Homeland Day Nursery

Inspection of Homeland Day Nursery Navigation Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1LJ

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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 Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this wonderfully nurturing, homely environment, where they develop exceptionally close bonds with their key person. They become deeply engaged and enthusiastic in their play, supported by highly knowledgeable staff. The meticulous sequencing of children's learning provides all children with a solid foundation on which to build further skills. Exceptionally rich and varied experiences are carefully planned, based on children's interests. For example, older babies start to notice sounds in the environment, such as an aeroplane. Staff enrich this interest in transport with a ride on the tram and the bus. This enables children to engage in real-life experiences, therefore offering more meaning to the activity.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff have exceptionally high expectations of all children. They promote children's courteous behaviour through consistent use of their 'golden rules' of good listening, kind hands and respect. Children show impressive respect for the people around them. Exceptional settling-in and transition arrangements between rooms support children to become exceedingly confident and self-assured individuals. As a result, children are well prepared for the next stage in their journey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff offered superb support to parents in order to help them to extend their child's learning at home. They also engaged in regular video calls with children. This helped to ensure that children continued to make excellent progress, and that they seamlessly returned to nursery when it was safe to do so.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff implement an ambitious, bespoke curriculum which is designed to reflect the individuality of children. The early years teacher supports staff to effectively implement the curriculum across the setting. She meticulously focuses on the individual needs of the staff and their key children. This rigorous support enables all staff to receive highly bespoke professional development opportunities in order to maintain their skills at the highest level. n High-quality interactions between staff and children help children to learn and confidently use new vocabulary. Staff offer a narrative as children play. This helps to support and extend children's impressive oral skills. Children effortlessly make links in their learning. They independently recall knowledge they have learned previously. For example, they eagerly recall the process of building a pond and making a habitat for the fish to live in. Children are extremely

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need to do better?

articulate learners who seek to build upon their knowledge and skills. n Children have access to a thoughtfully planned and well-resourced outdoor area, where they learn about nature first hand. For example, children use binoculars to watch the birds feeding in trees from the bird-watching hut. They become immersed in planting their own seeds and vegetables within the forest-school

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need to do better?

4 August 2022 site. This provides superb real-life opportunities to plant, grow and care for other living things. n Staff monitor children's progress rigorously. They swiftly identify any gaps in children's learning and implement individual plans to ensure that all children receive the support they need to make excellent progress. Staff actively seek advice from other agencies, when required, such as speech and language services and specialist teachers. Excellent professional relationships with a range of other agencies help to ensure that all children's needs are superbly met. n Leaders place a high priority on developing children's physical skills through play. For example, exploring malleable materials with younger children supports them to become confident in copying and instigating the moves, rolling the dough out, squishing and squeezing. This helps to develop children's fine-motor skills in preparation for writing and mark making.

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need to do better?

n Children listen to a wealth of stories each day and delight in joining in with familiar phrases. They borrow books from the local library, further promoting their obvious love of reading. Literacy skills are further enhanced through a wide range of speaking and listening games. For example, children know that a label reads 'suitcase' as they recognise that it starts with 's'. n Leaders place a great emphasis on the emotional well-being of staff by offering opportunities for team building, well-being events, and minimising workload where possible. They actively encourage and support staff to enhance their qualifications by attaining early years teacher status and forest-school practitioner qualifications. In return, staff retention is excellent, and the team are incredibly supportive of each other. Staff are encouraged to share aspects of their outstanding practice. They learn from each other in order to ensure

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need to do better?

consistency and continually build upon their impressive skills. n Leaders are committed to supporting the physical and emotional health of children. External agencies support staff in delivering weekly music and movement sessions. They encourage children to become more active through practical sessions. Children understand the importance of good physical health and exercise on their bodies. Furthermore, they receive support from dental health professionals who help promote positive family attitudes to oral health.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider gives high priority to safeguarding children. Staff receive regular safeguarding updates and their knowledge is rigorously checked. Training is key in ensuring all staff are fully aware of safeguarding procedures and legislation. As a result, staff are extremely knowledgeable and provide a safe culture in which children can learn and develop. Effective risk assessments are regularly undertaken in order to ensure children's safety. Staff teach children to manage their own safety. For example, children understand where they can go and what they can do safely. They know that any red cones in the forest-school area means that it is not safe for them to go there.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY307051 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 10234929 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 66 Name of registered person Atherton House Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 929 1811 Date of previous inspection 19 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Homeland Day Nursery registered in 2005. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including two with early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.00pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery follows Montessori teaching methods.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. 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 and the manager carried out a joint observation of a phonics activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate 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

4 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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