Gilderdale Nursery

Inspection of Gilderdale Nursery Wanwood Hill, Alston, cumbria CA9 3BE

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy in this welcoming and thoughtfully resourced nursery which promotes their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors. As they arrive, they are welcomed by enthusiastic and nurturing staff. They access the nursery through key-coded doors, which helps to keep the nursery secure. Staff are sensitive to the emotional needs of children and know them well. Children confidently share their ideas with staff and involve them in their play. Children are ready to learn because they feel safe and secure. For example, when children require reassurance, staff use strategies that effectively settle and help sooth them. This enables them to regulate their emotions and settle quickly.

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The provision is good

Children are given the opportunity to explore and follow their own interests. They engage in the wide range of stimulating activities and resources that spark their curiosity and interest. Staff are responsive to children's interests and follow their lead as they help them extend their knowledge and skills through sensitive teaching. As a result, children show positive attitudes to their learning. For example, older children persevere as they try to balance dominoes to build a domino run. Babies work hard at trying to jump using both feet after watching their friends.

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The provision is good

Staff are good role models and children understand the high expectation that staff have for them. They are kind and caring and provide children with a great deal of purposeful praise. Children play very well with their friends. They speak respectfully to each other and take turns as they share resources. For example, children share resources to build towers and take turns with gently brushing a staff member's hair in the home corner. Older children ask younger children if they are ok when they lose their balance on the grass. This results in children being confident and capable learners who are well prepared for their next stage of learning and eventual move on to school.

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need to do better?

n Staff use observations and assessment effectively to identify what children already know, can do and enjoy. They plan a range of learning activities and experiences that support children achieving their next steps in learning. n Staff provide activities that help children develop their mathematical knowledge. For example, children practise using number language and develop counting skills as they play with the dominoes. Children are encouraged to compare size as they measure their muddy footprints. Babies explore capacity as they fill and empty containers enthusiastically. n Children demonstrate a love of stories and support children to extend their vocabulary. For example, staff sing songs with babies and listen to the sounds of

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need to do better?

12 April 2023 instruments. Staff playfully bring stories alive as they stomp through muddy puddles with children and recite, 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children explore mark making in dough and draw plans of the enclosure they are constructing. As a result, children develop good early literacy skills. n Staff work effectively with wider professionals and access specific training to support children's progression. For example, staff work closely with speech and language therapists to learn strategies and plan activities for children. They have undertaken emotion coaching to support children who struggle to regulate their emotions. This ensures that children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. n Overall, staff support children well in developing good communication and language skills. They ask children purposeful questions and give children

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need to do better?

thinking time to respond as they chat together. However, during group activities, staff do not consistently provide some children with the attention and support they require to extend their skills further. For example, during some group activities, more confident children dominate conversations and staff attention. This means that not all children get the attention they need to support progress. n Children's independence is promoted well. Babies learn to feed themselves and use cutlery skilfully. They also put on their wetsuits before going outside and pull off their socks to paddle in the water tray. n Children develop a good understanding of healthy eating and where food comes from. They help to grow vegetables and talk about all the vegetables and fruit they enjoy eating. Children skilfully show off their manipulation skills as they crack the eggs they have just collected from 'Aggie' and 'Chick', stating how

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need to do better?

'chickens lay eggs'. They reflect on how they can now crack eggs because they have 'practised' and add them to the cake they are making. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents say their children enjoy attending and 'the staff are wonderful'. Overall, staff communicate effectively with parents about their children's day and share ideas of how to support learning at home. However, this is not yet fully embedded. This results in not all parents being aware of how they can support their child's next steps in learning, especially around speech, language and communication. n The manager is passionate about her role and puts a strong emphasis on staff well-being. She has constructed a strong management team around her to help drive forward the setting's vision for high-quality inclusive provision. Staff express they feel valued and well supported in developing their roles. This results in an enthusiastic united team of hard working staff, who share the same

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need to do better?

values and are committed to providing high-quality care and education to children. n The manager evaluates the quality of the provision well. She seeks feedback from parents, staff and children and works closely with the team to design and plan an ambitious curriculum based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. There is a strong focus on helping children to become confident and resilient independent learners, which prepares them well for their later transitions to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff undertake a broad range of safeguarding training and this is kept up to date. The manager and staff team have a comprehensive knowledge of safeguarding. They demonstrate a sound knowledge of the procedures they need to follow if they have any concerns. A strong recruitment and induction procedure is in place. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager monitors practice through termly supervision meetings and peer-on-peer observations. Staff carry out ongoing risk assessments to identify any potential risks for children's safety. As a result, children play in a safe and secure environment.

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should:

n work even more closely in partnership with parents to support children's learning at home n support staff to refine their practice during group activities, so that all children's speech, language and communication development is raised to the highest level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2624764 Local authority Westmorland and Furness Inspection number 10281089 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 32 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Gilderdale Forest School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01434 381 827 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Gilderdale Nursery in Alston, Cumbria registered in 2021. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions run from 8am until 6pm. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. All hold relevant early years qualifications. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection that 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 evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the setting's curriculum intentions for children's learning. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The inspector observed the interactions between the manager, staff and children. n The manager, staff and the inspector discussed how the curriculum has been implemented and the impact that this has on children's learning. n The inspector took account of the views from children and parents. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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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