity to blossom. Babies show awe and wonder when they splash in water filled with glitter. Older children have superb opportunities to investigate an extensive range of flowers, water, containers and cereal to make instruments or conduct an experiment to make 'potions'.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and show respect for the environment, their friends and staff. They have high levels of confidence and self-esteem. This is supported by staff, who have high expectations of them and offer plenty of continuous support and praise for their achievements. For example, older children persevere and work together to complete a puzzle. Staff show they are genuinely impressed by their efforts.

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need to do better?

n The providers, manager and staff team have a genuine passion about their roles and how they can support children's ongoing learning and development. Staff work well together. They speak highly of the nursery and how they love working there. This is very evident in their interactions with children. Monitoring of staff's practice takes place. However, targets are not as strongly focused on how to build on the quality of education. n Teaching in the pre-school room is exceptional. The staff in this room are enthusiastic and highly driven. They consistently build on what children already know and can do. However, very occasionally, especially in the toddler room but not exclusively, children's independent play can be slightly hindered by routines and accessibility of resources. n Staff implement a broad and well-planned curriculum that covers all aspects of the early years foundation stage. They make focused observations and use

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need to do better?

accurate assessments to demonstrate the excellent progress children make. The

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need to do better?

11 March 2020 manager has a very good overview of children's learning so that she can identify any gaps that occur and address them quickly. n Staff appreciate the role they play in helping children to broaden their experiences and to learn skills that will help them in future life. For example, there is a wealth of opportunities for children to explore and investigate messy and sensory play. Furthermore, staff take the time to support children as they play with other children and to learn rules and boundaries, such as sharing and taking turns. As a result, children have a positive attitude to learning and respond well and quickly to requests from staff. n The manager and staff support children very well as they settle in at the nursery. This promotes children's emotional well-being. Staff provide initial short sessions to help children to quickly feel secure. Equally, key persons help to settle children when they change rooms within the nursery.

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need to do better?

n Reading and a love of books are given high priority. Each week an adult, whether that be the provider, the manager or a volunteer, comes and shares a book with individual pre-school children. They talk about the book, the structure of the story and share valuable time together. This promotes early literacy skills and contributes to developing intergenerational relationships children might not have at home. n Staff develop children's communication and speaking skills well. Those working with babies consistently smile, look them in the eye and talk gently and clearly. Staff repeat the sounds babies use. Each room has a 'word of the week'. Staff introduce activities that help children associate the word to its meaning. For example, toddlers learn the word, 'blow'. They are introduced to party blowers and bubbles to link an action to the word. n The nursery has developed excellent partnerships with parents. Parents who

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need to do better?

were not present during the inspection went to great lengths to ensure the inspector heard about their utmost satisfaction with the nursery, for example by sending in emails. They talk about the excellent progress their children have made and that this can only have come from the nursery staff. They describe how settled and happy their children are and say the staff are 'fantastic' and 'go above and beyond'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff ensure that children's welfare is a priority. They have strategies in place that help children and parents understand the risks of technology and how to keep safe online. This is delivered in a child-friendly way. Staff have a very good understanding of the signs that indicate a child may be at risk of harm, including from radical and extreme views. The manager and staff have a secure knowledge about the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they are worried about a child or adults caring for them.

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should:

n focus monitoring of staff's practice even more incisively on feedback that can help develop the quality of education to an even higher level n allow children more time to explore independently without the restriction of routines and accessibility.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY466733 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10138536 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

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Smarties Private Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01623 627035 Date of previous inspection 10 February 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Cedar House Day Nursery registered in 2013 and is situated in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an early years qualification at level 6, and seven hold early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed all areas of the nursery and discussed the curriculum with the manager and staff. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector looked at written testimonials and spoke to several 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

11 March 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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