Ashridge Day Nursery Aston Clinton

Inspection of Ashridge Day Nursery Aston Clinton Green Park Centre, Stablebridge Road, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP22 5NE

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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 develop positive relationships with their key person, who know them well. Young babies enjoy spending time with familiar adults. They enjoy cuddles to help them settle and eagerly gather around a box of toys, where they sit, concentrate and explore.

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The provision is good

Children's physical development is supported, both indoors and outdoors. Older children balance on crates and wood, while younger children jump up and down during actions songs like 'sleeping bunnies'. Children have fun making dough, they take it in turns to add the ingredients, and use their hands to squeeze the mixture together. Children begin to mark make, they use foam to make patterns with their fingers and draw pictures using pens.

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The provision is good

Older children are learning about the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. For example, when learning about the letter 'P', staff support children in making pirate hats and a pig farm. Younger children enjoy exploring sand, they bang the drum to familiar songs and wash the dolls with bubbles.

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The provision is good

Children learn about different cultures and festivals throughout the year. For example, they paint shamrocks with green paint for St Patrick's day and raise money for those less fortunate than themselves. Children are encouraged to talk about their families with their friends, through the photographs displayed.

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need to do better?

n The newly appointed manager has implemented a successful action plan, with support from the local authority. Leaders and managers provide good levels of support for all staff, including apprentices. Detailed induction includes core training which helps staff understand their role. Regular mentoring and monitoring of staff's practice, along with supervision meetings, enable leaders and managers to identify training needs. Leaders and managers understand the importance of staff's well-being. Arrangements with an external organisation, enable all staff to talk about their well-being. n Staff devise a curriculum based on what their children need to learn. Leaders and managers recognise that the planning for outdoor learning does not fully support children of all ages across the curriculum, and this is something they are working on. Staff encourage children's independence skills. For example, to use their cutlery at mealtimes. Staff identify individual challenges for their key

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need to do better?

children, this targets their specific developmental needs. n All children, including those who are funded, are well supported in their communication and language. Staff focus on this aspect of their development, which has been impacted by COVID-19. Staff regularly sing songs and read

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need to do better?

21 March 2022 stories, which helps children to increase their vocabulary and use their words. For example, while making dough, children tell staff it is 'sticky' and it smells like 'chocolate', and they learn new words such as 'knead' and 'cinnamon'. Children who are less able to express themselves, use a book of photographs to indicate what they need or want. n All children are eager to learn. They concentrate for long periods of time. For example, younger babies sit and explore paint making bubble prints. Staff support children in learning about their emotions. They use mirrors for children to see their face and express how they feel. Older children work with their friends to tidy their room, before they go out in the garden. Where children struggle with their behaviour, staff put in place plans to help them to regulate their actions. n Children with special education needs/and or disabilities are supported well.

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need to do better?

Staff devise plans to focus on areas of development which need further support. This helps children to achieve and make progress in their development. The setting develops effective partnerships with other professionals who work with children. For example, speech and language therapists provide advice and support to staff to assist children with developing their language skills. n Parents say they receive detailed feedback about their child's well-being, care routines and learning. Any work children do is sent home, to enable them to talk about this with their parents. Staff prepare children in getting ready for the move to school. For example, teachers come to visit children in the nursery, and staff make books with pictures of the child's school, to help them settle.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of how to protect children and keep them safe. All staff complete training, and their knowledge is tested by leaders and managers through regular quizzes. Staff complete risk assessments throughout the day to minimise the risks to children. For instance, they are regularly assessed to ensure they complete the nappy change procedure effectively. Staff are aware of children's dietary needs and ensure that they are protected from foods that are harmful to them. Safer recruitment is followed, to ensure that the staff working with children are suitable to do so.

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should:

n improve the organisation of the garden area to ensure that children of all ages are fully supported across the curriculum in their outdoor learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2546928 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10215598 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 93 Number of children on roll 154 Name of registered person Ashridge Care Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01296250015 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ashridge Day Nursery, Aston Clinton registered in 2019. The nursery employs 15 members of staff to work with the children. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6:30pm, Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year except for bank holidays. The nursery provides funded early education for two, three and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and 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 of group activities with a member of the management team. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with a member of the management team. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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 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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