The Old Station Nursery Droitwich

Inspection of My First Friends Droitwich Ltd 28 Old Coach Road, Droitwich, Worcestershire WR9 8BB

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children who attend this nursery are exceptionally well cared for, and all children are extremely confident and self-assured. They respond appropriately to each other and adults, and show respect towards them. The highly skilled support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exemplary.

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The provision is outstanding

Children learn to keep themselves safe as they are encouraged to take part in 'risky play' through the wide ranging activities on offer. Children are enthusiastic in their learning and show enjoyment and delight when they discover something new. All staff encourage children to use real-life resources, such as real knives and forks. This enables children to achieve more, such as succeeding at cutting a raw carrot for the first time. Independence is encouraged across the nursery, enhancing all aspects of the curriculum. Children independently access tools and materials when creating their pets from play dough, which enables them to develop their own ideas.

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The provision is outstanding

Inside the nursery, rooms are vibrant and support the learning on offer. The outdoor environment is stimulating and promotes children's physical and imaginative play in a rich and varied way. For example, children access areas for gardening, climbing, mud play, climbing trees and risky play through playing on the beech tree swing.

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need to do better?

n The nursery benefits from an experienced and inspirational manager, who is supported by a wider management team. They are committed to ensuring that children receive the very best care and education. They actively support one another to ensure it is a team effort. The team of staff are dynamic and have a wealth of experience. A vast amount of training is offered to all staff, which enables them to feel valued and supports them to continue to develop their already excellent practice. n Support for children with SEND is remarkable and is a real strength of the nursery. Leaders and the special needs coordinator work alongside staff and outside agencies to ensure that children receive the very best support. They swiftly identify any concerns and emerging needs, and involve parents from the start. This ensures that children and their families get the right support as soon as possible. The nursery provides targeted one-to-one support or specialist

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need to do better?

equipment, where needed, to ensure that all children are fully included. Visual prompts are used throughout the nursery to enrich children's communication and support them as they move from room to room. n Room leaders plan a range of exciting activities based on the interests of the children. They skilfully link the learning from session to session to enhance and

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need to do better?

9 June 2022 extend children's knowledge and embed what they already know. For example, a session that embeds children's understanding of shapes and drawing shapes is cleverly linked to a further session where children use a pencil to draw the shapes. This builds on prior knowledge and also supports children's growing pencil skills in readiness for school and early writing. Children have recently been involved in hatching ducks. They learn to care for the ducks and are enthralled as they watch them swim in a bowl of water. n The link between home and school is exceptionally strong. The use of a nursery teddy bear bridges home and nursery to share special moments. This successfully brings children's home experiences into the nursery and the bear's diary is used in small group sessions to help children remember what they have already experienced and learned. n Communication and language are a top priority. There is a clear plan from room

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need to do better?

to room that outlines the intent for communication and language for all ages of children. This, alongside clear next steps for each child, ensures that children's individual needs are met. A school council is in place for pre-school children to ensure they have voice and can make decisions about their learning and play. n Pupil premium funding allows all pre-school children to access a visiting sports coach to experience high-quality games and physical activities. The inclusion of children with SEND in the sports activities is exemplary. n Parent partnership is extremely strong and managers and staff forge strong relationships with parents. They work closely with them and share information with them in a variety of ways. Parents unanimously sing the praises of the nursery, saying they are 'like one of the family', that their children are in 'a safe pair of hands' and that staff provide the 'best care, making it a home from

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need to do better?

home'. Parents suggest that children are happy because 'every achievement is celebrated, no matter how small' and say that staff 'give love because it is not just a job, they live and breathe the children'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The setting offers a wide range of safeguarding training to staff. All staff are confident in their knowledge of the signs and types of abuse and how they would respond to safeguarding situations. This includes female genital mutilation, the 'Prevent' duty and county lines. Staff are able to identify local safeguarding risks, such as an increase in knife crime locally, which has meant that staff are more vigilant around this risk. Recruitment within the nursery is robust. A comprehensive induction programme is in place. A designated well-being champion is in post to support staff on a day-to-day basis. In addition, staff receive other support, such as perk boxes and 24 hour GP access, to further ensure their general well-being. Safety for children is paramount.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2515374 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10207888 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 134 Number of children on roll 134 Name of registered person My First Friends Droitwich Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07768635499 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

My First Friends Droitwich Ltd registered in 2019. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 7.30am until 6pm, all year round. The nursery employs 14 members of staff, nine of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and four at level 2. 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 setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and took that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. n The inspector looked at a selection of documentation and checked the suitability of staff working with the children. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. They observed staff's teaching practice during activities.

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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

9 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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