Attwood Farm Nursery

Inspection of Attwood Farm Nursery Attwood Farm, Bodle Street Green, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 4RA

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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 enter the nursery enthusiastically. They are pleased to see their friends and the staff. Children are happy, safe and secure. They understand and follow established routines, hanging up their coats and removing outdoor shoes. Children behave well, responding positively to the high expectations of staff. They are polite and courteous, saying please and thank you, usually without reminders. Children can share and take turns, passing each other toys and other items. Staff use timers to regulate some activities and to help support younger children in their understanding of sharing. Children benefit from nourishing, home-cooked food. They enjoy sociable mealtimes, chatting together about their experiences and preferences. Cheesy pasta bake is a great favourite.

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The provision is good

Children's opportunities for physical development are wide ranging. Outdoors, they climb, run and make use of the ride-on toys confidently. They learn how to manage risk, making sure their friends have moved away from the bottom of the slide before they slide down it. Children have regular trips, such as to the woods, where they explore the natural world and observe seasonal changes. For example, they notice that the trees are beginning to go green and, since their last visit, there are flowers growing.

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need to do better?

n Parents are uniformly delighted with the setting. They are particularly pleased with the emphasis on outdoor play. Parents say communication is good. For example, staff provide parents with regular reports and photographs of their child's learning and progress, which are posted on the online platform. Parents are consulted about their child's preferences regularly. n Staff plan engaging activities, based on children's interests. For example, children are very excited when they discover a range of minibeasts under some wood, which leads to the creation of a bug house. This helps to support the good progress children make. At times, activities do not precisely address specific next steps in children's learning. n Children's communication and language skills are effectively developed. Staff speak clearly and support children in extending their vocabulary. For instance, younger children learn the more unusual names for young animals, such as

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need to do better?

'goslings', as well as the more common ones. They use soft toys to describe the feel of fur and feathers. Older children are encouraged to use compound, rather than simple sentences. n Staff support children in learning how to care for others. For instance, they help to bottle feed the baby lambs and brush the coats of the donkeys. Children look after the strawberries they have planted and look forward to eating them. n Children have many opportunities to make marks and older children begin to

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need to do better?

18 April 2023 write their names independently. They confidently use simple tools, such as rolling pins, scissors and play knives, to create models from modelling dough. However, occasionally, staff are not fully effective at using questioning to help children explore their own thoughts and ideas. n Staff read stories to children which support forthcoming events in their lives, such as starting school. Children listen with interest and make comments, demonstrating understanding of the story. They can answer questions about the story, recalling the actions of the characters. Children will often choose to look at books independently. n Leaders are reflective about their practice. For example, staff benefit from regular meetings with the manager to discuss their training needs. Staff are encouraged to undertake further training and are supported in this by leaders. They receive advice to help to improve their skills and practice.

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need to do better?

n Parents talk to children about their own cultures and celebrations to help to support their understanding. Staff help children to learn about people and communities, and similarities and differences well. For example, they are encouraged to be involved in community events, such as the Flower Festival. The community are invited to the nursery Nativity performances.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff benefit from regular training in all aspects of safeguarding. They are well informed about the signs and symptoms that may suggest a child at risk of harm. Staff know who they should inform and the procedures they should follow if they have a concern about a child's safety or welfare. The premises are checked on a daily basis to ensure that they are safe for children to use. Accident and absence records are analysed for patterns that may indicate a child at risk. Fire and lockdown evacuations are practised at regular intervals to help to ensure children are familiar with the routine to follow.

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should:

n focus the planning of activities more sharply on children's identified next steps in learning to support even better progress n support staff in understanding how to use questioning more consistently to support children's critical thinking skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 959223 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10263065 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 34 Number of children on roll 37

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Name of registered person

Nicholas Godwin and Lindsay Godwin Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01323 831781 Date of previous inspection 19 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Attwood Farm Nursery registered in 2001. It operates near Herstmonceux in East Sussex. The nursery is open between 8am and 5pm each weekday, for 47 weeks a year. The provider employs eight staff, five of whom hold relevant qualifications, including one staff member with a level 4 qualification, three staff who hold level 3 qualifications and one member of staff with a level 2. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 took the inspector on a learning walk of the premises. They discussed the activities available and how they supported children's next steps in learning. n The inspector held discussions with the owner, with staff, parents and children and took their views into consideration. n The manager and the inspector observed adults interacting with children and discussed the learning that had taken place. n The inspector spoke to staff about their understanding of safeguarding responsibilities. She viewed documents relating to suitability and safeguarding.

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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

18 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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