The Leighs Nursery Group

Inspection of The Leighs Nursery Group Great Leighs Village Hall, Boreham Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 1PP

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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

Children enter the nursery excitedly, find their name on the self-registration board and part form their parents and carers with ease. They wave their parents a jolly goodbye before skipping into the hall where they register their presence. Children confidently place their belongings in their individual large bucket and begin their busy day of learning. Children start each session at nursery with a large group activity. They proficiently answer their name to whichever member of staff calls the register, count how many children are present and talk about the nursery's rules and boundaries. Children develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They help staff to risk assess the outdoor play space and know that the laminated red triangle signs placed on doors and the stage mean that these are areas that they do not enter.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They are caring and considerate of each other. They understand how to share the toys and resources and to wait for their turn when playing games. Children's good and positive behaviour is rewarded by staff. They celebrate children's achievements by adding a new link to the 'Team day of the week' board. The aim each day is for children to work together and cooperate to earn enough links to reach the floor by the end of that day. Children are encouraged to express their feelings and share their thoughts. They speak to staff about how they are feeling and use the emotions visual prompts to help them to do this.

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need to do better?

n During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, when the nursery was only open to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions, staff and managers supported families who could not attend the nursery. They kept in regular contact with them and provided home-learning activities for parents to do with their children. When staff and children returned to the nursery, following this period, they reassessed the children's needs and focused their attention on helping children to re-adjust to social situations. n Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents speak highly of the staff and managers. They share that their children make good progress and thoroughly enjoy their nursery experience. Partnerships with staff at other settings that children attend are strong, creating good opportunities for key persons to share relevant information about the children's learning. n The staff team is strong and consistent, and many of the staff have worked

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need to do better?

together for a number of years. They understand their general and daily roles and responsibilities and work effectively as a team. n Children articulate their feelings well. Staff speak to them in a clear way. They ask questions that help children to think about what they are doing and extend

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need to do better?

1 October 2021 their learning. n Children learn about keeping healthy. They frequently make use of the hygiene stations, where they collect tissues to wipe their nose and know that they should then wash their hands or apply hand sanitiser. They confidently tell adults that this means they 'wash the germs away'. Children develop their knowledge of oral hygiene as they practise brushing the teeth on a model of the mouth and use dentistry equipment to familiarise themselves with visiting the dentist. n Staff plan and organise activities that build on children's prior learning. Children receiving birthday cards through the post prompts staff to organise one of the role-play areas as a post office. Children excitedly write letters with staff and place them in the post box. Staff encourage new language and vocabulary as they sit with the children and support them to think about what to write in their letters.

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need to do better?

n Visitors come into the nursery to speak to the children about their jobs, including a vet and a dentist. However, staff do not currently make use of the local and surrounding areas to enhance children's learning further. They do not provide children with rich experiences that help them to explore communities outside of their own. n Children are provided with some opportunities to develop independence. For example, they practise putting their outdoor shoes and coats on when they move from the hall to play and learn outdoors. However, there are few opportunities for these skills to be promoted at other times during the nursery day. For example, children do not help in the preparation and organisation of snack and mealtimes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and managers demonstrate secure knowledge of their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and protecting the children in their care. All staff and managers regularly update their safeguarding knowledge, for example, through training and research. Managers have effective recruitment procedures in place to ensure that new staff are vetted and suitable to work with children. New staff complete a thorough induction programme, which includes familiarising themselves with the nursery's safeguarding policies and procedures.

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should:

n further enhance the opportunities provided to children to help them to learn about communities outside of their own n build better opportunities for children to gain and further develop their independence skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 402153 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10127383 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Overee, Carol

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reference number

Telephone number 07751024351 Date of previous inspection 20 January 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Leighs Nursery Group registered in 1992. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, all eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.50am to 11.50am and from midday to 3pm. 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 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 Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want the children to learn. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks of the provider and 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

1 October 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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