The Highgrove Nursery School

Inspection of The Highgrove Nursery School Unit 23, Harraby Green Business Park, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 2SQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children are safe and happy. They enjoy their time at the nursery and establish close relationships with staff. This helps them to feel settled and secure. Overall, children are interested in what staff teach them. However, learning opportunities for some children, such as in the pre-school room are not always sufficiently challenging. Staff's questioning often falls short of helping children to fully express their thoughts and ideas to extend their learning. This means that not all children are building on their knowledge and skills as well as they could in preparation for their move on to school.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are well behaved. They establish good relationships with their peers. Children benefit from the kindness, warmth and sensitivity shown to them by staff, and this contributes to their emotional well-being and sense of security. Staff know the children well and offer comfort and reassurance, especially with those children who may be less confident in their new environment. Children learn to share and take turns and show respect for others. For example, during snack time, children confidently welcome visitors into their room and ask if they would like a drink of milk and a bowl of fruit to eat with them.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery. On arrival, they eagerly greet the staff with smiles and confidently say goodbye to parents in the reception area. This routine has recently resumed since the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have been relaxed. This has helped with the return of settling-in routines and the opportunity to return to speaking face-to-face with staff indoors.

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need to do better?

n The nominated individual also deputises as a manager. She has a clear understanding of the curriculum and what she wants children to learn by the time they move on to school. However, she has recently appointed a new manager, who is not as confident in her role. The new manager has not received a fully comprehensive induction to ensure that she has a sufficient knowledge and understanding of her responsibilities. In addition, she does not have a secure understanding of the provider's vision for the curriculum for children or how to successfully implement it. This means, children are not being sufficiently challenged or supported to make the progress they are capable of. n Staff attend regular supervision meetings with managers. However, these do not address the inconsistencies in their teaching and practice, or identify any training and professional development needs. This does not help staff to improve their

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need to do better?

practice, so they can consistently deliver an ambitious, challenging curriculum, that helps all children make the best possible progress. n Hygiene procedures are promoted well throughout the nursery. Staff ensure that

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need to do better?

1 March 2022 all areas used by children are kept clean and well maintained. Overall, older children show good independence skills while washing their hands and putting their own coats on before going outside. Staff know that children enjoy being physically active. Outdoors, they support children to take appropriate risks. For example, staff help children gain confidence in managing the steps to the top of the climbing frame. n Some thought and consideration goes into planning activities that incorporate children's interests and areas of learning. This includes, activities that support children's communication and language. However, staff in the pre-school room do not facilitate children's learning well enough to ensure that children grasp new ideas and skills. When staff ask children questions, they do not always give them time to think and respond before answering for them or moving on. This does not ensure that children have time to process new information or words,

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need to do better?

recall past experiences or strengthen their knowledge. In addition to this, during planned activities outdoors, opportunities to further extend and challenge children's thinking skills, such as their understanding of number, are not further explored. n The nursery is totally inclusive for staff, children and families. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. They are encouraged to use their home language in the nursery and at home. Staff provide dual language books and help children to learn about their diverse cultural backgrounds. Children quickly begin to develop a good grasp of English speaking, and share their diverse languages with each other. For example, children confidently engage in dual language conversations with each other during mealtimes and activities. This helps children to develop their communication skills in both languages. Staff work closely with parents and

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need to do better?

provide an interpreter when needed to share information. n Children enjoy playing with a wide range of resources. They help themselves to books, construction and small-world toys. Children use their imagination while playing in the role-play areas. They enjoy creative activities and practise handling tools, such as scissors and pencils. Children take pride in their work and confidently show visitors their pictures. Outside, children's physical development is supported. They engage in parachute games and develop their large motor skills while riding wheeled toys and playing ball games. n Partnership with parents is effective. Parents speak very highly of the nursery. They appreciate fully the support they receive, especially the flexible childcare arrangements, and the help provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents comment on how their children are treated as individuals. They state that the communication is good and that they feel valued by the staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They maintain a safe and secure environment for children, through suitable risk assessment. The premises are secure and regular head counts are

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Safeguarding

1 March 2022 completed during the day to ensure all children are accounted for. Staff are aware of the possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child or a member of staff. This includes safeguarding issues, such as radicalisation and child exploitation. Robust recruitment and vetting arrangements are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable.

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Due date

provide the newly appointed manager with appropriate induction training and support to strengthen her knowledge of her role and responsibilities, and her understanding of the nursery's curriculum intent. 22/03/2022

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Due date

ensure that the arrangements for the supervision of staff provide support, coaching and training, to raise the quality of education that ensures that they offer consistently high-quality learning experiences for all children. 22/03/2022

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should:

n strengthen staff's questioning techniques so that they consistently give children time to respond and develop their thinking and language skills more effectively n support staff to implement an ambitious and challenging curriculum that ensures that all children make the best possible progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY355924 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 10207295 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 50 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Bizzy Bees (Carlisle) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01228 534333 Date of previous inspection 19 August 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Highgrove Nursery School was registered in 2008. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and managers and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector made observations throughout the inspection of children's experiences in the setting. n Joint observations were carried out by the inspector and the manager. n Children spoke to the inspector about their experiences in the setting. n The inspector spoke to staff, parents and carers at appropriate times during the inspection. n A meeting was held with the management team. This included a review of relevant documentation, including evidence of staff's suitability, qualifications and 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

1 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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