Early Days Nursery School Ltd

Inspection of Early Days Nursery School Ltd Old School, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 6AJ

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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 have a strong eagerness to learn. They show intrigue and interest in anything and anyone new. They openly ask questions, curious to know how things work and why they work. Staff actively support children to gain new skills. They interact with them positively and promote learning in all areas of development. For example, children take a great interest in the birds feeding outside. At the same time, they wave to passers-by, talking about who they know in the village.

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The provision is good

Children develop the skills to manage their own needs. Younger children explore, making decisions as to what to play with. They develop skills to feed themselves at snack and lunchtime, using simple tools. Older children learn to put their coats and shoes on to go outside, following simple instructions to learn to flip their coats over their heads. They talk about washing their hands after outdoor play and before meals, showing an awareness of good hygiene. They confidently wipe their noses with tissues, putting them in the bin afterwards.

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The provision is good

Children develop close bonds with their key person as well as their peers. They gain reassurance from staff when experiencing new activities for the first time. They share their achievements proudly and eagerly support their friends to achieve the same. For example, children proudly show staff and their friends that they have written the first letter of their name. They find the first letter of their friend's name, sounding it out for them.

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need to do better?

n Children relish time in the outdoor play environment. They are excited to share their regular walks in the local community and the woodlands. Staff incorporate all areas of learning into their outdoor experiences. For example, children recall the amount of tractors they have seen, where they saw them, and the animals encountered on their journey. Children show a great appreciation for the outside world and enthusiastically share their experiences with their peers. n Children confidently learn to communicate their needs. Babies babble away freely with staff, using repetitive sounds to encourage further verbal communication. Children openly communicate using expressions, such as surprise, puzzlement and happiness. They continually use gestures to exaggerate their speech. Older children use more complex language that has been introduced by staff, mainly through focused activities. For example, children confidently explain the dots on sheep's backs are to show how many

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need to do better?

lambs they are having. n Babies learn to experiment and explore in their play. They freely explore the play environment available to them. Staff initiate new learning strategies, such as heuristic play. However, staff do not always have a clear knowledge of the

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need to do better?

10 March 2023 learning intention for new strategies and practices to make the activities fully effective for children's development. n Children learn to negotiate and share in their play. Staff are positive role models, who highly support social skills and good manners. Children invite their friends into their play. They take turns with bikes and large equipment, showing each other their physical skills at propelling them along. Children learn to experience social activities, such as mealtimes. They eat together, sharing conversations about what they are eating as well as their likes and dislikes. n Staff are eager to improve and to continue to develop their practice. The management team is keen to continually evaluate the effectiveness of staff practice and support this through an ongoing training programme. However, some changes in practice are not fully evaluated to identify the training and development staff need to support children to their fullest potential. For

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need to do better?

example, younger children now play alongside older children. Staff have not fully appreciated the different strategies they need to engage all children in one activity, with regard to their different levels of development. n Children make links with other people in the community to provide experiences that they may not gain through home life. Staff provide children with learning activities, experiences and conversations about how other people live. For example, they celebrate children's visits abroad to extended families and how this differs to their friends' lives. n Parents make very positive comments about the care their children receive and the achievements they make. Parents comment that their children's dual language is celebrated. They recognise how children's confidence is supported. They appreciate the bonds their children have with staff and the impact the outdoor learning environment has on children's physical well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a robust knowledge of how to promote children's ongoing welfare. They are aware of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child in their care. They attend up-to-date training and regularly discuss scenarios and case studies that some staff have experienced. They are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse. Children play in a safe and secure environment. They learn to assess hazards and the effective use of physical equipment with subtle support from staff. Staff are very aware of children's physical capabilities to support their understanding of keeping themselves safe.

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should:

n extend staff's knowledge of learning initiatives to ensure that the impact is more

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should:

10 March 2023 effective for children n develop staff's skills to promote children's individual stages of development more precisely within adult-led activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481174 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10276238 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 96 Name of registered person Early Days Nursery School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01491681101 Date of previous inspection 6 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Early Days Nursery School Ltd opened in 1992 and re-registered under new ownership in 2015. It is situated in Ipsden, near Wallingford, in Oxfordshire. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, between 7.15am and 6.15pm, all year round. There are 28 members of staff employed to work with the children. Twenty-four staff have a relevant childcare qualification at level 2 or above. One member of staff holds a qualification at level 7. The nursery provides funded places 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 deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the deputy manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. 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

10 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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