The Wendy House Day Nursery

Inspection of The Wendy House Day Care Nursery Manor Farm Business Park, Shingay cum Wendy, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 0HW

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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 thrive in the nursery. They enthusiastically embrace all the opportunities that they create for themselves and from staff to learn, experiment and explore. Children gather natural materials to create an environment that they think birds would like to visit. They confidently describe what they have made and how the wild birds could use each aspect. For example, they gather long grass to make a nest and place a twig next to it for birds to perch on. Babies splash their hands in a shallow tray of water and watch with interest as the water drips from items that they lift out of the tray. Staff talk to them about what they see and do. This contributes to the foundations that babies build to begin to understand the world around them.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are immensely proud of their own efforts and their contributions to ideas and activities, helping to rapidly build positive self-esteem. In the 'willow barn', children talk about their friends in another local nursery. They talk about the songs and dances that they show other children during secure and supervised video links with them. They learn to listen and to find out about the lives of others in the wider community, helping to promote a strong sense of identity. Differences and similarities are celebrated throughout the nursery, effectively helping children to build a healthy respect towards others.

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need to do better?

n The dedicated nursery owners and senior team work exceptionally well to provide and maintain the highest levels of care and education for children. Bespoke training helps to ensure that all staff have a deep understanding about how children learn. In turn, staff effectively combine a variety of impactful teaching methods to help children to rapidly build on what they already know and understand. As a result, there is a consistent and focused approach across the nursery, helping children become highly confident and independent learners. n Staff embrace the strong ethos shared throughout the nursery. They understand that the environment is a valuable resource to aid children to learn in different ways. Children satisfy their curiosities in a variety of spaces during their well- planned day. For example, in the bird hide, staff provide binoculars, reference books, and posters to help children to identify what they see. While in a wooded

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need to do better?

area, children balance on logs and dig in the earth to create a habitat for an imaginary troll. Children successfully transfer the knowledge and skills they have learned, and confidently make links to other aspects of their learning. Staff skilfully encourage children to recall what they already understand, helping them to expand their knowledge effectively. n The emotional well-being of both children and staff are promoted by senior staff and providers. Children learn to identify how they are feeling. As they grow,

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need to do better?

8 February 2023 children independently access different resources to help them to regulate their feelings and emotions. Strong bonds between staff and children contribute to a trusting and safe environment in which to seek support. From a very young age, babies snuggle in the arms of staff. The highly receptive and nurturing staff gently rock and soothe babies, who swiftly relax and settle. n Staff have a clear understanding of how children's home experiences influence their progress. Parents share a wealth of information with key persons and other staff. Parents report that staff quickly incorporate new experiences and outings that children have with their families into activities within the nursery. This enhances children's desire to expand their learning even more. n Staff encourage children to take supervised age-appropriate risks during their play and explorations. For example, children climb in trees and use tools in their

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need to do better?

play. Before groups of children enter designated outdoor spaces, they help staff to identify any potential risks that they need to be aware of. They describe these to other children in the group and talk about what they need to do to prevent accidents, helping them to all begin to keep themselves and others safe. n Children behave exceptionally well. When needed, they spontaneously find sand timers to help them to manage situations where they need to share or take turns. During group activities, children welcome others to join in. For example, when children experiment with different colours in water, they happily share cups and pipettes with newcomers. They enthusiastically describe what they see, recalling terminology such as 'primary and secondary colours', allowing others to receive new facts and information.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Regular training and team discussions help staff to refresh and update their already strong understanding of how to keep children safe. Staff know how to recognise, record and report any concerns that they might have about children's well-being. Staff in safeguarding leadership roles ask others about different aspects of safeguarding. This helps leaders to ensure that staff understand their responsibilities to protect children. Providers ensure that all staff are suitable for the roles in which they are employed. They follow the robust selection and recruitment procedures in place and regularly assess their continued suitability. Policies and practice are effectively reviewed by the owners and senior team to help ensure that safeguarding strategies remain highly effective.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY303528 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10263037 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 85 Number of children on roll 110 Name of registered person The Wendy House Day Care Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01223 208869 Date of previous inspection 18 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Wendy House Day Care Nursery registered in 2005. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. It provides funded early education for 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 manager and has taken that into account in her assessment of the provision. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk of all the areas inside and outside that are used by children, and described how the curriculum and provision are organised. n The inspector observed activities both inside and outside. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The providers met with the inspector. She held a separate meeting with other senior staff. n The inspector and manager observed an activity together and discussed the quality of teaching and learning. n Documents, including the evidence of the suitability of staff and checklists for risk assessments, were seen by the inspector. n A small number of parents spoke to the inspector, who took their views into

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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 February 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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