Honeycomb Nursery School

Inspection of Honeycomb Nursery School Pollard House, 60 Crimchard, Chard, Somerset TA20 1JT

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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 flourish at the nursery and have a zest for learning. They show that they feel extremely safe and develop very close relationships with staff. Children concentrate intently and persevere as they try to figure out how to work technical toys. They are incredibly proud when they achieve what they set out to do and use their new knowledge later in the day. Staff use every opportunity to develop children's communication and language skills. For example, when making buns, staff introduce and explain interesting words and terms to extend children's knowledge and speech, such as, 'albumen' for the white of an egg. This boosts children's growing vocabulary very successfully and they speak with increasing fluency. Children have outstanding opportunities to challenge their physical skills. They regularly enjoy yoga sessions and show impressive hand-eye coordination as they use a bat to hit a ball on a rope to a partner. Children thrive on the excellent

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are superb role models. They listen carefully to children, respecting their views and valuing their opinions. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They understand why there are 'golden rules' to follow. For instance, children say that they must not run on the concrete outside 'because we can fall over and hurt ourselves'. Children develop impressive levels of independence. They collect and put on their boots before going outside and do up the zips on their coats. Children wash and dry their hands independently and confidently say 'we left our germs in the sink'.

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need to do better?

n The well-qualified manager and staff are experienced in their roles and passionate about providing outstanding care and learning for children. They have an impeccable knowledge of all areas of learning and have developed their own 'curricula goals' within an ambitious curriculum. This, coupled with high- quality teaching, ensures children continuously build on what they know and can do over time. n Staff recognise that children have had fewer opportunities to socialise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, they have placed a particular focus on children's social and emotional development. Staff attended training to enhance their teaching in this area. They support children exceptionally well to recognise, understand and regulate their emotions. For example, children blow a coloured feather off their hand and watch it float to the ground to help them calm down if they are upset. Children have numerous opportunities to help them to gain

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need to do better?

confidence and develop their relationships with others. n Children develop a very keen interest in literacy. They love listening to stories and looking at both fiction and factual books, which are in every area of the

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need to do better?

14 March 2022 nursery. Children use magnetic letters to spell their names. They are beginning to read simple words and recognise familiar letter sounds, such as the sounds in their name. Children make excellent progress from their starting points and are ready for school. n The manager and staff establish outstanding partnerships with parents. Right from the start, staff make home visits which help them determine very secure starting points for children's learning. Staff keep parents extremely well involved and informed about their children's development. They offer regular consultation meetings and the children take home books to share with their parents. This helps to ensure continuity in children's care and learning. The manager constantly progresses the ways they work with parents. For example, she intends to run a workshop on how parents can help their child manage their emotions at home. n Staff provide abundant opportunities for children to develop their interests. For

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need to do better?

example, when children become fascinated with police role play, staff invite the local police officer to visit. Children excitedly operate the siren in the police car, learn how to call emergency services and make their own walkie talkies. These rich experiences help children to be highly motivated to learn. n The leadership and management of the nursery are exceptional. The manager works incredibly closely with staff. Together, they thoroughly evaluate every aspect of the provision and continually enhance their skills, for example through regularly attending training. The manager prioritises the well-being of staff as much as she does each child and their individual families. Staff feel valued and have worked in the nursery for a significant number of years.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager places a high priority on ensuring safeguarding procedures are securely embedded in practice. The manager and staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of child protection, and this underpins everything they do. They undertake regular training, so their knowledge remains relevant and up to date. The manager and staff confidently describe the signs which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm or extremist behaviour. They know the correct procedures to report any concerns about a child's welfare. Children benefit greatly from learning how to recognise and manage the risks they encounter, particularly when they toast marshmallows around a fire pit and during trips to local woods.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 142776 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10125940 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 12 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Kilbride, Penelope

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reference number

Telephone number 01460 63211 Date of previous inspection 13 February 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Honeycomb Nursery School registered in 1996. It is located in Crimchard, Chard, in Somerset. The nursery is open on Monday and Thursday from 9am to 3.30pm, on Wednesday from 9am to 1pm, and on Friday from 9am to midday. The nursery operates during school term time only. The owner works as the nursery manager. There is one member of staff. The manager and the member of staff both hold qualified teacher status. The setting receives funding to provide free 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 manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector took account of the views of parents. n The inspector sampled documentation, including staff qualifications and evidence of paediatric first-aid 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

14 March 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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