The Woodlands

Inspection of The Woodlands Walsingham Road, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 3AL

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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 enter happily each morning and are welcomed by kind, friendly staff. They develop strong bonds with their key person and peers. Children excitedly greet their friends as they arrive. Babies settle quickly and show their emotional well- being is fully supported. They put their arms out to staff for cuddles and reassurance.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They use good manners, listen well and are beginning to take turns with their peers. Staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour and gently remind children of the rules and what is expected of them.

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The provision is good

Children of all ages are supported to develop their independence well. For instance, younger children are becoming more confident to pour their own drinks and older children confidently serve their own lunch and carefully walk back to the table carrying their lunch. Children are keen to explore the thoughtfully arranged environments and the broad range of activities on offer. For instance, babies enjoy using their hands to explore new textures, such as flour. Older children spend prolonged periods of time painting detailed pictures.

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The provision is good

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents and carers say goodbye to their children at the main front door. Staff ensure that parents still get a thorough handover at the end of each day to make sure they are aware of what their children have done each day.

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need to do better?

n Staff help children effectively to understand and talk about their emotions. For example, staff read stories with children for them to learn about emotions. Children then use this language to express how they are feeling. They confidently talk about things that make them happy during a small group time. n Older children enjoy making conversation with staff as they play. Staff extend language well and talk to children about what they are doing. They model language well for younger children to hear. Where children speak or hear other languages at home, staff do find out from parents about the languages spoken. However, staff do not consistently provide opportunities for children to hear or to use their home language, for example to allow them to communicate their needs and express themselves further. n The manager and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. For instance, staff put in place individual plans to focus on areas

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need to do better?

where children need extra support. Children spend focused time every day working on targets from their individual plans. This has supported children to

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need to do better?

11 October 2021 make good progress in their development. n Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, younger children enjoy digging in mud with spades. Older children show good control and balance as they climb on large climbing apparatus. Additional funding is used effectively to address any gaps in learning. Staff have bought additional resources to enhance the physical skills of children who need additional support in this area. n The manager has high expectations and continually reflects on the provision to identify further areas for development, seeking the views of the children, parents and staff. For instance, recent changes include in an indoor sandpit that came from the children's suggestions. The manager would now like to develop an outdoor allotment where children and their families can benefit from growing their own vegetables. n The manager provides staff with regular supervision meetings, and she has a

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need to do better?

good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of staff. She provides staff with some training opportunities. However, professional development targets are not precise enough to help to improve the quality of teaching to the highest level. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff provide learning ideas linked to children's next steps to help parents to build on their children's learning at home. Parents comment that their children enjoy attending and that the staff are very supportive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has a very secure understanding of her responsibility to report any concerns about children and knows which agencies she must report them to. Staff know the signs they need to be aware of that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They understand the procedures they must follow to report those concerns and know who to go to if their concerns are not dealt with appropriately. The manager has a secure recruitment procedure in place and checks the suitability of new staff and the ongoing suitability of existing staff.

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should:

n help staff find ways to give all children who speak English as an additional language more opportunities to use and hear their home language at nursery n strengthen professional development opportunities to include more precise targets for staff, to help to improve the quality of teaching to the highest level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561378 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 10190580 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 45 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Farrar, Gemma Marie

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reference number

Telephone number 01793539693 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Woodlands registered in 2018 and is located in Swindon, Wiltshire. It is open five days a week, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 11 staff, 10 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6.

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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 inspector took part in a learning walk with the managers to discuss the early years curriculum and how the environment is organised. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector held a number of discussions with staff at appropriate times during the inspection and also spoke to children. n A number of parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection; their views were taken into account. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at a sample of relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff and accident forms.

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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

11 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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