Longwood Nursery

Inspection of Longwood Nursery Longwood School, Bushey Hall Drive, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 2QG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children of all ages arrive happily at the nursery. They are greeted by enthusiastic staff before rushing to explore the exciting activities and resources available in their rooms. Children have access to many outdoor learning opportunities. Older children are particularly proud of their new greenhouse. They are excited to show visitors the seeds they are growing with their friends. Children recall their past learning well. They explain the new words they are learning, such as 'compost' and 'perlite', and why they are important for growth.

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The provision is good

Children of all ages display high levels of independence. Babies are skilled at using spoons to feed themselves. They are learning to put on their own shoes when playing outdoors. Older children pour drinks and clear their own plates and cutlery away after meals and snacks. All rooms in the nursery are arranged to encourage children's independent exploration. Resources are kept at age-appropriate heights. Nurturing staff are well allocated to support children in their chosen activities.

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate great confidence in the nursery. They look forward to progressing to the next stage of learning and settle with ease. Managers and staff have established very strong relationships with the attached school. They share planning themes and join in celebrations and special events. For example, children join the school in World Book Day events.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff demonstrate good levels of knowledge of the children in their care. This ensures that all children have equal access to learning opportunities. n Managers work hard to establish effective means of communication with parents. Staff regularly share photos, assessment information and ideas of activities to support children's learning further. Babies' routines are shared with parents in writing and verbally at pick-up time. n Children enjoy a language-rich environment. Staff across all rooms engage children in high-quality interactions throughout the day. Babies are encouraged to explore new language in daily singing sessions. They gurgle excitedly when they hear the enthusiastic staff sing along. Older children become absorbed during animated and exciting story sessions. n Children's physical development is well supported throughout the nursery.

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need to do better?

Children enjoy age-appropriate apparatus and large open areas to explore and create obstacle courses in. Babies practise climbing and walking in the safety of the soft playroom. They also enjoy see-saws and ride-on vehicles in the large indoor space. n Managers and staff maintain close relationships with parents and carers. The

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need to do better?

16 March 2022 nursery has comprehensive and flexible settling-in routines. This enables staff to gather essential information about children's early experiences. Staff then use this information to plan learning opportunities that children may otherwise not receive. n Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They use age-appropriate methods to explain the possible consequences of their actions. In the baby room, staff use gestures and facial expressions to dissuade children from climbing on chairs. Older children are learning to manage risks themselves. They tell staff that they might slip and hurt themselves if they run on the wet slopes. n Managers reflect well on all areas of the nursery and make changes where necessary. They seek feedback from parents, staff and other professionals to improve practice. For example, they have worked hard to establish new mealtime routines to support children's various dietary requirements.

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need to do better?

n Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and high levels of curiosity in activities. Staff support young babies to smell and feel herbs and spices during sensory play. Older children are excited to investigate the changing textures of shaving foam and cornflour. However, staff do not always support older children's critical-thinking skills in these activities. Their exploration is sometimes rushed, and staff do not allow children enough time to respond to questions. n Staff feel well supported in the nursery. Managers conduct appraisals of staff to establish additional training needs. Staff undertake various training courses, both statutory and based on developing their interests. However, managers do not sufficiently focus staff training opportunities to further raise the standard of teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff all demonstrate robust knowledge of the signs and symptoms which could indicate a child is at risk of harm. They explain the safeguarding procedures which are in place, including the referral process to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of a child. The manager and staff make sure that children's safety is paramount. They complete regular risk assessments on all areas of the nursery as well as on all activities prior to conducting them.

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should:

n extend the opportunities that support children in determining their play and fully exploring activities n support staff to aid children further in thinking things through and developing their critical-thinking skills

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should:

16 March 2022 n enhance the quality of supervision to support staff in raising the quality of their teaching to a consistently high level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY563409 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10190782 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 120 Number of children on roll 120 Name of registered person Longwood School And Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01923 253715 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Longwood Nursery registered in 2018. The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff. Of these, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery 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 their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several during the inspection and reviewing feedback letters. n The inspector and the manager carried out joint observations of several activities to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector and the manager discussed how the nursery is organised. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the nursery and tracked the progress of children.

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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

16 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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