Castle Nursery at Perryfields

Inspection of Castle Nursery at Perryfields 131 Perryfields Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 8TH

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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

Children have endless amounts of fun at this welcoming and nurturing setting. They are confident learners because staff prioritise their well-being. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children form incredibly close relationships with staff and their peers. They are extremely supportive of one another and behave exceptionally well. Pre-school children delight as they construct a wall using foam blocks. They use shaving foam as 'cement' and skilfully model to younger children how to use a spade to smooth the cement before adding more blocks. Children benefit from lots of praise and encouragement from their key person. This empowers children, building on their confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is outstanding

Every area of the setting is a hive of activity. Children are totally immersed in a vast range of purposeful learning opportunities. Toddlers have great fun as they explore ice and water. They are fascinated as the ice melts, and they confidently count how many toy Antarctic animals they can find. Babies beam as staff use puppets to support their learning. They excitedly join in with staff as they sing familiar nursery rhymes.

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The provision is outstanding

All children thrive because staff have consistently high expectations of what they can achieve. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and those who are in receipt of additional funding. Consequently, children are superbly prepared for their next stage of education and the eventual transition to school.

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need to do better?

n Staff know children exceptionally well. They plan an exciting and challenging curriculum that is built around children's current interests. Children's knowledge is securely embedded and builds on what they already know and can do. For instance, children talk passionately about the carrots they recently grew at the setting. They confidently discuss the similarities and differences in the size, shape and colour of their home-grown carrots. They eagerly ask staff if they can eat their produce at snack time. n The provider and managers work extremely closely with all staff. They are enormously passionate about their work and empower every staff member to share their vision for the setting. The well-qualified and long-standing staff team are extremely forward-thinking. They ensure that they are constantly moving forward to build further on their practice, to improve outcomes for children. There are highly effective systems to support and mentor all staff.

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need to do better?

n Children have exceptional knowledge of how to keep themselves safe. They independently risk assess during learning opportunities. They confidently talk to their peers about the importance of managing any potential hazards. For

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need to do better?

27 July 2022 example, as toddlers make their own dough, they explain that they need to be careful that the water is not hot as they could burn themselves. n Teaching is outstanding. Staff plan extremely high-quality experiences that successfully build on children's knowledge over time. As a result, children are independent learners. Children excitedly talk about the story of 'The Gruffalo' as they explore the dough they previously made. They enthusiastically tell staff that they think the Gruffalo could live in a cave. They have lots of fun working alongside staff as they begin to create their own cave out of dough. n Staff understand the importance of developing children's communication and language skills from an early age. They create a rich, communication-friendly environment for children. Staff use simple sign language to support children's language development. Babies listen with interest and follow short, simple

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need to do better?

instructions. Toddlers acquire new vocabulary during activities. Staff expertly explain what the word 'transparent' means as children explore colour-mixing with the light box. Pre-school children answer challenging questions, such as 'why is it important to use soap when you wash your hands?'. They show that their learning has been consolidated as they explain that soap helps to 'wash away all of the germs'. n Children become well-rounded individuals with a firm sense of themselves. Staff acknowledge that some children have had limited contact with others during the COVID-19 pandemic and may take longer to settle. They plan activities that support children to recognise and express their emotions. In turn, children are emotionally resilient from a young age, persist at tasks and are consistently eager to join in with activities. n Partnership working is superb. Staff pride themselves on forming strong

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need to do better?

relationships with each family and sharing information with them each day. This enables parents to build further on what their children are learning in the setting. Parents comment how 'amazing' and 'approachable' the staff are and that they 'cannot fault the setting' in any way. Staff also work highly collaboratively with staff from local schools and other settings and with other professionals. This directly contributes to the outstanding support for children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff give the utmost priority to children's safety and well-being. Staff fully understand the reporting procedures they must follow if they have concerns about a child or adult. They are confident of the signs and symptoms of abuse that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Managers have stringent procedures for safer recruitment. Staff benefit from a robust induction process that ensures they are confident in the setting's procedures. There are thorough risk assessments to promote children's health and safety. Children learn to assess risks safely during play as they balance on tyres, climb stairs and navigate the garden. Staff closely supervise children to promote their welfare.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY290021 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10116281 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 42 Number of children on roll 81 Name of registered person Castle Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01527 871 006 Date of previous inspection 27 May 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Castle Nursery at Perryfields registered in 2004. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery 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 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 nursery manager, the business manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all the areas of the nursery and discussed their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the nursery manager and business manager. n The inspector spoke with parents to gain their views and opinions of the nursery. n The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and business manager. He looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff

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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

27 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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