Ashby Nursery School

Inspection of Ashby Day Nursery 28 North Street, Ashby-de-la-zouch LE65 1HS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy in this warm and welcoming nursery. They are extremely confident and move around their rooms, choosing the toys they want to play with. The younger children develop their physical skills as they climb safely to the top of small climbing equipment. They delight in coming down with support from staff. Babies show strong attachments to the staff. They snuggle close and look at a book about animals. Babies turn the pages and show excitement as they see the animal on the next page and copy the sounds the staff make. This helps them to develop listening and early communication skills.

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The provision is good

Children are extremely enthusiastic learners. They are inquisitive and thoroughly enjoy exploring the activities on offer. Children intensely engage and focus for long periods during activities. They delight in leading their play and learning. Children embrace challenges and support each other to solve simple problems. For example, older children negotiate with each other and try out different ideas and resources as they attempt to help the dinosaurs escape from the ice. They scream with delight and excitement as they use tools, such as small screwdrivers, to break the ice. They use warm water to melt the ice and show awe and wonder as out pop the dinosaurs.

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need to do better?

n The manager is knowledgeable and knows what she wants the children to learn. She implements an exciting curriculum with her staff. The staff know what leaders intend for children to learn and achieve at the nursery. The education programmes are clearly sequenced. n Staff help children in their future learning. For example, they promote good communication and language skills. They make eye contact with babies and young children and provide a running commentary to help them learn new words. Staff provide singing sessions and read stories to help widen children's vocabulary. They introduce words, such as melt, frozen and freeze, as the older children talk about the properties of ice. n Staff working with the older children recognise opportunities to introduce new mathematical skills to children during adult-led activities, such as deciding if the ice is heavy or light. However, staff do not always fully support or extend the

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need to do better?

older children's mathematical counting skills. n Staff have high expectations for the children's behaviour. Children behave extremely well and treat staff and each other with respect. They play exceptionally well with each other. This is evident as the older children build towers, which evolves into them building a bridge. They work together and decide how the bridge will work. Children try different types of blocks and are extremely happy as their cars go along the bridge.

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need to do better?

10 January 2023 n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents comment that the staff are 'caring and kind' and they have a 'very good bond' with their children. Staff gain a deep understanding of the children's needs and build particularly good relationships with the parents. This results in an impressive, shared learning approach between home and nursery, enabling children to flourish and thrive. n Staff gather information about the children's previous experiences and interests. They use this information to plan and provide a wide array of rich, varied play opportunities. For example, some children do not have a garden at home, so staff ensure that outdoor play is a regular feature of the daily experiences offered. Furthermore, they take the children to their forest school area, where they can experience more outside play. For example, climbing trees and building dens. n Staff provide children with a range of opportunities to develop their self-care

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need to do better?

skills and independence, making them less reliant on adults. Younger children know the routine for washing and drying their hands before lunch. Older children know why they need to clean their teeth and, at snack time, they help to pour drinks and chat with staff about the importance of eating fruit. n The hard-working staff receive ongoing supervision, coaching and professional development opportunities. The manager regularly reviews and self-evaluates the nursery provision. She implements action plans to drive continual improvement. For example, after the staff attend a training course on environments, she put many natural resources into the nursery to widen the children's curiosity and investigation skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff maintain an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding through regular training. They know how to identify a child who may be at risk of harm, including from extreme views or behaviours. Staff understand how to report concerns about children to relevant agencies to maintain their overall welfare. The manager and staff ensure the premises are secure, so children cannot leave unsupervised and unwanted visitors cannot gain access. They identify and successfully minimise potential risks, both indoors and outdoors.

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should:

n make better use of spontaneous opportunities to support older children's early mathematical skills to help them to count and recognise numbers during play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2685613 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10266747 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Storal Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01530416622 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ashby Day Nursery registered in 2022 and is located in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. All of who hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 3 and 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. 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 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 The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. The inspector observed the interactions and conversations between the staff and the children and considered the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The parents spoke with the inspector, so she could take into account their views. n The inspector had a discussion with the manager and deputy manager about staff training and how they evaluate practice.

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Inspection activities

n The manager showed the inspector relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of the 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

10 January 2023 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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