The Avenue Day Nursery - Savernake

Inspection of The Avenue Day Nursery - Savernake Unit 4, Warren Courtyard, Savernake, MARLBOROUGH, Wiltshire SN8 3UU

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in this rural nursery. They arrive keen to learn and have good opportunities to follow their interests and develop curiosity across the whole curriculum. For example, children excitedly plant out the bean shoots that they have germinated. They show interest in the varied range of resources and experiences on offer. For example, younger children enjoy exploring the texture of natural materials, such as dried leaves and conkers.

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The provision is good

Staff are committed to helping each child to make the best possible progress. They have recently adapted their planning to follow children's interests more closely and are currently developing this approach further. They understand what children need to learn and provide appropriate opportunities to help them consolidate this learning.

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The provision is good

Children are proud of what they do and enthusiastically show adults their drawing and writing. They confidently make decisions about their play and enjoy interacting with staff and other children. They are well behaved; learning to use good manners from an early age and learning to share and take turns. Staff calmly remind children of the rules, such as using 'walking feet'.

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The provision is good

Staff have maintained communication with parents throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. When most children were not attending, staff set up a closed social media page, which included videos of them reading stories. This helped children and families to maintain a link to the nursery. Although parents do not currently come into the nursery, staff make a point of sharing information at drop-off and collection as well as sharing information about the children's progress online.

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need to do better?

n Children have great opportunities to learn about the natural world. They visit the local forest on a regular basis and older children take part in regular forest school sessions. Younger children love watching the activity in the farmyard, observing the cows and calves and watching the tractors. Children regularly visit the farm's milk parlour to buy milk and milkshakes. n Staff know children well. They seek information from parents before children start which helps them to follow babies' routines and establish what children can already do. They make regular observations of children's progress so that they are aware of what steps children need to take next in their learning. Staff carefully note children's interests and use these to support their ongoing learning and development. n There are limited opportunities for children to learn about wider society and

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need to do better?

25 May 2021 differences and similarities. Each room has only a small range of resources that show positive images of diversity and these are not routinely used in children's day-to-day play and learning. n Staff provide good support for those children who need additional help. When they identify that a child may be at risk of falling behind in their development, they promptly assess what the child needs. The special needs coordinator works with other agencies to ensure that children receive the support they need, and staff use effective strategies to help children make progress. For example, they use 'bucket time' where children select and play with a favourite activity from the bucket to help them concentrate for increasingly longer periods of time. n Managers have identified that the pre-school room has had issues to overcome since COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. There have been staffing issues

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need to do better?

which have resulted in some gaps in staff's observations of children and a slower implementation of the nursery's new approach to planning. At times, the room feels busy and loud which does not provide the best possible learning environment for children. Managers have drawn up an action plan to help resolve these issues but this is yet to be fully implemented. n Most children develop good communication skills. Staff and older children talk about a wide variety of subjects and younger children learn new vocabulary such as 'crunchy' during their play. Staff support those children who need extra support with their communication. For example, they use sign language in the room for two- to three-year-olds to help them understand and communicate. n Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Toddlers and babies climb up steps to look out the window and older children enjoy riding

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need to do better?

bikes, kicking balls and clambering through tunnels. There are also good opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills. For example, a toddler carefully fits a stick in a hole and others pick up acorns and conkers, strengthening their hand muscles in readiness for early writing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff complete annual training in safeguarding to keep their knowledge up to date and this is always on the agenda at meetings. Staff have a secure understanding of the signs that a child may be at risk of harm and know the procedures to follow if they have concerns. They are aware that they can make a referral themselves and know that there is a whistleblowing policy they can follow if they have concerns about a member of staff. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure that the premises are safe and suitable for children to use.

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should:

25 May 2021 n implement existing action plans to further enhance the provision in the pre- school room n enhance the opportunities for children to learn more about the wider world and the differences and similarities between people.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY349149 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10195189 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

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inspection

Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 122 Name of registered person The Avenue Day Nursery Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01672870790 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Avenue Day Nursery - Savernake registered in 2007. It operates from a converted barn within the Warren Courtyard complex at Savernake, near Marlborough, Wiltshire. The nursery is situated in a rural setting in the grounds of a working dairy farm. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am until 6pm. The nursery employs 15 members of staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how she organises her provision and her curriculum intent. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager to assess the quality of teaching. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at the setting. n The inspector tracked children to assess their progress. n The inspector spoke to parents to get their views about the setting. n The inspector viewed some documentation, including training certificates and proof of staff's suitability.

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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

25 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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