Rowan Tree Day Nursery

Inspection of Rowan Tree Day Nursery 9 Guessens Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6QW

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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

This setting provides a happy, natural and nurturing environment. This allows all children to feel happy, safe and secure. Each child has a named stone in the entrance area, ensuring they develop a sense of belonging to the setting before they have even entered the building. In the setting, there are lots of photos of the children and their families, as well as opportunities for children to complete self- registration. Children are extremely confident and well behaved. They enter eager to explore the exciting activities available for them. For example, children go straight over to the duck eggs in their room, excited to see that the first duckling has hatched. They show their parents, and staff discuss with the children what has happened.

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The provision is outstanding

Babies separate from their parents with ease to their key persons. This relationship is very strong and supports children to feel safe in their environment. The babies enjoy the free-flowing access to the rooftop garden. They find different ways to climb up the ramp, depending on their physical abilities. Staff allow them to explore and practise before offering support if needed. The older children arrive and immediately become immersed in play, seeking out their friends. This develops their social skills.

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need to do better?

n Staff are extremely effective in supporting children to investigate activities and become critical thinkers. Younger children explore spinning toys. They try different ways to get the spinners to move, smiling and becoming excited as they move faster. n The older children continue their learning of the human body. They create self- portraits using natural materials. Children talk about their creations. They confidently explain how they have created a food pipe leading to the stomach and into their intestine. This demonstrates the learning which has already taken place and allows children opportunities to revisit what they have learned, embedding their knowledge even further. n Staff have a deep understanding of their curriculum intent and how to ensure children make excellent progress. Staff share their knowledge of children with each other extremely effectively. This ensures all staff know the children

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need to do better?

incredibly well. They have a very effective assessment process in place to monitor children's learning. All staff, including flexible workers, use this to follow children's interests and support their learning even further. n Children develop their mathematical skills by sorting pom-poms into numbered pots. Later, staff challenge the children to use tweezers to pick up the pom- poms. They put them into bottles with different-sized lids, making them harder as they move along. This also helps to develop children's fine motor skills.

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need to do better?

4 May 2022 n Staff's ability to differentiate their language to support individual children is outstanding. Staff use noises, such as 'brum, brum', to support very young babies when playing with the cars. For older babies, staff introduce the word 'car' and then carefully count the number of cars, 'one, two'. Staff continuously narrate activities, introducing new words and encouraging children's listening skills. In the garden, older children explore the shape puzzles. Staff skilfully ask questions to extend children's learning and give children time to think about their answer to develop their cognitive skills further. All children make rapid progress in their language development. n The manager and her team have excellent partnerships with parents. Highly effective settling-in processes allow all children to develop their confidence. Parents are incredibly happy with the progress their children make while at the

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need to do better?

setting. Staff ensure effective partnerships with other settings where children attend. They share information to enhance children's learning even further. The setting promotes home learning effectively. For instance, children take sunflower seeds home to plant to join in the growing competition. n The manager supports her staff team exceptionally well. She continuously offers advice and training to ensure the provision remains outstanding. Staff's well- being is a priority, and effective systems are in place to provide mentors to new staff. The manager has a clear vision for the future of the setting. She actively seeks new ways to educate children and embeds this across the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a consistently strong knowledge of safeguarding. They understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and how these can present differently in children who are verbal and mobile, and those who are not. Staff understand their own responsibility for safeguarding. They are knowledgeable about reporting any concerns they may have about a child or a member of staff. Staff have a deep knowledge of wider issues, such as county lines. This helps to ensure that children's welfare is assured and they are kept safe in the setting. There is a robust procedure in place for recruitment of new staff, and the manager checks their ongoing suitability.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 496768 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127264 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 75 Number of children on roll 101 Name of registered person Childbase Partnership Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01707 334715 Date of previous inspection 9 April 2013

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Information about this early years setting

Rowan Tree Day Nursery registered in 2001. It is situated in the centre of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire and is managed by The Childbase Partnership. The setting is open Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The setting employs 32 members of childcare staff. Of these, 26 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in the evaluations of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all the areas of the setting. They discussed the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector looked at reviews from the parents and spoke with parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of suitability of the staff team.

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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

4 May 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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