Rickmansworth Nursery School

Inspection of Rickmansworth Nursery School Scotsbridge Pavilion, Park Road, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 1HU

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children clearly feel safe, happy and secure in this high-quality, child-oriented nursery school. They confidently leave their parents at the door and excitedly enter the nursery in anticipation of their day. Children keenly explore the purposefully organised learning opportunities. They use paint and pencils to create highly detailed pictures. Children describe their masterpieces using extensive vocabulary and show their wonderful imaginations. Children have a mature understanding of how to offer peer support. They are quick to give advice and support to their friends when they see them struggling with a task. Children offer suggestions and show others how they succeeded. They joyfully celebrate each other's efforts and successes.

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The provision is outstanding

Top priority is given to children's health and well-being. All children spend considerable amounts of the day outdoors. Staff encourage children to use their arms in big movements. Children expertly use large blocks for building and make marks in large trays of sand. The highly knowledgeable staff know that developing strong arm muscles leads to more effective skills in using pencils for writing in future education. Children work together exceptionally well. For example, they play at being a team of builders, assigning themselves roles and responsibilities. They talk about the importance of having a person in charge to help them to work as a team. Children's play is meaningful and they become deeply engrossed in it. Their behaviour is exemplary.

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need to do better?

n The passionate and ambitious manager and her dedicated team have a strong and clear vision for the nursery. The curriculum is tailored to provide what each group of children needs most to catch up on any learning lost due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning opportunities are meticulously planned around children's needs and interests. Consequently, children are prepared extremely well for their next stage in learning and, when the time comes, for school. n During the COVID-19 pandemic, dedicated staff supported children and their families exceptionally well. They visited children's homes to distribute learning resources and gave parents ideas of how children's learning could be extended. Recordings of stories were shared with children and regular messages were sent to parents to check on the well-being of families. This supportive contact helped to maintain children's secure attachments with staff. Consequently, children

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need to do better?

quickly adjusted to being back at the nursery and their excellent progress is achieved. n Children's highly motivated key persons have a deep knowledge and understanding of their individual needs. They use precise and accurate

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need to do better?

21 January 2022 assessments of children's learning to encourage rapid progress. Any delays in children's development are identified very early and parents are involved right from the start. As a result of staff's deep understanding of how children learn, all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make excellent progress. n Children's speaking and listening skills are extensive. They hold mature, in-depth conversations with adults and each other. Staff create a culture where children know that they can freely express their thoughts and ideas, which many readily do. Children have a high understanding of values and easily recognise characters in stories who are not kind. They explain clearly why certain behaviours are not acceptable and offer well-reasoned explanations as to why kindness and respect are important. n Partnerships with parents are very well established and are valued by all.

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need to do better?

Parents report how exceptionally well informed they are about their children's learning and provide very positive comments about their children's experiences at the nursery. Staff listen to parents, value their input and see them as partners. They give parents constant support and ideas of how to complement their children's learning at home. n Members of the well-established staff team benefit from regular constructive feedback about their practice and receive encouragement and coaching that further inspire them. Staff say that they feel highly valued and supported in their roles by the provider and other colleagues. The provider has effective, robust recruitment and selection procedures in place. They identify staff who are suitable and share their vision for high-quality care and education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All those involved in the setting demonstrate extensive knowledge of how to safeguard children. They are very clear that the safety of children is of paramount importance. Safeguarding policies and procedures are very well understood. As a result, staff are highly confident in what they must do should they have any concerns about children's well-being or the conduct of their colleagues. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of when children may be influenced by radical or extremist views. They receive thorough training and support to ensure they understand all child protection procedures. The open communication between staff and the provider promotes effective information sharing as staff feel listened to and respected.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 130612 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127316 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 24 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Rickmansworth Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07933 768144 Date of previous inspection 10 June 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Rickmansworth Nursery School registered in 1993 and is situated in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications, including three with level 3 and two with qualified teacher status. Sessions are Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm, and Friday from 9am to midday, during term time only. 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 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 A joint observation was carried out and discussed between the inspector and the provider. 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 documentation during a meeting with the provider. This included reviewing information about safeguarding, staff and committee members' 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

21 January 2022 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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