Battle Abbey Nursery Baby Room

Inspection of Battle Abbey Nursery Baby Room Battle Abbey Preparatory School, The Gate, 40 Hastings Road, Bexhill-On-Sea, Sussex TN40 2NH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Staff are highly attentive towards the babies' needs and provide a nurturing, homely environment. They follow care routines which have been carefully considered and agreed with parents. Babies enjoy having close, yet safe, contact with the older children in the other parts of the nursery. They delight in seeing their siblings and friends who run to the fence to wave and say hello at specific times of the day. Staff are conscientious and have high expectations of every child. They ensure every baby is safe and is challenged to their full potential. Babies make good progress in their learning and development. Babies form close attachments to the staff who look after them. They snuggle up to staff when they need comfort and emotional reassurance. Babies are beginning to show interest and curiosity in the activities they choose. Parents are currently unable to come into the nursery following the pandemic. However, staff work hard to ensure the

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The provision is good

drop-off time is a calm one for both baby and parents. Familiar staff are ready to greet the babies and help them to happily separate and say goodbye. Following the third national lockdown, babies have quickly settled back into the nursery routine. Staff have worked closely with parents to devise a personal programme of settling- in visits. Parents say how much they appreciate this and do not feel rushed to leave their baby until they feel ready.

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need to do better?

n Babies make good progress in their learning and development. When they first start, staff carefully assess what each baby can already do and what they need to learn next. Staff consistently work closely with parents. This helps the key person plan a suitable range of learning experiences that each baby is interested in and will offer relevant challenge. Staff help babies to develop new skills as they continually make progress. Any gaps in learning are quickly closed. For example, since reopening after the third national lockdown, staff have focused on supporting babies' physical development. They bought new equipment which encourages children to climb and move in a variety of ways. Babies who are not yet walking are now starting to pull themselves up as they explore these resources. They are learning to stand and balance in preparation for moving independently. n Staff support babies' language development well. They talk to babies and

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need to do better?

encourage them to repeat words. They help babies to communicate their needs clearly using signing. For example, babies communicate 'more please' at mealtimes with both words and signs. Staff share the signs with parents so this learning can continue at home. n Babies develop good social skills. They show they are happy at nursery as they are excited for new activities and their favourite resources. They learn the names of their friends and will often repeat these at home. This demonstrates

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need to do better?

13 May 2021 the positive relationships babies are forming with one another. Staff encourage babies to become increasingly independent. For example, they provide plenty of activities that encourage babies to develop good manipulative skills. Babies grip chunky pens and delight in making marks on paper. These activities help babies develop good hand-to-eye coordination. This helps them manage well with simple tasks, such as feeding themselves. n Leadership and management are good. The nursery manager is highly respected by both parents and staff. She is a very hands-on leader and regularly works in the room to model good practice. She has high expectations of her staff and leads by example. The school's senior leadership team also promotes the nursery's development and provides strong management support. The governing body acts as a 'critical friend' and helps the nursery manager review what is working well and identify future areas for improvement. There is strong

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need to do better?

provision across the nursery to promote staff well-being, particularly following the pandemic. Leaders make themselves available to staff at any time and there is access to professional counselling and advice. n Teaching is consistently good. However, very occasionally, staff change activities too quickly and do not provide babies with enough time to explore in more detail.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being are given high priority. The premises is maintained to a high standard with good attention paid towards health and safety, and site security. Staff have a good understanding of their duty to keep children safe. They follow all safeguarding policies and procedures, and demonstrate a clear knowledge of what action they need to take if they have any concerns. This includes the nursery's whistle-blowing policy if they felt senior staff did not take relevant action. Staff supervise the babies closely, including those who are sleeping, and take relevant action to minimise any hazards.

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should:

n further improve teaching to help staff recognise how to support babies in developing deeper levels of interest, focus and curiosity.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY559865 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10191062 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person B A S (School) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01424 776813 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Battle Abbey Nursery Baby Room registered in 2018. It is part of the early years provision offered by Battle Abbey School and is located in Bexhill, East Sussex. The nursery is open each weekday, throughout the year, from 8am to 6pm. The registered provision covers babies from three months to under two years of age. Funded provision for older children is provided in other parts of the nursery but this is subject to separate inspection and registration arrangements.

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Information about this early years setting

A team of four staff work with the babies. Of these, three hold recognised early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6. One member of staff is currently completing a level 4 qualification. The nursery manager holds early years professional status and regularly works in the baby room.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The nursery manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss how staff plan for babies' individual needs. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager to evaluate the quality of teaching. n Staff spoke to the inspector about their role and what they do to keep children safe. n Some records were looked at by the inspector, including the school's record system for checking staff are suitable to work with children.

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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

13 May 2021 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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