Nurture Outdoor Kindergarten

Inspection of Nurture Outdoor Kindergarten Top Barn Business Centre, Worcester Road, Holt Heath, Worcester WR6 6NH

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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

Nurturing key-person relationships ensure that children feel happy and safe. Children are warmly greeted with smiles and cuddles from staff on arrival. They confidently explore the woodland setting and follow their own interests. They use a wealth of natural resources imaginatively in their play. They make rivers in sandpits, build bridges and practise their balance skills as they walk across them. They work together with their friends, imaginatively creating pretend traps. Children hammer wooden pegs into the ground and cover their traps with nearby resources. They create signs to warn their friends of the dangers ahead and proudly show staff and visitors what they have made.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy fresh air and exercise all day in this outdoor setting, which helps to promote their health and well-being. They develop their physical skills as they climb trees and swing on trapezes. They skilfully ride balance bicycles and negotiate obstacles in the woodland area as they splash through puddles, chasing their friends. Children enjoy healthy snacks and cooked meals in the outdoor dining space. This, along with daily rest periods, provides nourishment and relaxation following a busy morning's play.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully supported. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with parents and staff to identify children's additional needs early and put support in place. She accesses additional training and advice to support children's specific needs as they arise. n Staff know the children well. They understand children's starting points through discussions with parents. Staff monitor children's progress regularly as they complete focus week observations of children. Parents share home learning, which contributes to development assessments that staff use to inform future planning. Children confidently contribute their thoughts during planned whole- group discussions. Younger children watch and learn from their older peers. However, sometimes, the organisation of adult-led activities does not provide opportunities to extend older children's learning and build on what they already

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need to do better?

know. n Parents speak positively about the setting. Many describe the managers and staff as family. They express feeling grateful for the empathy, respect, support and care that staff show them and their children. They enthuse about the provision, including its emphasis on developing their children's physical and mental well-being. They describe the outdoor environment as magical, where children experience the change of the seasons, and parents feel this inspires children's imagination and creativity.

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need to do better?

7 March 2023 n Children's personal, social and emotional development are key focus areas for leadership and management. Children enjoy story times where staff teach them the language of emotions. Staff write learning stories to children and parents that describe how well children have coped with challenges and shown resilience. These stories show parents how staff understand children's behaviour and provide suggestions to further support children at home. n Leadership and management closely monitor the provision. They ensure staff have time to communicate and reflect on the care and education they provide. They recognise staff strengths and encourage staff to share these with each other. The manager completes regular staff supervision to identify future training needs. Recently, managers and staff have identified that they do not fully incorporate mathematical activities in their daily routines. This means there

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need to do better?

is room to extend the opportunities for children to acquire and enhance their early mathematical skills. n Leadership and management recognise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have measures in place to support families and bridge the gaps in children's learning and experiences. They have ambitious plans for the future, which they have shared with staff and parents. These include relocating the kindergarten and creating a setting that supports families and children from conception. Staff are excited to share this journey and aspire to work in even closer partnerships with other professionals to enhance the support they offer to children and families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The setting is safe and secure. Staff ensure that children are safely supervised at all times. Staff complete risk assessments to minimise risk. Leaders and managers have robust recruitment, induction and supervision procedures in place. This ensures all staff are suitable to work with children. All staff have a secure understanding of the signs of abuse, including the 'Prevent' duty, county lines and female genital mutilation. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns. Managers and staff foster close working and supportive partnerships with parents, which promotes trusting relationships where needs can be identified and early support can be offered.

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should:

n review the organisation of adult-led activities to extend and maximise all children's learning and support older children to build on what they already know n develop further the opportunities for children to acquire and enhance their early mathematical skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY484108 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10264250 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 28 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Nature Nurtures Early Years Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07754 394838 Date of previous inspection 8 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Nurture Outdoor Kindergarten registered in 2015 and is located in Holt Heath, Worcester. The kindergarten employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate qualifications at level 3 and a further three at level 6 and above. The kindergarten operates all year round. Sessions are available Monday to Friday, from 8am until 5.30pm. The kindergarten provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The setting classifies itself as a progressive kindergarten. This approach is informed by a range of philosophies that focus primarily on respectful caregiving and outdoor-based education.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the provision and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the

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Inspection activities

manager. n Parents and grandparents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of 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

7 March 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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