The Nursery School

Inspection of The Nursery School Church Street, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8AP

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Staff provide a warm welcome when children and families arrive at the nursery. Children look into the 'How am I feeling' mirror and tell staff that they are happy to be here. They find their named wooden doll and put it into the wooden nursery to show that they have arrived.

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The provision is good

Play spaces have plenty of toys and resources for children to choose from. The manager and staff have a clear vision for the curriculum and how they can teach it. Staff use children's interests, skills and prior knowledge when they plan activities. Some children enjoy making play dough figures. They use buttons to add eyes, a nose and mouth. They smile when staff comment on the good work they have done.

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The provision is good

Other children look at pictures of buildings across the world and pick out one in Dubai. They try to recreate the building, using the wooden blocks in the nursery. Staff encourage children to look at an atlas to see how far away the real building is.

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The provision is good

Children take an interest in nature. They collect soil, pebbles and worms to create a wormery. They plant flowers to attract the butterflies. They use nature books and magazines to help them to identify the different insects and bugs they see in the outdoor area.

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need to do better?

n Staff focus on developing children's speech and language. Staff use children's interests, books and conversations to encourage communication. Younger children name different toys and join in with favourite rhymes and songs. Older children repeat phrases, use actions and words, as they join in the retelling of a favourite story about hunting for a bear. Staff working with the children recognise when they may need extra help. They talk with parents and other professionals. They look at different ways to help children to become confident speakers. n Children enjoy being active and develop good physical skills. Outdoors, they experiment with crates, planks and tyres to make an obstacle course. Older children help younger ones to walk across the planks and jump off the end. Indoors, children use scissors, work out how to turn glue sticks to get the glue out and use fingers and thumbs to pick up small pieces of card to create

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need to do better?

patterns on paper. n Overall, children show good concentration and engage well with activities. Staff talk with children and support them as they play. Some pre-school children have a tea party in the role-play area. They set out cups, saucers, plates and pretend

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need to do better?

6 April 2022 cakes. They take turns to 'pour' the tea. Younger children use their imagination. They dress up wearing the firefighter helmet and doctor's kit. They tell staff that they can fix their 'sore arm'. On occasion, staff concentrate on children they are talking to and do not notice that others may want to join in. n Staff encourage children's mathematical skills. Children use tweezers to pick up carrots and radishes from a tray outdoors. Staff encourage children to count how many they have and to compare sizes. Children collect the vegetables and then match them to the numbers on wooden circles. n Children's behaviour is good, and they show respect for others. Staff help children to cope with changes in the routine as they provide them with warnings. However, staff do not plan these times well. For example, when they tell children to put the toys away, staff do not encourage everyone to join in.

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need to do better?

Some children continue playing. When getting ready to go outdoors, staff encourage children to put on their own coats and shoes. However, sometimes, children get frustrated as they have to wait too long for staff to help them. n Partnership with parents is good. Staff share what children are learning with parents. They support parents to continue children's learning at home. For example, staff provide books that parents can take home to read with children to support language and communication. Staff ask about children's home life and use this information to plan activities in the nursery. Parents comment that staff know their children well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Since the last inspection, all staff have renewed their safeguarding training. The manager has reflected on the systems for recording and referring incidents. She has made positive changes to ensure that they protect children's well-being and safety. She ensures that staff make detailed written accounts of accidents and incidents. These help the manager and staff so they can act quickly if they feel children may be at risk of harm. Staff know who and how to refer concerns when there are allegations against staff. The manager has good recruitment processes. She has initial and ongoing checks to make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n improve the organisation of changes and the way that staff support children so they know what to do n make sure that staff notice and support children who may need help to engage with activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY554397 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10216126 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 28 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Dex, Julie

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reference number

Telephone number 01242521944 Date of previous inspection 27 September 2021

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Information about this early years setting

The Nursery School re-registered in 2017 and is situated in Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire. The nursery employs seven members of staff. The manager holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 5, and three members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8am to 5pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during outdoor play. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector 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

6 April 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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