The Old School House Nursery And Pre School

Inspection of The Old School House Nursery And Pre School Buckholme Towers, 18 Commercial Road, Poole, Dorset BH14 0JW

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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 leave their parents without hesitation and settle quickly at their chosen activities. They have a positive sense of belonging and identity within this welcoming nursery. Children develop strong attachments to the staff and enjoy their interactions. Staff are friendly and caring. They have created an environment that encourages children's enthusiasm for learning and supports their emotional well-being successfully.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and develop positive attitudes towards their learning. They are respectful, patient and greet visitors politely as they pass by. Children develop confidence in social situations. They talk to staff and with each other about what they plan to make and how they might do it.

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The provision is good

Children are inquisitive learners and develop good physical skills. Outdoors, they experiment with water and chalk. They colour the water with the chalk and enthusiastically notice changes when the colours mix. Children transfer the water using jugs to make puddles and use wooden planks to create balance beams over the puddles. Staff give praise when children balance and walk along the planks independently. This helps to boost children's self-esteem and confidence. Indoors, older children use construction blocks to work out how to build houses. Younger children have fun playing games that involve sorting different-coloured bears into patterns. Babies move confidently around and concentrate as they use their fingers and thumbs to pick up small wooden rings to collect into a basket.

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need to do better?

n The manager has worked hard to develop an ambitious curriculum and developed an approach which centres on children's interests. Staff know children well, what they want children to learn and the progress they have made. However, although staff use children's interests as a basis for the activities they provide, occasionally, they are unsure of how to extend an activity to enrich the learning and help children to develop a deeper understanding. n Children in receipt of funding or with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff discuss any gaps or concerns about children's development with parents. If necessary, they make referrals to other agencies. Staff are aware of the current targets for children with SEND. They liaise consistently with other professional agencies involved with the children. n Staff offer good support for children who speak English as an additional

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need to do better?

language. They help children to learn English and also show respect for their home languages. For example, when children settle, staff gather familiar words and phrases in children's home language. All children's language development is well supported. For instance, all children take part in group times regularly.

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need to do better?

16 August 2022 n The chef prepares healthy and nutritious snacks and cooked meals on site. Toddlers enjoy eating and discussing their favourite vegetables as they feed themselves independently using cutlery. Older children learn to serve themselves and manage to pour water from jugs. Children make healthy choices and develop a healthy lifestyle. n Staff offer a range of activities, such as drama, physical education and ballet, to give children opportunities that they may not otherwise have. The manager sources teachers to visit weekly. This enables staff and children to learn new skills alongside each other. In addition, children enjoy planned outings. For example, they visit local shops, the library, theatre, beach and parks. This helps to promote children's sense of self within their local community. n Staff work hard to develop positive partnerships with parents. They share detailed information with parents, which encourages their involvement in

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need to do better?

children's learning at home. Staff provide a variety of leaflets and activities to support parents in a range of topics, such as oral hygiene and sleeping tips. Parents praise the staff for their effective communication and for the advice they receive. n The leadership team are strongly motivated and strive for improvement. They evaluate their provision to provide high-quality learning experiences for all children. The manager is an enthusiastic role model for the staff team. She is passionate about providing high-quality care where all children feel welcomed. As a result, the children and their families are at the heart of practice. n Staff feel well supported in their roles. They benefit from regular staff meetings, supervision sessions and plentiful training opportunities. The manager implements a strong training plan for staff to develop their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager understands her role and responsibilities as the designated safeguarding lead. Staff complete regular training to keep their awareness of child protection issues up to date. Leaders and staff know the process to follow if they have a concern about a child and the procedures for referring to external agencies. They have reflected on recent matters and reviewed policies and procedures to bring about further improvements. Children with health needs have care plans that are understood and followed by staff. The leadership team follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n support staff even further to extend learning opportunities for children in order to enrich the learning and help children to develop a deeper understanding.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2542068 Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Inspection number 10215377 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 130 Name of registered person Howard Holdings (poole) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01202 242794 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Old School House Nursery and Pre School registered in 2019. It is a privately- owned nursery that operates from a large, older style property that used to be a school in Poole, Dorset. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, throughout the year. There are 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 6, one has a level 5 qualification, 18 hold level 3 qualifications and four hold a level 2 qualification. 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 setting 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 setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years curriculum is organised. Room leaders discussed how staff plan the curriculum to meet children's needs and development. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. They observed how well staff teach children and discussed what they want them to learn. n Several parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and the inspector

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Inspection activities

took account of written testimonials. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the evidence of staff qualifications and the suitability of the staff working with the children. n The inspector spoke with the leadership team and the owners of the nursery about the leadership and management of the setting.

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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

16 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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