Spring - Medmenham

Inspection of Spring - Medmenham The Community Centre, West Close, Medmenham, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2EH

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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 benefit enormously from the outstanding provision of care provided by dedicated and enthusiastic staff. At the very heart of the curriculum staff embed a strong focus on language, literacy, confidence and independence. Children flourish in exceptionally well-planned environments that thoroughly support their learning. The vast outdoor spaces, including those that offer forest-school activities, are used very effectively by staff to enhance children's education. Children are extremely happy and clearly feel very safe and secure at nursery.

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The provision is outstanding

All children are extremely motivated to learn. For example, pre-school children enhance their problem-solving skills during an activity that follows a popular topic of pirates. They hunt for treasure in a water tray containing a toy ship full of pirates. Children skilfully use magnets to determine if the treasure they source is magnetic or not. They show excellent dexterity as they use tweezers to retrieve coins less accessible to them and collect these in a treasure chest. Children confidently identify that the chest is 'heavy'. They understand that the toy pirates will be feeling 'cross' as they have lost all their treasure. Children sort their coins into 'big', 'small', 'silver' and 'gold'. They recall prior learning by exclaiming that gold 'glistens in the sun'. Children are exceptionally keen to demonstrate their understanding of mathematical concepts. For instance, they count quantities, work

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The provision is outstanding

out how many 'more' they have of particular coins, and solve addition and subtraction puzzles with ease.

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need to do better?

n The exceptionally competent manager leads her team very well. She provides highly effective professional support and training to help staff remain thoroughly suitable for their roles. This has, for example, resulted in extensions of outdoor- play provision. Staff recognise the huge impact of this on children's use of language, awareness of informed risk, positive behaviour and engagement with learning. Training for senior staff to work with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has also made a positive impact on how children access support if and when needed. n Staff have a precise understanding of their curriculum and implement this consistently. They plan purposeful, interesting and challenging activities across all seven areas of learning to complement children's interests. Initiatives, such as physical-education sessions, cookery classes, gardening club, and healthy

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need to do better?

lifestyle workshops, enhance the foundations for children's future knowledge. n Children are incredibly interested in stories. They listen exceptionally well and are attentive and very keen to demonstrate their comprehension of what is happening. Children are especially excited to sit on low-level stools listening to staff read from the 'giant story telling chair', that is positioned in the corner of

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need to do better?

3 August 2022 the garden. For example, as pre-school children listen to 'Commotion in the Ocean', they speak fluently to each other as they share their knowledge about the different sea creatures, such as a shark, stingray, turtle or dolphin. n Staff are very successful in how they interact with children to build on real-life experiences. Young children show extreme curiosity as they dig in mud, collect leaves and twigs, and transport water as they play in the mud kitchen. They make potions and soup, deciding on the ingredients and if this is 'hot or cold'. Early language development is extremely evident as children use the right context for terms such as big, small, heavy and full up. n Toddlers have extremely secure attachments with staff. They benefit enormously from hearing lots of singing, language and repetitive verse. Consequently, toddlers know familiar songs and actions and are very keen to join in. They

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need to do better?

make great strides in their emerging language and communication skills. n All children are incredibly well behaved and have high levels of respect for their friends. They play cooperatively and join in confidently. For example, they push sit-on cars up the slope, get in and race down, laughing with their friends. Children play football together. They show highly effective ball control and discuss the rules, such as it is only the goalkeeper who can hold the ball. Small groups of children experiment with the theory of colour. They test out their ideas and explain that mixing red and yellow paint makes orange. n Meal times are remarkably sociable occasions. Children are provided with nutritional foods that they enjoy immensely and which thoroughly promotes healthy lifestyles. For example, at snack time, children decide on their choice of fruit from the basket. They peel oranges and bananas with minimal support.

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need to do better?

During lunch, children serve themselves independently and know to hold the handles of the serving dish as the base may be hot. They use exceptionally polite language and demonstrate excellent table manners. Toddlers show high levels of growing independence in their self-feeding skills. n Parents speak passionately about the numerous benefits children receive from attending the nursery. Parents are very positive about their children's language acquisition, independence and in particular older children's school readiness. They warmly praise nurturing staff and state that communication is excellent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to protect and safeguard children. For example, they know the procedure to follow should an allegation be made against a staff member. They know how to make timely referrals if they have a concern about a child. Policies, procedures and risk assessments are robust, adhered to efficiently and regularly reviewed. Staff have an accurate understanding of children's backgrounds and know their families extremely well. Highly effective parent workshops help to inform parents of the potential dangers relating to television and social media.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY555783 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10174709 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 33 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Action For Children Developments Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01628 476419 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Spring Medmenham re-registered in 2018. It operates from the community hall, Medmenham, near Marlow. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for most weeks of the year. It closes for two weeks over Christmas and New Year, during bank holidays, and the last two weeks of August. There are 18 staff working with children. This includes the chef and staff who are employed on a casual basis for cover, as well as apprentices who are completing qualifications. Two staff hold a level 6 qualification and six staff hold recognised childcare qualifications. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four.

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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 this into account in the evaluation of the provider. n The manager provided the inspector with a learning walk on arrival at the nursery. They discussed how staff plan and implement the curriculum and the impact this curriculum is making for children's learning. n A joint observation was completed. The manager explained how staff are supported in their roles. n The inspector observed staff interacting with children. She spoke with children as they took part in their activities. n The inspector met with the manager. She spoke with staff and met with parents. Written feedback from other parents was also taken into account.

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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

3 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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