Windermere Day Nursery

Inspection of Windermere Day Nursery Haweswater Road, KETTERING, Northamptonshire NN16 8LX

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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 are excited to come to this nursery. When they arrive, they race ahead of their parents as they rush to go inside. Four-year-old children shout 'I can't wait to see what we are doing today'. Young babies, who have just started at the nursery, settle very quickly. They snuggle into staff who encourage them to look at the photos of their family displayed on the wall. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children have strong relationships with skilled staff, who know them exceptionally well as individuals. They benefit from the highly effective curriculum that is led by their interests. Staff offer exciting and stimulating opportunities that build on what children already know and can do. This results in children being deeply involved in their play and helps them develop a broad range of skills.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is exemplary. From a young age, children are very respectful to each other. Young babies smile as their friends join them in the sand pit. They pass them a spade, so that they can join in with filling buckets with sand. Four- year-old children help their friends to open bottles of paint. They praise their friends as they paint a rainbow saying 'wow, that's amazing'.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's independence skills are impressive. When one-year-old children sneeze, they use sign language to indicate to staff that they need to wash their hands. Two- and three-year-old children work together to set the table ready for lunch. They negotiate roles, deciding who will put out the knives and who will put out the forks. They jump up and down in excitement, as they are praised for following the nursery's 'golden values'.

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need to do better?

n Throughout the day, children benefit from high-quality interactions. Staff sensitively observe children to monitor their progress. They recognise that children need time to explore independently to develop their problem-solving skills. When staff do interact to extend children's learning, their interactions are consistently strong. They ask children thoughtful questions and make sure they have adequate time to respond. Two- and three-year-old children become engrossed by the story of 'The Gruffalo'. They laugh enthusiastically, as staff change their voices for the different characters. Later, they retell the story with their friends, negotiating roles. n Staff plan activities skilfully, using the information they gather about the experiences children have at home. They use every opportunity available to broaden the experiences children have. For example, children tell staff about a great white shark they have seen in a book at home. This leads on to a

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need to do better?

discussion about the pet fish the children look after in nursery. Staff extend this even further by providing children with a range of different fish to dissect and

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need to do better?

17 March 2022 explore. Children learn new words, such as 'scale' and 'gills'. They show awe and wonder as they dissect the fish to see if it has bones inside. This leads on to further discussions about the different habitats sea creatures live in. n Children learn all about eating healthy and nutritious food. They tell visitors about the vegetables they have grown at the nursery. Children have the opportunity to help chop vegetables up ready for their lunch. n Children display high levels of involvement with exploring outdoors. Children move confidently in the outdoor area, exploring a vast range of opportunities. They manage risks well, helping each other to move a tree trunk, explaining to each other to look on the ground before placing it down so they do not 'squash their toes.' n Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the nursery. They comment on how much their children find out about other cultures and diversity. Parents feel this

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need to do better?

broadens the experiences children have. They receive daily updates about their children's development and activities they could do at home. During the COVID- 19 pandemic, parents were invited to attend online support groups and courses on topics, such as behaviour. They comment that this has been invaluable for them to develop friendships with other parents and access support when needed. Parents say they would wholeheartedly recommend the nursery to other parents. n Children who receive additional funding, such as pupil premium and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported very well. Staff are skilled at identifying children who may need additional intervention. They work exceptionally well with outside agencies to ensure there is a collaborative approach to children's learning. Children with SEND make rapid progress from their starting points. n The management team support staff to develop their practice to the highest

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need to do better?

level. Staff benefit from ongoing mentoring, alongside regular appraisals and peer-on-peer observations. All staff know what they do well and what they want to do next to improve their practice. They are actively encouraged to access the vast range of bespoke training that is available to them. Staff consider the impact training has on their practice and apply what they learn. This commitment to staff's professional development results in excellent teaching from highly skilled staff, that contributes significantly to children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a detailed knowledge of safeguarding. All staff complete safeguarding training regularly throughout the year to ensure their knowledge is kept updated. As well as this, the manager regularly asks staff safeguarding questions as part of everyday practice to check their knowledge and identify any gaps in their understanding. Staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know who to report their concerns to and would have no hesitation in doing so. Robust recruitment practices are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Risk assessments are detailed and

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Safeguarding

17 March 2022 thorough. This means children are kept safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 260738 Local authority North Northamptonshire Inspection number 10229116 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 116 Number of children on roll 146 Name of registered person Childbase Partnership Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01536 520075 Date of previous inspection 19 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Windermere Day Nursery registered in 2001. It is located in Kettering, Northamptonshire. It is operated by the Childbase Partnership which is a private limited company. The nursery employs 38 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round from 7.30am until 6.30pm. 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 provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspectors completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors spoke with the nominated individual and manager about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 inspectors carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager and deputy manager. n The inspectors spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their

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Inspection activities

views. n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

17 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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