Yellow Star Nursery

Inspection of Yellow Star Nursery 6a High Street, Wheathampstead, ST. ALBANS, Hertfordshire AL4 8AA

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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 play and learn happily alongside their friends. They chatter together and willingly share equipment and toys. Babies concentrate while they feel textures with their hands and feet. They listen to the words that staff use to describe what they are doing, helping to expose them to new words and phrases. As children grow, they become articulate and confident speakers.

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The provision is good

Babies and very young children practise climbing low, shallow steps before they slide down a short slide. They repeat this several times, smiling at the enthusiastic staff who give them encouragement. Older children crawl through tunnels and move equipment around the garden, which helps to support their physical development. Children use their imagination, creating a beach using strips of artificial grass to represent sand. They negotiate how the beach is formed and listen to the ideas of others. This contributes to children's increasing ability to make decisions in a democratic way.

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The provision is good

All the babies and children have opportunities to join sessions run by professionals who visit the nursery on a regular basis. For example, each group sings and uses sign language together. Children and babies watch in anticipation as puppets and other props bring stories and songs to life. Later, the nursery staff repeat the songs. Babies move their hands and begin to copy the familiar signs that staff use during the songs. This helps to strengthen babies' ways to communicate.

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need to do better?

n The manager, who is also the owner of the nursery, has high expectations of staff and children. She regularly meets with staff to help them plan activities that support all areas of learning. This helps to ensure that her vision that all children build on what they already know and can do is consistent throughout the nursery. n Staff work closely with parents. Each key person finds out what children like and enjoy at home to help plan activities that spark interest and more learning at nursery. They share information about children's progress in a variety of ways, including via a secure electronic system. Staff welcome feedback from parents and give ideas to help parents support their children's learning at home. n The manager and staff find out what children have been learning about in other organised clubs and activity sessions outside of nursery. They build on what children remember, helping to strengthen their understanding. Children enjoy

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need to do better?

looking at photos of science experiments and recall what they did both at science club and nursery. n Staff have opportunities to develop their own professional knowledge and understanding through training and workshops. They share their ideas with

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need to do better?

24 February 2022 colleagues, which helps to maintain good-quality care and education. Early years professionals from outside of nursery visit and review practice. This helps senior staff to plan for continual improvements throughout the nursery. This is further enhanced by the drive and enthusiasm of the whole team. n From a very early age, children learn why, how and when they need to wash their hands. They also begin to learn how to keep themselves and others safe. Children know that they need to line up before entering or leaving the garden and help staff to count how many children are in the line so no one is left behind. n Children are motivated to learn. They are keen to join in both adult-led and self- chosen activities. They show they are curious by asking questions. Staff respond positively to children's engagement. However, at times, staff are so eager to help that they do not give children time to solve problems, find different ways of

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need to do better?

doing things or answer questions for themselves. This hinders children's ability to develop their thinking skills fully. n Staff plan adult-led activities that follow themes that children are interested in. At times, the daily routines for each age group of children influence the amount of time children spend engaged in the activities. As a result, children are not always able to reach a natural end in their investigations and learning. The busy day limits children's opportunity to go back and repeat an activity in their own time. As a result, there are fewer opportunities for children to consolidate and expand their understanding.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to identify and report any concerns they have about children's well-being. When staff first join the nursery, the manager provides a thorough induction to help familiarise staff with the procedures they need to follow. Regular audits help managers to ensure that procedures and policies reflect any local or national changes. The manager uses an external organisation to help monitor the suitability of staff working in the nursery. This helps to ensure that staff do not pose a risk to children.

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should:

n help staff to encourage children to solve problems, find different solutions and answer questions for themselves n review the planning and organisation of adult-led activities to allow children sufficient time to complete and repeat tasks at their own pace.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY442233 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10229020 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 37 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Yellow Star Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01582 832 343 Date of previous inspection 28 October 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Yellow Star Nursery registered in 2012. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, apart from a week at Christmas. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 provider. n The inspector observed activities in all the group rooms and the garden. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager explained the curriculum to the inspector during a learning walk. n The inspector and the manager completed a joint observation. The manager evaluated what she saw and described the impact that the teaching had on children's learning. n The inspector took the views of parents spoken to on the day into consideration. n A meeting was held between the manager and the inspector. Discussions around staff supervision, training and evaluation took place.

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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

24 February 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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