Merrydale Day Nursery and Pre-

Inspection of Merrydale Day Nursery and Pre-School Broad Oak House, Coppid Beech Hill, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1PD

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive and are eager to get on with the activities. They are happy and cared for in a safe and inclusive environment. Children particularly enjoy outdoor play. For instance, they happily kick the footballs and carefully keep track of their scores.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Staff provide them with good role models because they treat everyone with courtesy and respect. Children are beginning to form good friendships. This is demonstrated well when older children work together to build a high tower, taking it in turns to add blocks. They laugh with delight as the tower falls over and then decide to start again.

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The provision is good

All children make good progress from their starting points. Overall, staff plan a suitably ambitious curriculum that helps them to make good progress toward their next steps. The manager and staff work effectively in partnership with parents, outside agencies and other specialist settings to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive any support they need. Staff use children's interests well to support their learning. For example, they encourage children to closely examine a favourite toy dinosaur, to count how many legs it has. Children point out with excitement that it also has a tail.

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need to do better?

n Children have many opportunities to develop their early writing skills. Babies use easy-grip crayons, which are suitable for small hands, to make marks on paper. Toddlers enjoy making patterns in paint using small tools, such as rollers. Older children show a sense of achievement when they practise writing the first letters of their names. n Children develop their communication and language skills well. They hear lots of words, as staff chat to them while they play. Staff also introduce new words to help them build their vocabulary. For instance, babies hear words, such as 'jug' and 'pour', as they scoop water into small containers. They listen in awe as they hear water flow down large tubes. n Staff know children well and, generally, plan challenging activities for them. However, on occasion, such as when babies wait too long to wash their hands before snack, children are not purposely involved in activities that meet their

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need to do better?

needs and build on their prior learning. As a result, they sometimes lose focus and engagement in learning. n Children receive particularly good grounding for their future mathematical development. Older children count how many children are present. They build on their learning, as they perform simple calculations to consider whether this is more or less than before lunch. Toddlers start to order numbers after reading a

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need to do better?

14 October 2021 story. n Children are supported well to wash their hands regularly, such as before meals and after using the toilet. However, staff do not explain why this is important to help children learn to understand about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. n Children make many choices and explore different materials. Babies experiment with instruments, such as drums, shakers and noise makers. They play the instruments enthusiastically with big smiles on their faces, to show how much they enjoy the experience. Toddlers discover what happens when they mix paints. They watch carefully as they notice that red paint becomes lighter when they mix in some white. n The manager follows good procedures to monitor the quality of the provision. She and the management team provide staff with ongoing opportunities for continuous professional development, which supports their practice effectively. Staff say they have no concerns about their workload and that they feel well

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need to do better?

supported. n Parents speak very highly of the nursery and staff. They appreciate that their children are happy and enjoy attending. Parents receive regular feedback from staff, despite not being able to enter the premises currently due to the COVID- 19 (coronavirus) pandemic. However, some say they are not clear about their child's next steps and how they can support these at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to recognise signs that may indicate a child's welfare is at risk of harm. They are clear about the procedures to follow if they have any concerns. Staff conduct ongoing risk assessments of the premises to help keep children safe. They supervise children carefully, including checking on them regularly when they are asleep. Staff teach children how to consider and manage risks for themselves, for example as they learn to navigate along the tall outdoor stumps. They develop children's understanding of personal safety further during forest school activities, for instance, when they help them to toast marshmallows over a pretend fire.

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should:

n support staff to provide children with suitably challenging activities that meet their individual needs and interests consistently n help children to understand why good hygiene is important for leading a healthy lifestyle n provide parents with regular information about their children's next steps so that they can support their learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 148617 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10209320 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 56 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Kingsclere Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01344 412132 Date of previous inspection 4 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Merrydale Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 1991. It operates from premises located on the outskirts of Wokingham, Berkshire. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 13 members of staff to work directly with the children. Of these, one holds early years professional status and 10 hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 and above.

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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 their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector spoke with some staff, parents and children during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of the education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n A joint observation of an activity was carried out with the manager. n Relevant documentation was viewed during the inspection, such as evidence of the suitability of staff 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

14 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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