The Secret Garden Children's Nursery

Inspection of The Secret Garden Children's Nursery Annandale House, 105 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1PY

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders and managers have made positive changes to practice and added to the resources available to children, indoors and outdoors. Children enjoy playing outdoors. They join in with activities linked to favourite stories about going on a bear hunt and ride trikes up and down the play spaces. They negotiate safe pathways, making sure they avoid bumping into others. Babies have fun in their outdoor play space, chasing bubbles and sliding down the plastic slides.

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The provision is good

Indoors, children get the opportunity to choose what they want to play with from accessible resources stored in baskets on low-level shelving. Some children choose to play with the toy farm, identify the different animals and put them into the farm buildings. Staff have provided quiet calm spaces where children can look at books or enjoy sensory experiences, such as watching the lights in a light tube.

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The provision is good

Staff have kept in touch with parents well. Although parents do not come into the setting, due to the safety measures for the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff have put activities and virtual tours online so all parents, including those new to the setting, can see what the play spaces and learning looks like. New children are warmly welcomed, and their needs are met by well-informed staff who adapt practice to help them settle in.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's communication and language well. They recognise when children's language is not developing as well as it should and implement interventions to help them. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those children who have special educational needs and /or disabilities, are developing good communication skills. n Children enjoy activities based on their interests. For example, they play with toy bears in flour, pretending that the flour is snow, and the bears are walking through a snowstorm. Children also create bear faces using googly eyes and black card noses, helping them to recognise different facial features. Staff encourage children to talk about what they are doing and why they are doing it. They allow children to adapt the activity, such as painting their hands and then making handprints on sheets of paper. n Key persons know what children can do and what they need to learn next. They

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need to do better?

plan experiences that encourage children to explore and experiment as they play. Younger children hunt for laminated card coins hidden in the sand, and older children catch plastic fish with numbers and spots on them. However, staff miss opportunities for children to make predictions or solve simple problems to extend their mathematical skills further. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff share information with parents when

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need to do better?

5 August 2021 they collect their child and offer home learning packs with different activities so parents can continue to support children's development at home. Parents appreciate working consistently with staff, and other professionals when children need extra support. Parents comment that children settle well and make good progress. n Leaders and managers monitor and supervise staff well, supporting staff to develop their skills and knowledge. They have provided access to online courses to enhance staff professional development. Staff are encouraged to contribute ideas and are involved in making changes to the play spaces to help children's learning and development. n Staff help children to feel proud of their achievements and recall learning. In the pre-school room, staff have created wall displays with cards containing pictures of things that children have done, achieved or said. They have made these

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need to do better?

interactive, by using double sided tape on the cards and pictures so children can remove and replace them in ways that they prefer. n Children show respect for others and use their imaginations as they play together. They decide to hold a party in the role-play area. Older children let younger ones choose what they would like to eat and let them help make the pretend pizza and cook it in the oven. They discuss what to put on the table and then invite others to come and join the party. n Staff provide good support for children to learn about healthy lifestyles and good hygiene. Children are reminded to wash hands after using the bathroom or when coming in from outdoors. Staff provide activities linked to teeth cleaning. Children use toothbrushes and toothpaste to clean pretend teeth. They talk about making healthy food choices, such as not eating too many sweets otherwise it could damage their teeth and they may fall out.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable about the possible causes for concern that may mean a child is at risk of harm. They know who, how and when to refer concerns, including to external agencies. They act quickly when concerns are identified and make sure early help is put in to support children's welfare. Leaders and managers keep staff informed about any changes in safeguarding policies and make sure all staff attend regular update training. Leaders and managers have effective procedures for recruiting staff and making sure they are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n make sure staff recognise and use opportunities to support children to extend their mathematical development as they engage in different activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477661 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10144275 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 85 Number of children on roll 85 Name of registered person The Secret Garden, Children's Day Nursery

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 552108 Date of previous inspection 14 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

The Secret Garden Children's Nursery registered in 2014 and is situated in Gloucester. The nursery offers care from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. It employs 18 members of staff, of whom 17 work directly with the children. Of these, one holds early years professional status , one holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 5 and 12 others hold appropriate childcare qualifications, ten at level 3 and two at level 2. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk to look at how the curriculum is planned across the nursery. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager look at the quality of teaching with the older and younger children. n Parents views were gathered from speaking with the inspector and through written testimonies. n Children talked with the inspector about what they enjoy doing at their nursery and what they learn.

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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

5 August 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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