Fairstead House Nursery

Inspection of Fairstead House Nursery Fairstead House School, Fordham Road, Newmarket CB8 7AA

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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

Babies and toddlers come into the nursery readily. As staff greet them at the gate, children eagerly reach out to them and snuggle into their arms. Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this exceptionally welcoming and nurturing nursery. They develop extremely close emotional attachments to staff, confidently seeking them out for reassurance and to engage in their play. Staff ensure that children are busy and safe as they play. For example, during inspection, staff made the decision not to take younger babies outside to play, and older babies went outside early in the day due to the extremely hot weather conditions.

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The provision is outstanding

Children develop a very positive attitude to their play and learning. They confidently choose what they want to play with. Staff are led by what children want to do, readily moving on when children tire of an activity. Even very young children sit attentively and concentrate during whole-group activities. They delight in choosing an item from the 'tap, tap box', and attempt to join in as staff sing a rhyme associated with the item. Children respond positively to the high expectations of staff and make rapid progress in all areas of learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff meet the unique needs of the children, helping ensure that every child makes exceptionally good progress. Staff skilfully support children in purposeful play. Children benefit from interesting resources that promote their natural instincts to discover and explore. For example, young babies thoroughly enjoy exploring the texture of cereals in a tray and using their sense of smell, touch and taste. n Older babies explore the texture of paint and are supported to make marks using brushes. When some children choose to slap their hands in the paint, they are encouraged to explore how it feels. Staff are highly effective, ensuring that equality and inclusion are at the heart of everything they do with the children. All children are able to participate in activities at their own level. n Staff talk to children in a calm and respectful manner, gently reminding them about the need to share and take turns with popular resources. Children learn to

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need to do better?

behave well and respond positively to the high expectations of staff. Staff support children's self-esteem well. Babies beam with delight as staff give meaningful praise for their efforts. n Staff chat to the children all of the time, providing a running commentary about what they are doing, introducing new vocabulary and encouraging children to communicate effectively. They respond exceptionally well to the babbles and gestures of babies. n Staff help children develop a highly positive sense of themselves. Exceptionally caring relationships have been established between the children and staff,

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need to do better?

18 July 2022 helping children to feel extremely happy and secure. Staff know the children very well. They know about children's home lives and talk to them about their families, significantly enhancing their sense of belonging. n Children are helped to learn about the importance of good hygiene routines. They are supported to manage their personal hygiene needs relevant to their age and stage of development. Staff fully promote children's independence. n Staff are committed to working together with parents. They respect parents as their child's key educator. They encourage parents to remain actively involved in their children's learning, both in the nursery and at home. Parents are highly satisfied with the service provided. They describe staff as 'a fantastic team', and thoroughly appreciate the 'love and care' shown to their children. n The manager implements an effective programme of supervision for all staff to

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need to do better?

manage their performance and support their well-being effectively. Staff are extremely enthusiastic and motivated. They work very well as a friendly and supportive team. Staff have opportunities to further their professional development. For example, a member of staff has qualified as an early years teacher while employed by the nursery. n The manager is fully aware of the strengths of the setting. She demonstrates an exceptionally strong commitment to continuous improvement and working towards excellence in all areas. She has high expectations for the nursery, leading to an exceptional provision and outcomes for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff demonstrate extensive knowledge of how to safeguard children. They are fully aware of the indicators of abuse and know how to report concerns. Staff are clear that the safety and welfare of children is of the utmost priority. There are robust recruitment and selection procedures in place to help ensure that those working with children are suitable for their role. Staff are confident about what they should do if they have a concern about a colleague.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY543855 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10232558 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 21 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Fairstead House School Trust Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01638 662318 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Fairstead House Nursery registered in 2017. Children under the age of two years are covered by this Ofsted registration. Children over two years of age form part of the school's registration. The provision for children over the age of two years is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Nine childcare staff work with the children under two years of age, including one member of staff who is a bank staff member. Eight staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 or above, including an early years teacher. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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 manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and the inspector completed a tour of the setting to help the inspector understand how the early years provision and the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, and assessed the impact this had on children's learning. n Staff spoke with the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of written testimonials.

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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

18 July 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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