Chestnut @ St Nicholas House

Inspection of Chestnut @ St Nicholas House St. Nicholas House School, 46 Yarmouth Road, NORTH WALSHAM, Norfolk NR28 9AT

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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

Children look forward to their days at the nursery. They benefit from the home- from-home environment. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, children now say goodbye to their parents at the nursery door. Children are managing this change very well. They settle quickly and happily. Babies follow their individual routines for feeding and sleeping. They show that they feel safe in the nursery as they seek out staff for cuddles and reassurance when needed. Babies show awe and wonder as they play. They are keen to challenge themselves as they toddle around the low-level furniture, scrambling up small steps and laughing as they push themselves down the slide.

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The provision is good

Toddlers love using their senses to investigate. They use paintbrushes and their hands to mix paint and create colourful pictures. Toddlers look carefully at their reflections in low-level mirrors. They point out photographs of different facial expressions. Toddlers enjoy choosing stories for staff to read to them, looking at the pictures and repeating new words. Pre-school children are gaining the skills needed for school. They join in with their friends to bath baby dolls, create shape pictures and pretend to be doctors. Children behave very well. They consider the feelings of others and talk about their emotions.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers of the nursery have worked together to establish a fun and interesting learning programme for children of all ages. Staff understand that children have spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and bring these experiences into children's pretend play. They provide cosy 'home corners' for children to pretend to cook and clean. Older children pretend to be 'real-life superheroes'. They act out roles, such as paramedics. n Children learn to make independent choices and take sensible risks. Staff understand how to support younger children through potty training when they are ready. A high priority is placed on well-being. Children are encouraged to express and talk about feelings. The nursery celebrates diversity. Children learn about the wider world and differences between people. n Staff who work with babies are experienced and knowledgeable about their roles. They are skilled at helping babies learn through inspiring activities. Babies

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need to do better?

enthusiastically explore bubbles and join in with rhymes about sea creatures. They expand their vocabularies as staff teach them new words and help them make links between experiences. n The manager of the setting, who started her role during the peak of the COVID- 19 pandemic, understands how to lead staff positively through difficult times and change. She shows great passion for her role and talks about her vision for the nursery. Staff are able to access support for their own well-being. They say they

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need to do better?

16 June 2021 enjoy their roles and work well with colleagues. Leaders and managers have ambitious plans to develop the nursery garden, to enrich outdoor learning for children of all ages. n The COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of children attending the nursery. Over the past months, more children have returned to and started at the nursery. This means that the nursery has recruited new staff and some staff are working with a different age group of children than they usually do. As a result, some staff who are new to their roles are less confident at adapting play activities to suit the learning needs of individual children. n Staff and managers are quick to recognise when a child may need extra support. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive high levels of attention from staff. Staff work hard to support children who speak English as an additional language. They learn words from children's home languages and

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need to do better?

include traditional meals from their home country on the nursery menu. Children, including those who the setting receives additional funding for, are gaining important skills for their future learning. n Staff understand the importance of working in partnership with children's parents. Most parents are happy with the communication they receive from staff about their child's development. However, some parents say they would like to know more about their child's learning and have more detailed information about mealtimes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and managers work hard to ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are robust. They show detailed knowledge of risks that children and families may face, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. All staff attend regular safeguarding training. Each week, the deputy manager quizzes staff on their safeguarding knowledge. She ensures they know how to respond to concerns about children or adults who work with children. Staff discuss safeguarding concerns with the leaders and managers of the nursery, who seek advice from social workers, where required. Managers are proactive at sharing information with relevant agencies. They make sure staff recognise the signs of wider safeguarding issues, such as radicalisation.

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should:

n support less experienced staff to understand how to adapt play activities and tailor them more precisely to individual children's needs n strengthen parent partnerships by helping all parents to access information and feel fully involved in their child's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2518283 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10194589 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 74 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person Chestnut Nursery Schools Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01692 218250 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Chestnut @ St Nicholas House registered in 2002. It is situated in North Walsham, Norfolk. The nursery is open from 8am until 6.30pm Monday to Friday, all year round. The provider employs 12 staff who work directly with the children. Of these, two staff, including the manager, hold a level 6 qualification. Seven staff are qualified at level 3 and two staff at level 2. The nursery currently receives funding to provide early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The nursery manager and the inspector discussed the learning experiences provided for children of all ages. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the nursery manager. The inspector spoke to staff and watched them interact with children. n The inspector spoke with parents and looked at written feedback to obtain their views. The inspector looked at documents such as evidence of staff suitability checks. n The provider, the manager and the inspector held meetings to discuss safeguarding, and the leadership and management of the nursery.

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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

16 June 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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