Garden House Nursery School

Inspection of Garden House Nursery School 50 Gloucester Road, KINGSTON UPON THAMES, Surrey KT1 3RB

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are happy and content at the nursery. They settle in with the help of their key person and form close bonds with them and other staff. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure at the nursery. They engage in a range of motivating activities and explore with all their senses. For example, they sense and discuss the smell of play dough, and explore the texture of the sand and safe foam. Some children taste the fruit, such as lemon, and recognise its sour and tangy taste. Children enjoy doing things for themselves, including managing some personal care. This shows they are developing independence. Children readily respond to staff's requests, such as when staff tell them to share or tidy up. They are kind and respectful of each other's differences.

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The provision is good

Children are active and build on their physical skills. For example, when they are outdoors, they play with balls and ride tricycles. Children explore natural resources and have the opportunity to engage in gardening, watering and watching how the fruit and vegetables grow. They practise their early writing skills, including outdoors with a range of media, such as paint and water. Children are confident learners because staff have high expectations of them. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop secure foundations for their future learning.

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need to do better?

n The new management team work well to support staff and improve the quality of teaching across the nursery. Staff feel valued and supported in their roles. They receive a range of training, including how to help children to regulate their behaviour. Children know what is expected of them and behave well. n The management team continues to embed systems for reflecting on and improving practice, including through identifying staff's training needs. In addition, they encourage parents to share their views to make continuous improvements. n Staff and managers recognise that the youngest children continue to take longer to settle following the COVID-19 pandemic. They skilfully adapt settling-in procedures to meet children's individual needs to help them feel emotionally secure. n The management team and staff provide a well-balanced and interesting curriculum, which supports all areas of children's learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Staff know children well. They use assessments effectively to consider gaps in children's knowledge and carefully plan for children's next steps. The management team and staff work closely with other professionals to provide appropriate support for individual children, including those with SEND. n Staff focus well on promoting children's early language development. For

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need to do better?

12 May 2022 example, through meaningful conversations, reading stories and singing rhymes. Children listen attentively when staff read the stories. They eagerly answer staff's questions and confidently name the animals in the book. n Staff carefully arrange exciting learning environment outdoors. They plan a range of activities to help children express their comprehension, as well as imagination. For example, children play selling fruit and vegetables in their outdoor shop and ask buyers for pretend money. n Children enjoy outdoor play and benefit from a balanced and nutritious diet throughout the day. This helps them naturally learn about the importance to support a good lifestyle. n The management team and staff establish effective partnerships with parents. They regularly share relevant information about children's care and learning. This helps to provide consistency in children care, learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Staff teach children about the importance of dental hygiene. They encourage children to wash their hands before mealtimes and after messy play. However, staff are not always proactive to support children's understanding of cleanliness and handwashing outdoors. For example, when children share and play outside with the real-life resources and taste fruit and vegetables. n Staff plan activities to build on children's mathematical skills. However, they do not always consider the length of an activity when children of different abilities participate. As a result, some children become fidgety and lose focus.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are knowledgeable about child protection matters and understand how to keep children safe. They receive regular training and can identify the possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm. The management team follow robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff working with children are suitable to do so. The management team and staff are vigilant and complete regular risk assessments indoors and outdoors to identify and remove potential hazards and keep children safe. They ensure that information about children is kept confidential and only available to those who have a right to see them.

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should:

n strengthen current hygiene practices, including outdoors to build on children's understanding of how to keep themselves healthy n review the organisation of some group activities to sustain the interest and maximise learning and enjoyment for children of different stages of development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY360354 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 10199343 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 38 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person The Stars Childcare Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 5473216 Date of previous inspection 8 June 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Garden House Nursery School, previously known as Stars Day Nursery, registered in 2007 and operates from Kingston upon Thames. It is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery employs 10 staff, of whom eight hold appropriate early years qualifications. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The senior manager and the inspector completed the learning walk together. n The senior manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector and evaluated the impact of teaching on children's learning. n The inspector held a meeting with the senior manager. n The inspector spoke to parents and gathered their views about the setting. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector reviewed some documents relevant to the inspection process.

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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

12 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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