The Right Track Children's Nursery

Inspection of The Right Track Children's Nursery National Express, Hertford East Railway Station, Mill Road, HERTFORD SG14 1SB

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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 are keen to spend time at the nursery. They arrive happily and enjoy their time in the care of the staff. Children develop close attachments with the staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff respond swiftly to babies' needs and provide cuddles and reassurance, for example, when babies are feeling unsettled or tired. Children develop their confidence. Toddlers grin with delight as they experiment with cornflour 'gloop'. Older children are keen to share their experiences from home. They develop friendships and enjoy each other's company. Children learn how to take turns, share, and play cooperatively with their peers. They respond well to the praise from staff.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's developing communication and language. Children have many opportunities to hear, and join in with, action songs and rhymes. They enjoy listening to favourite stories and are keen to look at books with staff. Children point to the pictures and staff name the different objects. This helps to support children's growing vocabulary.

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The provision is good

Children have regular opportunities to visit places in the local area. For example, staff take children for walks to the supermarket, and on train journeys to the pond to feed the ducks. These types of activities help to inspire children's curiosity as they explore the world around them.

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need to do better?

n The provider and manager thoughtfully monitor, review, and adapt the environment to meet children's individual needs. For example, they recently swapped around the children's base rooms, to ensure that all children have the space they need to play and learn. n Staff work closely with parents to get to know children and their families. They act on information received during the settling-in process to ensure children are well supported when they first start at the nursery. Effective procedures are in place to support children as they move between the rooms within the nursery. Staff communicate well as a team and involve parents in these transitions, to ensure that children feel reassured and supported. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents express their thoughts and are complimentary of the 'home-from-home setting' and the 'very friendly staff'. Daily feedback discussions and updates on the online app help to ensure that

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need to do better?

parents are kept well informed of their children's day and progress. n Staff are aware of children's current interests and provide activities to support these. They talk to children as they play, and in the main, ask questions to build on what children know and can do. However, staff do not focus precisely enough on what it is they want children to learn from the activities they provide. This

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need to do better?

8 December 2022 means that children gain limited new knowledge from the activities and as a result, do not make the best progress possible. n The provider and new manager focus on observing staff practice. Staff have regular opportunities to discuss and reflect on their performance, including during supervision meetings. However, staff are not fully supported to review and adapt daily routines, such as a whole-group story, to ensure children reach the highest levels of engagement and enjoyment. n Children of all ages learn to be independent. Staff support older children to serve their own food at lunchtime and to scrape their plates when they have finished. Children have a go at putting on their shoes before going outdoors, and toddlers select their own cups when they would like a drink. n Staff put good thought into providing space and resources that help to promote children's physical skills. Indoors, young children enjoy using the low climbing

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need to do better?

frame and slide, and older children are eager to take part in a music and movement session. Outside, children explore the items in the mud kitchen and have opportunities to take risks as they explore real tools. This helps children to practise and strengthen the muscles in their hands and their physical control. Staff supervise children well as they take part in these activities. n Effective support is in place for children who are learning to speak English as an additional language, and children in receipt of additional funding.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider follows robust recruitment and induction procedures for new staff. Essential background checks are completed to make certain that staff are suitable to work with children. All staff understand the action they must take if they have a concern about the welfare of a child. They are fully aware of what to do should concerns be raised if management were not to follow them up. Staff complete regular training to deepen their knowledge of child protection, including wider safeguarding issues, such as being influenced by extremist views.

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should:

n help staff to build on their understanding of the curriculum, so that they are aware of the specific learning intentions for children and their teaching is closely linked to these n support staff to review the organisation of daily routines, particularly when moving between different activities, to maximise children's engagement in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY407680 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10235396 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 22 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Byrne, Alexandra Marina

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reference number

Telephone number 01992 500455 Date of previous inspection 8 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Right Track Children's Nursery registered in 2010 and is privately owned. It employs nine members of childcare staff and a cook. All childcare staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. 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 nursery 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 provider and the 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 has on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector jointly observed and evaluated a spontaneous activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and looked at written testimonials, which the inspector took into account. n Children and staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The provider, the manager and the inspector held a meeting together. The inspector looked at a sample of documents, including evidence of staff's training

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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

8 December 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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