Ashford Play Nursery

Inspection of Ashford Play Nursery 43 Albert Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 8NU

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children and parents receive a warm welcome when they arrive at this lovely nursery. Parents have the opportunity to exchange news with staff. This helps children to have the best possible start to their day. Children develop independence when they learn where to hang their coats before joining their friends in the large garden.

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The provision is good

The manager and staff have high expectations for all children. The curriculum builds upon what children already know, which helps them to be curious to learn more. Funding is used to buy items to support specific needs and provide new experiences for children. Staff also work closely with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists. This helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make the best possible progress. Children enjoy developing their physical skills by playing in the large garden. Here, they use bikes and ride-on toys as well as having space to run and jump. Children happily dig and make recipes in the mud kitchen. They also enjoy growing vegetables and herbs, which are often eaten at snack time.

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The provision is good

A range of stimulating resources are provided throughout the nursery. The curriculum promotes progress for all children. For example, a cosy library invites children to look at books and to enjoy having stories read to them. This helps children to learn new words and develop new interests. Kind, caring and qualified staff get to know children well. They help children to settle in at nursery help them to feel safe and secure. Once children have settled in, they plan activities to help them make progress with their learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Children are encouraged to enjoy books and hearing stories. They delight in singing songs and joining in with actions. Staff introduce new vocabulary during play and allow children time to think before they respond. This gives children confidence to try out new words and ideas. However, children who speak English as an additional language do not always have opportunities to hear and use their home language in play and learning. This does not support their overall language development. n Dedicated staff develop excellent relationships with parents and children. Information is shared daily and formal updates on children's progress every term. They receive regular updates about their child's progress, and they have opportunities to respond with their thoughts and ideas. Parents value receiving information about current topics and events at the nursery. This helps them join in with opportunities for learning at home. For example, by growing sunflowers

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need to do better?

from seed and sharing photos of how tall they have grown on the nursery's

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need to do better?

16 September 2022 private social media page. n Children's behaviour is very good. They cooperate with each other when they play, learn to be kind to each other and learn to take turns. Children learn about feelings and talk about how characters in books might be feeling. This helps them to develop an understanding of how people feel in different circumstances. Children also benefit from familiar routines, and this helps them to know what to expect throughout the day. n Staff provide exciting opportunities for children to role play and learn about different people and their jobs. Children enjoy dressing up and pretending to be a doctor, a builder or a princess. Other children enjoy learning about how to care for babies, as they are expecting a new sibling. Staff support all children, but sometimes the group size is too big to give all the children the attention they need to develop their roles and storylines.

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need to do better?

n New children are welcomed into the nursery by everyone, and most settle very quickly as a result. Settling-in periods are planned for each individual child, which helps them to become familiar with their new environment, get to know their key person and to meet their new friends at nursery. When children take longer to settle in, staff at the nursery speak to parents to keep them informed and to discuss how best to help their child. When children move on to school, the nursery ensures that teachers receive information to help them settle in. n Children are provided with healthy snacks and nutritious, home-cooked meals. The trained cook ensures that children with allergies and food intolerances are catered for. Children have independent access to water at all times. Children are further helped to learn to be healthy by washing their hands before meals and learning to put their hands over their mouths when they cough. This helps to

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need to do better?

stop the spread of infection. n The manager ensures that staff have access to opportunities to attend training and complete a variety of online courses. This helps to ensure that all staff have opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider is fully aware of their duty to keep children safe. Staff attend training so that they can recognise children who may be at risk of harm. The premises are well maintained, regularly risk assessed and secure. Toys and resources are clean and in good repair. Staff know who to contact if they have concerns about a child. They also know what action to take if there is an allegation against a member of staff. The manager regularly discusses safeguarding at team meetings and ensures that staff keep their knowledge updated.

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should:

16 September 2022 n manage group sizes and provision of resources to ensure that all children receive the necessary support n provide opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language at nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 126981 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10228223 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 44 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Webb, Valerie

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reference number

Telephone number 01233 625301 Date of previous inspection 27 October 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Ashford Play Nursery opened in 1971 and registered in 2001. It is one of a chain of three privately owned nurseries. The nursery opens weekdays, from 8am to 5.30pm, for 51 weeks a year. There are eight members of staff, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 A joint observation of a nursery activity was undertaken with the manager. n The quality of interactions between staff and children, and the learning opportunities being provided for children, were assessed. n The indoor and outdoor learning environments were visited. n Specific documentation, including the safeguarding policy, was reviewed. n The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children and considered their views n The inspector and the manager conducted a joint observation of children.

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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 September 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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