Millie's Nursery

Inspection of Millie's Nursery 108 London Road, Shenley, Radlett, Hertfordshire WD7 9BS

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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 arrive happily at the nursery. They are greeted warmly by staff and respond positively to their nurturing attention. Children are eager to join in with play and choose from the wide variety of activities available to them. They enjoy visiting the shop set up in the role-play area. Children are learning to recognise numbers and how these correspond with coins. They also understand that payments can be made digitally, as they pretend to pay with toy credit cards. Effective play activities, such as this, promote children's mathematical development.

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The provision is good

Children are learning how to develop healthy lifestyles and the importance of exercise. They have many opportunities for physical play, including riding on tricycles outside. Children persevere as they practise their skills, such as using pedals. Staff give encouragement and praise. Children are pleased when they succeed. Children develop an awareness of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know to wash their hands after digging for worms. Children's behaviour is good. They show kindness to their friends. When they see other children struggling with a task, they are quick to offer help.

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need to do better?

n Children make good progress in their learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff make accurate assessments of children's abilities. This helps them to identify any delay in children's development. n Promoting language development is a key focus across the nursery. Staff introduce new vocabulary to the younger children as they engage in activities. For example, they use clear words to describe children's actions, such as 'squeezing', 'spreading' and 'sprinkling'. Older children chat confidently to visitors. For example, they explain who the people are in the pictures they draw. n Pre-school children listen with interest to familiar stories and join in with the repeated phrases. Staff follow up stories with practical activities, such as baking. Children enjoy learning how gingerbread is made as they mix ingredients

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need to do better?

together. They talk about the story, as they bake, and demonstrate their understanding of the sequence of events. n Children are developing good skill and control when using their hands. Young children spend time exploring how different fasteners work as they open doors on puzzles. Pre-school children draw detailed pictures and are proud to show how they can write their names. These skills provide a strong foundation for the children to build on throughout their education. n The provider has rigorous recruitment procedures in place to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. New staff talk positively of how the thorough

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need to do better?

20 October 2021 induction procedure helped them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Leaders monitor staff's practice through regular supervision meetings. They identify suitable professional development opportunities that enable staff to continually enhance their knowledge and skills. n Leaders are proactive in accessing extra support for children who are eligible. They use additional funding effectively to support individual children's needs. Ongoing assessments of the progress children are making show that gaps in their learning are closing. n Parents speak positively about the staff and the nursery. Staff share their good knowledge of children's development with parents. They help parents to know how to support children's learning at home. Parents appreciate the consistent care the staff have provided to children during the COVID-19 pandemic. n Leaders and staff regularly reflect on their practice and look for ways to

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need to do better?

continually improve. An ongoing development plan helps them to track the improvements they make. Staff work on action plans for the areas they work in, reflecting on the needs of each child. n On the whole, staff interact well with children. They support and extend children's learning as they play. However, some staff do not always identify when quieter and less-confident children need more support to help them to engage fully in activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection, including the wider aspects of safeguarding. Managers ensure that staff undertake regular training so their knowledge remains current. Staff confidently describe the signs which indicate that a child may be at risk of harm or extremist behaviour. They know how to report these concerns within the nursery and to relevant safeguarding agencies. Leaders place high priority on ensuring that safeguarding and health and safety procedures are securely embedded in practice. Any recognised risks to children's safety are dealt with swiftly.

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should:

n give quieter and less-confident children the support they need to engage fully in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561340 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10190692 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 39 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Ryan, Michelle

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reference number

Telephone number 07939376022 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Millie's Nursery registered in 2018. It opens from Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, term time only. The nursery employs six members of staff. Four staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above. 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 setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and the manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n Two joint observations were carried out and discussed between the inspector, the provider and the nursery manager. n Staff, children and parents spoke with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery's documents during a meeting with the leadership team. This included reviewing information about staff suitability and training.

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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

20 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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