High House Nursery Ltd

Inspection of High House Nursery Ltd High House Farm, Mill End, Takeley, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 6PL

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children arrive at the nursery excited and very eager for their day to begin. They say goodbye to their parents outside and interact with warmth and confidence as their key person comes out to greet them. Children know that the arrival and collection procedures have changed due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. For example, older children explain that this is because of the virus.

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The provision is outstanding

All children are thriving within this extremely happy and fun nursery. Their communication is successfully encouraged, as they enjoy an extremely rich and varied language environment. Signing, pictorial clues and the highly responsive staff team provide opportunities for children to interact effectively. Babies relate exceptionally well and their needs are understood through the excellent use of body and sign language. Older children enjoy time to think and respond to staff, who really understand the value of promoting their excellent communication skills. As children become more and more confident, staff support them to interact purposefully, encouraging them to think about how they are feeling. As a result, children develop an excellent awareness and understanding of their emotions. Behaviour is exemplary as all children are listened to and understood.

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need to do better?

n Staff speak with parents and carers and carefully observe children's abilities and interests from their first day. This enables them to precisely identify and build on what each child knows and can do. An exceptional range of pertinent activities engage children in discovery and learning. Children investigate independently and immerse themselves in play based on real-life experiences. For example, babies thoroughly enjoy trying keys in the door of their base room, copying what they have observed adults doing before. They show excellent concentration and perseverance as they remain focused, working to achieve their task. Older children are exceptionally animated as they gallop their hobby horses through the grounds of the nursery. n Children learn to take calculated risks as they play. During forest school, they climb and swing on trees, make campfires and plant and grow fruits and vegetables. Children use real child-sized tools with excellent coordination and

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need to do better?

competence. They are confident communicators, chatting with each other and staff about how to be careful with sharp sticks. n Children meticulously plan and discuss with staff ideas for their creations. In forest school, they decide to use their existing knowledge and skills to recreate a life-size sculpture of a hedgehog. They collaborate effectively, working as a team to manipulate the clay into the shape they need. Children then forage in the woodland for 'spines' and 'eyes' to bring their art to life. They discuss and evaluate their creations and make any adaptations as needed. Their excellent

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need to do better?

9 September 2021 growing vocabulary is challenged as staff add new words for them to consider, such as 'prickly'. Children test out this new word, repeating it and quickly extending the thought, adding 'spiky', 'rough' and 'sharp'. n From the earliest opportunity, children receive positive messages from staff to support them in recognising and responding to their personal needs. Staff chat with children to promote healthy eating, and talk to babies about what they are having for snack and other meals. Staff sit with the children in all rooms, providing quality adult support and social interaction as needed. The older, most-able children confidently share their ideas about different foods, where they come from and how they help the body in different ways. The nursery chef is proactive in providing snacks and meals that reflect the diverse cultures and experiences of the children attending. n The nursery fosters excellent relationships with parents, providing online training

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need to do better?

opportunities and sign posting them to specific organisations that can help support parenting ideas. Parents speak very highly of the nursery and about how their children have become extremely confident and articulate. n Staff work exceptionally well with other agencies involved in the lives of the children. Excellent attention is given to supporting all funded children. Any changes for children are extremely well planned and delivered. This includes excellent information-sharing when children eventually move on to school. n Excellent attention is given to continually improving and developing the very best possible practice. The leadership team and all members of staff are committed to reflecting on and evaluating what they do. Thorough induction and ongoing mentoring is complemented by regular peer-on-peer reviews and supervision meetings. Staff confirm that they feel listened to and very much supported within their work family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Precise and clear safer recruitment procedures ensure that all staff are and continue to remain suitable to work with children. The leadership team supports staff to pay excellent attention to continuing to develop their knowledge of child protection and wider safeguarding issues. Ongoing discussions and quizzes help staff to test out and keep their understanding current. Clear policies and procedures are in place and implemented in practice. Policies are shared with parents and updated regularly to reflect changes in legislation. Regular safeguarding audits enable leaders to remain confident that the children in their care are protected from harm.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY269706 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10205810 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 101 Number of children on roll 142 Name of registered person High House Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01279 870898 Date of previous inspection 28 May 2015

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Information about this early years setting

High House Nursery Ltd registered in 2003 and is situated in Takeley, Bishops Stortford. The nursery employs 30 members of childcare staff, of whom 21 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk of the nursery inside and outside. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager and, together, they evaluated this. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at nursery. n Parents and staff spoke with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks of all adults working in 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

9 September 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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