High House Nursery Ltd

Inspection of High House Nursery Ltd High House Farm, Mill End, Takeley, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 6PL

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders have worked hard and sought support from other professionals to raise standards since the last inspection. Children and babies show that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. They happily separate from parents and know the routine when they arrive. Children of all ages demonstrate that they are confident communicators and show very good independence. Staff sit with them and engage them in conversations. Children enjoy listening to stories. The introduction of a book of the week provides repetition of language and helps children to recall stories and repeat familiar phrases. Children enjoy purposeful social interaction and build close relationships with staff, and their behaviour is good.

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The provision is good

Children are keen to explore the range of toys and interesting activities offered. Babies have fun, developing their curiosity as they push their fingers and hands though shaving foam. Pre-school children persevere with chosen tasks and thoroughly enjoy number recognition activities. They are introduced to the concept of counting cars and once they are confident, staff add number symbols, encouraging children to use their knowledge to match these to numbered car parking spaces.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers have made significant improvements to promote teaching and learning. They have ensured that staff supervision is undertaken in a timely manner. Helpful procedures are in place and implemented to ensure that children with specific dietary requirements remain protected from foods that may harm them. Behaviour management strategies help children to recognise their feelings and ask for help. The outside play areas have been reorganised, and plans remain in place for the continued improvement of these areas. n Children show they are developing a good understanding of others and the world around them. They are kind and caring, making room at story time and sharing toys. When a child tumbles, other children are quick to check they are okay. When staff praise their helpfulness, they also demonstrate excellent manners as they politely say, 'You're welcome.' Children who are new to the pre-school receive plenty of support to help them settle.

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need to do better?

n Staff have regular meetings with the manager who, in turn, meets with the leadership team. These meetings enable everyone to review practice and the progress children make. In addition, staff can discuss any issues that may impact on their role and agree plans for extending their professional development. The leadership team monitors practice in action. However, the feedback staff receive is currently aimed at the quality of activities and capturing children's interests. It lacks focus or coaching on embedding a purposeful curriculum and improving their teaching to a consistently high level.

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need to do better?

12 April 2023 n Overall, leaders have established a broad curriculum. Staff know the children well. Key persons plan for what they want children to learn next. However, this is based more on what staff notice interests the children rather than what children may need to learn next in their sequence of development to ensure that they make the best possible progress. n Children develop physical skills as they climb and slide or balance on colourful beams. Riskier play enables them to think about personal safety. Children are gaining skills and learning about the wider world. However, the risk assessment procedures staff rely on, to ensure that all areas are checked before use, are not currently as robust as possible. n Parents comment that they receive information from staff about what their children are learning. They appreciate the different experiences their children enjoy. Parents like the 'parent hub', where they can obtain further information

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need to do better?

relating to various early years topics and borrow story books to share with their children at home. n There is good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff identify when children need extra support. They work with parents and make ongoing observations to provide pertinent information for other professionals, as necessary, to ensure early intervention and help close gaps in learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The leadership team places a high priority on supporting staff to have the knowledge to identify the signs and symptoms of harm or abuse. This includes being able to recognise if children are being exposed to extreme views. They work in partnership with other professionals to promote children's safety. Children show an understanding of how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they know how to use the stairs to the dining room, holding onto the banisters and following staff's instructions.

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should:

n extend the monitoring of staff practice further to ensure that they receive focused feedback and coaching to embed a purposeful curriculum of what they need children to learn and to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level n support staff to plan meaningful, sequential learning opportunities and ensure that children have plenty of time to develop and practise their new knowledge and skills to support future learning n strengthen current procedures for assessing risk to ensure that all staff have a

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should:

12 April 2023 clear understanding of their responsibility.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY269706 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10283960 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 103 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person High House Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01279 870898 Date of previous inspection 4 October 2022

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Information about this early years setting

High House Nursery Ltd registered in 2003 and is situated in Takeley, Bishops Stortford. The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff, of whom 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspectors completed a learning walk of the nursery, inside and outside. n The lead inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager, and together they evaluated this. n Children spoke to the inspectors about what they enjoy doing in the setting. n The inspectors reviewed relevant documentation, including the suitability checks of all adults working in the setting. n Parents and staff spoke with the inspectors at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

12 April 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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