Neston Farm Nursery

Inspection of Neston Farm Nursery Neston Farm Nursery, Denleys Farm, Bath Road, Atworth, Melksham SN12 8HP

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children show they feel safe and secure in the welcoming and friendly nursery. Babies form strong attachments with staff. Babies confidently explore the environment and approach their special adult for comfort when needed. Toddlers are keen to join in with activities, proudly showing adults what they have achieved. Older children show they have formed friendships with other children and play together cooperatively, such as when they build 'bridges' and 'elevators' for the cars.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of children. Babies are encouraged to feed themselves with cutlery and use crockery for their snacks and meals. Toddlers enjoy the responsibility of helping clear the table in readiness for lunch, and confidently pour water into their glasses. Pre-school children serve their lunches and cut up their fruit for snack. The manager has a clear curriculum ethos and knows what skills and knowledge children need to learn as they progress through the nursery and move on to school.

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The provision is good

Partnerships with parents are positive. They report they are happy with the progress their children are making and say they contribute their ideas about what they want their children to learn. Parents can attend planned 'stay and play' sessions and family festivals. However, they have to drop off and collect their children at the door. This does not fully support them to be involved in their children's nursery life and learning.

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need to do better?

n Children's behaviour is very good. Staff place a high emphasis on helping children talk about their feelings. They acknowledge children's emotions and help them manage these appropriately, even with the youngest children. As a result, children play in a calm environment. n Children have lots of opportunities to be outside in the fresh air and to develop their physical skills. They climb over, under and through equipment, and climb trees supervised, learning to take managed risks. Older children know about the rules they need to follow to keep themselves safe when in the woods. They confidently tell staff they must not 'climb trees higher than an adult' and that they 'must not climb over or under the fence.' n Leadership and management are good. Staff report that management support them with their well-being and that they feel really valued as part of the team. For example, staff can access therapy sessions and have weekly exercise classes

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need to do better?

after work. n Staff attend training and development opportunities and share information with the team during staff meetings. For example, following a trip to Austria, staff

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need to do better?

10 August 2022 have implemented 'original play training' for older children and this has enhanced their understanding of the importance of physical touch while playing imaginatively. However, staff's areas for development do not focus sharply on improving the quality of teaching to a consistently high level. n The programme for communication and language is strong. Staff provide a narrative for babies and talk to them during routines, such as nappy changing. Children thoroughly enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes and staff engage young children's interests, such as by using 'song spoons' and puppets. Staff encourage older children to consolidate their learning, as they ask them to remember what they have learned. For example, children recall that seeds are needed to grow plants, fruits and vegetables. n Children have plenty of opportunities to learn about the natural world. They care for the animals, collect eggs from the chickens and tend to and harvest their

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need to do better?

fruit and vegetables. Children are currently incubating peacock eggs, and staff have taught the children the eggs will hatch into peachicks. n Staff know the children, including their interests and what they need to learn, well. They provide a broad curriculum that offers children a wide range of experiences. All children, including those who receive funding, make good progress. Those children who have gaps in their development are quickly supported to catch up.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager monitors children's welfare carefully, promptly liaises with the appropriate agencies when concerns arise, and keeps detailed records. Staff are confident in their knowledge of child protection and safeguarding issues. They know what to do if worried about a child's welfare or the conduct of a colleague. Recruitment procedures are robust and help ensure adults are suitable to work with children. The manager regularly reviews and updates risk assessments, particularly when improving supervision of children in the woods.

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should:

n enhance opportunities for all parents to actively share their children's experiences in nursery n place a sharper focus on improving the quality of teaching to a consistently high level to enhance children's learning even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2633937 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10249445 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 80 Number of children on roll 194 Name of registered person Neston Farm Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01225 707512 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Neston Farm Nursery registered in April 2021. The nursery is based in Atworth, Melksham. The nursery offers care from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 25 staff employed to work with the children. Of these, two have qualified teacher status, two have early years professional status, one has a relevant qualification at level 6 and 15 have 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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment following information we received from the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk and discussed the early years curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity in the woods with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

n The manager made some key documentation available to the inspector, including staff suitability checks and training and qualification certificates.

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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

10 August 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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