Cornmeadow Early Years and Families

Inspection of Cornmeadow Early Years and Families Checketts Lodge, 19-21 Checketts Lane, Worcester, Worcestershire WR3 7JW

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children make excellent progress in this inspiring setting, where they feel safe and secure. They happily and confidently enter the setting and explore a wide range of activities that are accessible to them. Resources and activities are carefully planned by staff, to stimulate children's development and a love of learning.

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The provision is outstanding

Children communicate confidently with their friends, staff and visitors. Pre-school children talk about a recent visitor to the setting, as part of their topic about emergency services. They enthusiastically describe the ambulance, the sounds it makes and what the paramedic told them about staying safe. Children talk about the importance of wearing safety helmets while riding bicycles and remind visitors to use the zebra crossing to cross the tricycle track in the nursery garden. Younger children join in with familiar action songs and nursery rhymes. Children react with awe and wonder when staff encourage them to say 'abracadabra', as the room darkens and the ceiling lights up with stars. Children sing, 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' soothingly as they wind down and prepare for lunch.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is excellent. The familiar routine ensures children know what to expect next. Staff use positive reinforcement and model expected behaviour to ensure children follow the setting's rules. Children listen to, understand and follow clear instructions given by staff. Children use good manners, take turns and are respectful to staff and their friends.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are exceptionally well supported. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works proactively with parents and other professionals, to ensure children make the best possible progress. The manager and staff review and adapt the provision to create an inclusive environment that accommodates all children, including those with complex physical needs. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Home visits prior to children joining the setting ensure staff understand what children already know and can do. Parents complete 'family trees' to inform staff of the important people in children's lives. Children's developmental targets are set with parents and regularly reviewed. n Parents talk positively about children's key-person relationships and communication from staff. Staff also provide advice and guidance for home learning. The manager has created a selection of leaflets to support parents'

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need to do better?

understanding of how to help children develop at home, including information about toilet training, communication and language and behaviour management. n Specialist staff training ensures that children with language and communication delay, and children with English as an additional language (EAL) are fully

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need to do better?

18 November 2022 supported. Staff use visual images, sign language and small group focus times to develop children's communication and language skills. Children with EAL also use sound buttons with familiar songs in their home language. Furthermore, high ratios of staff to children ensure staff are available to model language, share stories and support children throughout the day. n Highly skilled and animated staff lead group sessions that capture children's interests. Staff provide children with time to think and respond to open questions that extend their learning. Carefully planned activities introduce new vocabulary and concepts. For example, during a dance session, children explore how to stretch up tall like giraffes and crouch down like tiny tortoises. They move fast and slow as they jump like frogs, waddle like penguins and swing like monkeys while moving freely to the music. n Staff promote healthy living. They model good hygiene, remind children to drink

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need to do better?

to stay hydrated and eat healthy snacks and meals. They manage rest and sleep safely, and encourage exercise indoors and out, to develop children's physical skills and well-being. Children climb steps, negotiate a bridge and slide indoors, while outside they run around, pedal tractors and negotiate obstacles in the fresh air. Physical education sessions run by visiting sports specialists and the woodland play area, provide further opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Staff support children's emotional well-being. They help children to label their emotions, build their resilience skills and learn to self-regulate. n Leadership and management are exemplary. The manager has high expectations of staff and carefully recruits staff that share the same vision. Staff have key development roles within the setting and report high levels of support from the manager. The manager monitors and constantly reviews the provision, taking

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need to do better?

the views of staff and parents into account. She actively seeks further training for staff. She has developed close working partnerships with local schools and other early years settings to share best practice and improve outcomes for children. She has ambitious plans for the future to develop an 'Eco hut' where children will learn about the environment and sustainability.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the manager's upmost priority. The manager's stringent recruitment processes, ongoing supervision and checks ensure staff are suitable to work with children. The premises are safe and secure. Staff complete risk assessments daily to minimise potential hazards. The environment, toys and resources are clean and well maintained. The manager and designated safeguarding leads work in partnership with external agencies to keep children safe. All staff receive safeguarding training and regular updates. They are aware of the signs of abuse and procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare. Policies and procedures are in place. The manager makes sure staff follow them to ensure children are well supervised and kept safe at all times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY447547 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10235797 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 54 Number of children on roll 94

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Name of registered person

Cornmeadow Early Years and Families Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01905455396 Date of previous inspection 16 February 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Cornmeadow Early Years and Families was registered in 2012. The nursery is located in the town of Worcester and opens Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff with appropriate early years qualifications. Of these, three hold level 2 qualifications and are working towards level 3. There are 11 staff who hold a relevant level 3 qualification: one has a level 5 foundation degree and one has an early years degree.

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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 the evaluations of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

18 November 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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