Highdale Day Nursery

Inspection of Highdale Day Nursery School Lane, Highdale Avenue, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 7LT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children are happy, sociable and highly independent. Staff greet children with the warmest of welcomes. Children rush in, find their friends, and start playing with the engaging toys and exciting learning opportunities staff provide. Children use these opportunities to gain new knowledge or to practise new skills. For example, young children persevere using a rolling pin to flatten dough. Older children develop strong abilities to solve problems as they attempt to build dens.

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The provision is outstanding

Managers have created an ambitious curriculum with a focus on children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff understand this focus and skilfully engage and interact with children at all times to help children develop a strong sense of self and to feel well supported and valued. Children thrive on these high-quality interactions. Staff know all children extremely well and continually monitor their learning and development. This means all children achieve their goals and make great strides in their learning ready for school.

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The provision is outstanding

The nursery is a hive of activity and business. Children are constantly absorbed in meaningful and challenging play. They are energetic and highly motivated inside and out in the garden. They show pure joy as they expertly use tape measures to find out how much their bean plants have grown. They confidently use mathematical language and show they understand concepts such as, big, small, tall, and short.

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The provision is outstanding

Children love books and stories. They eagerly ask staff to put up the book tent and go inside. They listen attentively as staff enthusiastically read stories. Children confidently use a wide range of vocabulary to retell stories using puppets and props. These experiences support the development children's early literacy skills.

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The provision is outstanding

Children benefit hugely from extensive opportunities to learn about their local community and the world around them. They visit the local fruit and vegetable shop and use real money to buy fresh produce to make smoothies. Children are learning how to look after their bodies and how to make healthy food choices.

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need to do better?

n Staff have the highest expectations of what all children can achieve. They have created an incredibly positive and emotionally safe environment where simple rules and routines are sensitively reinforced. Children engage in activities for an extended length of time. For instance, older children cooperatively build dens with their friends. Younger children actively take part in song time, giggling as they pretend to be monkeys jumping on the bed. This builds children's concentration skills and gives them a strong foundation for future learning.

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need to do better?

12 April 2023 n Staff's interactions and engagement with children are inspirational. As a result, children demonstrate excellent conversational skills. Staff expertly use a range of teaching skills to check children's understanding of unfamiliar words and to regularly introduce new vocabulary. For example, staff skilfully explain the word 'dehydrate' to older children who ask why they need to have a drink at snack time. Children's language and communication skills develop rapidly. n Staff highly value children's uniqueness and character and act as excellent role models. Children continuously show respect for both staff and their peers. They listen carefully to ideas and respond to each other. Children independently use sand timers to take turns and share toys. n Managers have developed a curriculum that is inspirational and ambitious for all children. There is a strong focus on building children's confidence, supporting

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need to do better?

their emotional awareness and encouraging children to have a 'zest for life'. Children show this through their infectious enthusiasm and keenness to join in and 'have a go'. n Staff skilfully help children learn to understand their emotions and to be aware of the feelings of others. Children consistently demonstrate their incredibly well- developed empathy skills. For instance, young children hug their friends and give them toys when they are a little upset. n Staff plan and deliver a wealth of wonderful experiences and resources for children to explore. This encourages children to have 'awe and wonder of the world'. For example, children find bugs and insects in the garden and staff use this as an opportunity to extend children's knowledge. Staff teach children how to use magnifying glasses to look for similarities and differences between the different insects. This expands on children's natural curiosity and encourages

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need to do better?

them to want to find out more. n Children are incredibly independent in all aspects of their play and self-care. Young children ably find their wellies and put on their coats and manage zips without adult support. Staff expertly teach them how to do this using the 'magic coat trick.' Children beam with pride in their achievements and show they have high self-esteem and belief in themselves. n Staff go above and beyond to help parents support children's learning at home. They share their expertise and signpost parents to a range of available support and online resources. Parents comment on how happy children are to come each day. They talk about the exceptional care staff show children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff have secure knowledge of a broad range of abuse types and the signs and symptoms that they should be aware of. They understand their safeguarding responsibilities and are confident about how and when they should report concerns. This ensures that they can take swift action and protect children from future risk. Managers place a high priority on safety arrangements and follow robust risk assessments of the premises and when they take children on trips around the local area. For example, children learn to hold hands and wear

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Safeguarding

12 April 2023 reflective bibs to make sure they are always visible. Managers know how to ensure the suitability of staff and visitors to protect children from harm.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY313458 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10280116 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 24 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person Highdale Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01275 872645 Date of previous inspection 10 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Highdale Day Nursery registered in 2005 and is located in Clevedon, North Somerset. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The joint owners hold early years qualifications at level 5 and level 3. They employ six staff; of whom five hold early years qualifications at level 3 or above.

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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 inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The manager showed the inspector a range of documentation, including how assessment is used effectively to monitor children's progress and identify any gaps in their learning. n Several parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and the inspector took account of their views. n One of the managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children and staff.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector to carry out a joint observation of a mathematics activity.

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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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