Snapdragons Nursery Atworth

Inspection of Snapdragons Nursery Atworth Prospect Farm, 43 Bath Road, Atworth, MELKSHAM, Wiltshire SN12 8JW

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Staff organise the play spaces to meet children's interests and next steps in development. They have introduced a new curriculum to meet the changes to the statutory guidance and better support children's individual needs. Children enjoy exploring indoors and outdoors. Children develop good attachments to the nurturing staff team. This helps those children to feel safe and secure when moving on to a new room in the nursery. Children readily make choices about what they want to do. They learn new words and are kind to others. Children are becoming independent learners and are keen to join in. For example, older children take turns in language activities, listening to animal sounds on a compact disc and matching it to the animal picture on laminated cards. All children, including those learning to speak English as an additional language, communicate well and confidently express their ideas. They are developing the skills they need for their

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The provision is good

future learning and the move into school.

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The provision is good

Babies dig with wooden spoons in the sand tray outdoors and exclaim in delight when they uncover leaves hidden under the sand. Toddlers play peekaboo as they hide under the scarves during movement and music time. Children recall past learning as they play, and receive praise and encouragement from staff, supporting their ongoing development. Parents do not come into the setting to drop children off, as they would have done before the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, they are now coming in to collect children at the end of the day. Children's daily activities and learning are shared effectively with parents at this handover time. In addition, staff and parents share information online and by telephone. This helps support children's learning and care needs, both at the setting and at home.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well and engage them in exciting activities to stimulate their curiosity. Babies eagerly explore a selection of shiny objects, including metallic hoops, paper, card and boxes. Staff talk to the babies, commenting on what they see the babies doing. They offer enthusiastic encouragement, so the babies continue trying to open the box. Babies smile when staff reward their efforts with lots of praise. Older children explore pans full of conkers outdoors. They decide to use mallets to crack them open and see what is inside. Staff and children work out, together, how to hold the conkers to stop them rolling away. Children celebrate their success in cracking open the conkers. They tell staff that the insides remind them of pineapples because they are yellow. n Key persons form good relationships with parents and children. They make accurate assessments of what children can do, using information about what

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need to do better?

children are interested in at home. All children, including those with special

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need to do better?

30 September 2021 educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well and enjoy their time at the nursery. n Staff help children manage emotions and prepare them for learning. For example, at the start of the day, pre-school children take part in a physical small-group activity. Children relish the opportunity to jump, stamp, clap, and shout to relieve energy. Staff support children as they play, reminding them about kind hands, indoor voices, and praising children's efforts. Children respond by sharing the toys well. For example, when playing with the toy knights, children work together to build a castle, discussing where the different blocks should go and whose knight will stand at the top. n Staff and children are getting used to being together in larger groups again. Children in toddler and pre-school rooms are no longer in small peer 'bubbles' as the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. Staff are adapting organisation and

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need to do better?

planning to take this into account. However, on occasion, staff do not communicate effectively with each other to ensure children are fully engaged in their play. For example, when a member of staff decided to take a group of toddlers outside, they did not ask another member of staff for help. This meant that some children had to wait to be helped into their outdoor clothes and, therefore, became restless and lost interest in going outside. n The manager is aware of the importance of staff well-being and the impact that COVID-19 has had on them. To support staff, the manager has worked with them to explore different ways of working. Staff have reduced the amount of paperwork they complete. They spend more time working with the children. Children enjoy talking with staff and sharing what interests them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff understand their role in keeping children safe. They know the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and the wider signs of safeguarding. They know how and when to contact other agencies to protect children's welfare and well-being. The manager has thorough recruitment processes and ongoing checks to make sure staff are suitable to work with children. Daily checks are in place to remove potential hazards. Staff talk with children to help them assess and manage risks when taking part in different activities and using tools.

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should:

n improve the way staff communicate with each other to help children engage better with activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 145837 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10205643 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 44 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Snapdragons Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01225 707009 Date of previous inspection 28 July 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Snapdragons Nursery Atworth opened in 1998. It operates from a converted farmhouse in Atworth, Melksham. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. There are 15 staff who work directly with the children. The manager holds early years teacher status and the deputy holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 6. There are 11 other members of staff who hold appropriate childcare qualifications. Of these, one holds a qualification at level 6, one at level 4, six at level 3 and three at level 2. The nursery is registered to provide funded nursery education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the way that nursery staff plan and implement the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of the younger and older children with the manager, to look at the quality of teaching. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while at nursery. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

30 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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