Epsom Downs Children's Centre Day Nursery

Inspection of Epsom Downs Children's Centre Day Nursery Epsom Downs Primary School and Children's Centre, St. Leonard's Road, Epsom Downs, Surrey KT18 5RJ

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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

Leaders and staff provide an awe-inspiring, creative learning environment. Children enthusiastically investigate and experiment with a variety of thoughtfully planned activities and resources. The impressive outside area offers an abundance of equipment that includes working traffic lights, a beach and construction site. Younger children immerse themselves in messy activities tailored to support their development for future learning. For example, they take part in a large-scale mark- making activity to support the development of their gross-motor skills. Children relish getting messy as they dip mops in buckets of paint and make marks with rollers and wheelers to develop their large-muscle movement. The activity is enriched by enthusiastic staff who role model and encourage children to participate and have a go.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff use highly effective settling-in processes that support children's well-being. Children and parents visit the setting prior to starting, to play and become familiar with staff, children and the learning environment. Consequently, children form secure attachments with staff. They are settled and happy in the setting and keen to play and learn. Children of all ages play together cohesively. Older children are kind to the younger children and role model good behaviour. The manager and staff show a very high level of knowledge and understanding regarding child development. This threads throughout the curriculum and impacts positively on children's learning outcomes and the excellent progress they make.

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need to do better?

n Parents speak extremely highly of the setting and praise the excellent support provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff shared ideas for activities to do at home to ensure all children had access to learning. This weekly support still continues. n Staff are highly inclusive and provide excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with professionals to refer children to gain appropriate intervention. Staff quickly identify gaps in children's learning, input strategies and use funding to ensure they make progress. n Staff know the children very well and respond to their needs swiftly and sensitively. They role model good behaviour, talk calmly, ask open-ended questions and wait appropriately for a reply. n Mealtimes are well organised. Children sit in small groups and are constantly supervised by members of staff. Children are encouraged to serve themselves to

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need to do better?

develop independence and good manners are reinforced. n The quality of teaching is outstanding. There is a strong focus on mathematics throughout the setting. Numbers and mathematics resources are available to

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need to do better?

6 June 2022 help children understand values and amounts. Children playing with dice recognise the number four and also three dots on another dice. Staff ask them to add the numbers together. Children count to seven and display seven fingers, showing an understanding of the total value of the number. They also find the number seven card and place it correctly on the number mat. n Books are displayed around the setting to encourage reading and literacy skills. The manager provides books in the small-world area based on a theme to make the activity more meaningful and to inspire play. For example, the small-world area on the day of inspection is a farm. Alongside natural resources and small- world toys, books are provided linked to the theme. The intention is for children to use the books as a resource in their play to enrich the activity and to promote literacy skills. n The setting provides an extraordinary language-rich environment. Staff are

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need to do better?

encouraged to think out of the box and share new exciting words to develop children's language skills. For example, the setting has a word of the week. The word 'diverse' is introduced to the children and an explanation given of the meaning, 'a group of people who are all different'. Parents comment during feedback that their children use the word of the week in the correct context at home, showing they have extended their vocabulary. n The manager has extremely high expectations and staff receive regular supervision to develop their learning and teaching skills. n Group activities are very well organised and tailored to the children's learning needs. Large-group activities are kept short, which ensures children have a quality experience and remain focused. They then move into smaller groups to concentrate on specific activities planned for their individual next steps in learning. n Staff liaise effectively with local schools and support transitions to ensure

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need to do better?

children can confidently move on to their next stage in learning. n The manager is extremely passionate and has a clear vision for the continued development of the nursery. She constantly evaluates the provision and implements strategies to improve outcomes for children. n The children benefit from regular access to the school farm, forest school and trim trail. These excellent facilities complement the nursery and help elevate it to the outstanding provision it continues to be.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to keep children safe and when to report concerns. They receive appropriate training and a regular safeguarding newsletter from the school to keep them updated and informed. Staff know who their designated safeguarding leads are and what happens next when a referral is made. Recruitment procedures are robust and leaders have safer recruitment training. Staff risk assess activities and the learning environment effectively. They keep appropriate records of accidents and incidents.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY312652 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10243871 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 46 Number of children on roll 98

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Name of registered person

Epsom Downs Primary School and Children's Centre Governing Body

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reference number

Telephone number 01737 850517 Date of previous inspection 24 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Epsom Downs Children's Centre Day Nursery registered in 2005 and is located in the grounds of Epsom Downs Primary School and Children's Centre in Epsom, Surrey. The day nursery is open for 51 weeks of the year, from 7.45am to 6pm. There are 15 members of staff who work with the children. One of these holds early years professional status and one is an early years teacher. There are five staff who hold relevant qualifications at level 3.

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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 this has been taken into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 manager and inspector completed a joint observation during lunchtime. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector met with the headteacher, nursery manager and special

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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 June 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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