The Stables Nursery

Inspection of The Stables Nursery Ashford Prep School, The Street, Great Chart, Kent TN23 3DJ

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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 enjoy coming to this nursery. They feel welcomed and safe with the caring staff team, who know their needs very well. Children enjoy beautiful views of a dairy farm as they play outdoors. This invokes various 'hooks' for learning opportunities. Children show curiosity as they enjoy observing the cows in their grassy field. They learn new vocabulary as they discuss the animals and the machinery used in the daily routines of the farm. Staff use children's interests to capture opportunities for learning. This helps children to make good progress through an engaging curriculum.

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The provision is good

Children gain a wide range of skills in each room that help to prepare them for the next stage of their learning. They begin to talk about their emotions. Staff gently help them resolve any disputes with friends and show respect for each other's feelings. This helps children care for each other. Children build resilience as they identify what it is they are experiencing. Staff support opportunities for children to think, be calm and reflect. For example, children enjoy the sensory area in the corner of a toddler room. They quietly enjoy a story or some interactive yoga, while a light projector immerses and engages them with calming lights and sounds.

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need to do better?

n Staff have high expectations for all children's learning. They work effectively with other professionals to support any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use a variety of strategies that include children in all aspects of the activities and daily life of the nursery. This helps all children to achieve to the best of their ability. n Children take part in a wealth of activities that encourage them to enjoy using their senses. For example, children mould orange-scented play dough to make cupcakes and explore tapioca 'frogspawn'. They learn to engage with textures that they are unfamiliar with, which leads to extended activities such as early mark making. n The staff provide a language-rich environment for children. They support communication and language through a range of effective strategies, such as simple signing and picture cards. Children thoroughly enjoy words in songs and

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need to do better?

stories through the media of music, which a skilled practitioner teaches them daily. As a result, all children, particularly those with SEND or those who are learning English as an additional language, enjoy their interactions with friends. n Overall, staff use the resources available. Their skilful interactions provide positive adult-directed learning opportunities. However, staff are not fully successful in helping children to explore more varied mathematical concepts, such as measure and number, in their play. n Children and staff have strong attachments. They find out about each other's

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need to do better?

24 May 2022 lives and families and enjoy sharing their personal photo books with others. Children learn about special days and celebrations that their friends enjoy. At times, however, staff do not make the most of opportunities for children to explore these concepts in the wider world, to promote a better understanding of more unfamiliar people and communities. n Parents speak positively about the nursery. They are happy with their children's progress and feel that staff keep them well informed. Staff encourage parents to work in partnership through an online profile which outlines what children are learning in the nursery. Parents can continue their children's learning at home and then share this via the two-way communication system. n The head of the nursery and her staff team are strongly motivated and strive for improvement. They evaluate their provision to provide high-quality learning experiences for all children. The head of the nursery is an excellent role model

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need to do better?

for other staff. She accurately evaluates the quality of the provision and successfully identifies areas to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibilities towards the children in their care. They risk assess daily to ensure that the premises are safe and secure. Staff supervise children effectively throughout the day. They complete regular safeguarding training and are confident about what they would action, should they have any concerns about children's welfare. They know to act on concerns quickly, ensure that they record any potential matters accurately and to share information with the necessary support network. The leadership team conducts thorough checks for any new staff to ensure they are suitable.

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should:

n enhance the curriculum for mathematics to provide children with planned and spontaneous opportunities to explore numbers and mathematical concepts while they play n provide more opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the wider world, with particular relation to learning about people and communities other than their own.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2558538 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10221651 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 60 Number of children on roll 81 Name of registered person United Church Schools Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01233 620493 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Stables Nursery is situated in the grounds of Ashford Prep School in Ashford, Kent. It provides care from Monday to Friday, 7am to 6.15pm, all year round. The nursery employs 27 members of staff. Of these, 21 hold qualifications at level 3 and above.

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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 their evaluation of the provider. n The head of the nursery and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The staff spoke to the inspector about their intentions for children's learning. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector spoke with the early years lead and the head of the nursery about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the head of the nursery. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

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

24 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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