Hedgehog Hill Day Nursery & Pre-School

Inspection of Hedgehog Hill Day Nursery & Pre-School 42 High Street, Greens Norton, Towcester, Northamptonshire NN12 8BA

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy and relaxed at the friendly, welcoming nursery. They have developed a bond with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Babies smile and reach out their arms to their key person on arrival. Staff build warm relationships with the children and know them well, ensuring that their emotional and developmental needs are met. Pre-school children are confident as they walk to their room, excited to start their day.

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The provision is good

Children's physical development is well supported throughout the nursery, both indoors and outdoors. Babies learning to walk, cruise around low-level furniture. They are encouraged by attentive staff, who offer regular praise for their perseverance and achievements, which builds their self-esteem. Outside, children play energetically as they run, jump and splash in puddles. Children learn about growth and nature, and remember what they have been taught. They dig with tools to plant bulbs, knowing what helps plants to grow.

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The provision is good

Children have access to a good-quality curriculum through the wide variety of exciting activities and experiences provided. For example, children engage with their local community as they take regular walks to parks and the Jubilee garden. This supports them to learn about the wider world around them. Staff support children's emerging literacy. Children enjoy listening to stories and choose books from the nursery library to take home to share with their family.

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need to do better?

n Staff regularly observe and assess what children can do and use this to form the next steps that build on children's knowledge and skills. Staff effectively plan for the children's next stages of learning, using both adult-led, and child-led experiences. Adult-led activities are popular and children are eager to engage. However, at times during large group activities, staff do not deploy themselves effectively to ensure that the best quality interactions and learning consistently takes place. n Staff narrate children's actions and ask open-ended questions. They repeat new vocabulary to encourage children to learn new words. For example, while children take part in planting, staff model words, such as 'shoots' and 'fragrance'. These interactions help children develop good communication and language skills. n Mathematics is woven appropriately into everyday practice. Babies sing counting songs and toddlers learn about size as they build tall towers. Older children play

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need to do better?

counting games and begin to learn the concept of time using the 'clock book'. n Staff work with other professionals and parents to provide targeted plans for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children

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need to do better?

19 April 2023 with SEND show their enjoyment as they play and learn alongside their friends, and they make good progress from their starting points. n Staff are positive role models and use clear and consistent rules across the nursery. Children behave well and show respect for their peers. Staff offer gentle reminders about the nursery rules and teach children that they need to be kind to their friends and take turns with toys and equipment. n Staff offer children some support in developing their independence. For example, children scrape their plates, ready to be washed after lunch. However, staff do not always support toddlers to go to the bathroom to wash their hands. Older children are not yet encouraged to drink from an open cup or pour their own water. This does not consistently support children to be ready for their next stage of development. n Overall, children's good health is promoted at this nursery. Children are provided

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need to do better?

with nutritious, balanced home-cooked meals. Children access the outdoor provision regularly throughout the day for exercise. However, staff do not discuss the key messages of a healthy lifestyle with children or their parents, such as the importance of brushing their teeth. This does not give children the knowledge they need to make decisions that help them to lead a healthy lifestyle. n Parents speak highly of the staff at the nursery and say their children are 'excited' to attend. They comment that they are kept well informed about their child's care, learning and development. Parents particularly enjoy being invited into the nursery to take part in activities, such as the Mother's Day tea. n Recent changes to management have seen many positive changes within the nursery. Continual professional development is important to the manager and staff have opportunities to attend a range of training. This has a positive impact

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need to do better?

on children as staff keenly implement new ideas.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have regular ongoing safeguarding training, ensuring that their knowledge is kept up to date. The nursery team works successfully to keep children as safe as possible and is confident in recognising the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. Staff are aware of the process they should follow if they were to have concerns about another member of staff. They know the roles of the relevant local safeguarding partners and how to contact them. The manager reviews the accident and incident logs to inform the nursery's risk assessments and to alert staff of any concerns they may have about a child.

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should:

19 April 2023 n ensure that staff deployment during large group activities effectively supports the learning and development of all children who would like to participate n extend children's independence skills further and promote their self-care skills n use teaching opportunities to extend children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458492 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10263650 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 50 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Best Start Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01327 323 012 Date of previous inspection 8 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Hedgehog Hill Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2013 and is managed by Best Start Nurseries Limited. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 2 and 6, including two with early years professional status or early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. 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 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 and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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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

19 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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