Playschool Nursery St Albans

Inspection of Playschool Nursery St Albans Playschool House, Alma Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3AR

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children arrive happily at this welcoming and vibrant nursery. Babies have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. They crawl over soft furniture and stretch to reach toys as they learn to roll over. This helps to build their core strength and coordination effectively. Young children concentrate as they explore resources. They put together and pull apart stacking cups. They learn with their senses as they listen to the noise the cups make when they tap them together. Outside, children learn about the natural environment. They dig in dirt with spades and know to look out for insects.

p.2

The provision is good

Toddlers enjoy singing and dance along to the rhymes they hear. Staff provide a range of nursery rhyme pictures on wooden spoons, which helps children to choose what they would like to sing. When staff pause their own singing to check children's knowledge, children confidently continue to sing the nursery rhymes by themselves. Toddlers begin to explore books independently. They point to the pictures and use simple words to share what they see with staff. The oldest children talk about what is happening in the stories they look at. Staff ask them relevant questions to check their understanding. Children look after the books they read, taking turns with their friends to hold the book and turn the pages carefully. Children show that they understand numbers and counting. They respond positively to more challenging experiences. For instance, older toddlers accurately count backwards from five as they sing.

p.2

need to do better?

n The leadership team is ambitious and highly reflective. Leaders instil the vision that they want children to flourish and become lifelong learners in all staff and across all areas of the provision. The manager has a very good understanding of child development. She spends time in the rooms leading staff and role modelling good practice. The leadership team researches various aspects of practice and checks its findings with local agencies before adopting new procedures. This means that children benefit from current thinking and opportunities. n Leaders and managers focus on how to continuously improve the service for children. For example, through effective supervision and training they help staff to further support children's mathematical development. They took swift action to implement this support. As a result, children have a strong understanding of mathematical language. For example, staff talk to pre-school children about the

p.2

need to do better?

different sizes of bowls and chairs in the story they read. Children use their hands to demonstrate the different sizes, big, medium and small. Outside, staff talk to children about the bucket they have filled with sand being 'full' and 'heavy'.

p.2

need to do better?

16 December 2021 n Babies build positive relationships with their key person. They snuggle with staff and smile with delight during play. However, staff do not consistently interact with babies to develop their communication and language skills. For example, staff pick up babies and young children from behind or put on their coats with no explanation. n Staff know children well. They genuinely enjoy being with the children and use their play to continually assess children's learning. With frequent guidance from senior staff, they plan activities that help meet children's next steps in learning effectively. n Children develop their independence at the nursery. Toddlers use cutlery appropriately to feed themselves. Children persevere and put their coats on by themselves. Staff remind them how to do their zips, praising them for their efforts. At snack time, children help the staff to hand out cups. Children wait

p.2

need to do better?

patiently for their turn to pour their own water. They carry it carefully back to their seats at the table, concentrating as they walk. n The oldest children are helpful and learn about keeping others safe. For example, they help staff to line up the slippers against the wall before going outside. Staff explain that this will help to prevent others from tripping over in the hallway. n Parents say that their children are happy at the nursery. They receive a lot of information about their children's day and attend regular meetings about children's learning. The leadership team considers how it can keep in contact with parents due to the changing routines during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the team holds meetings with parents over video calls.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff and the designated officers understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They know how to identify concerns about children, families and staff, including unusual bruising. Staff are aware of how to report a concern to the designated officers and the relevant agency. The designated officers know the importance of liaising with other agencies to support children and families and implement these procedures accordingly. There are robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

p.3

should:

n help staff to develop their interactions with very young children so that their communication skills are developed even more.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY438929 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10217084 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 90 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Playschool Nursery (St Albans) LLP

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01727844477 Date of previous inspection 7 December 2016

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Playschool Nursery St Albans is one of a group of three nurseries that are privately owned. It registered in 2011. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff, including the providers. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The two providers both hold early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined one of the inspectors on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors 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 carried out a joint observation of a planned activity with each of the inspectors. n Parents shared their views on the setting with inspectors. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.5

Inspection activities

n Children communicated with the inspectors during the inspection.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

16 December 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6