Southdown Nursery

Inspection of Southdown Nursery Gervays Hall, Jarvis Lane, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3GL

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this outstanding, nurturing nursery. They form exceptionally strong relationships and attachments with the dedicated staff. All children make rapid progress in all areas of their learning and development. From the moment children start at the nursery, staff ensure all children's individual needs are meticulously met.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely enthusiastic to come into the nursery. They greet staff and their friends with enormous excitement for their day. Children and staff have developed wonderful relationships that help children feel exceptionally safe and secure. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring all areas of the spacious and well- presented indoor and outdoor environments. They have an excellent awareness of keeping themselves safe as they play. Children show high levels of independence and confidence and enjoy taking risks, as staff discretely supervise close by. For instance, children wait until the slide is free before sliding down and they freely request support when using challenging balancing beams.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are provided with an outstanding range of stimulating and exciting activities that captivate their interests, further supporting them to become extremely motivated and inquisitive learners. Children clearly make full use of their creative potential in a variety of ways. For example, they experiment by mixing tea leaves with water, make imaginative dinosaur islands and come up with new and innovative ways of building sandcastles. Staff's enthusiasm and encouragement allow children to be engaged and eager to try new resources and tools to further enhance their skills and make way for their excitement to really be present.

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need to do better?

n Staff adapt the curriculum fluidly to capture children's interest. For example when a helicopter flies over, staff's excellent use of language encourages children to speculate where the noise is coming from and listen to the sound. This encourages children to become very confident speakers, develop their communication skills and extend their vocabulary. In addition, staff skilfully use sign language and non-verbal prompts to further aid children's communication skills. n Staff show enormous enthusiasm and commitment. They consistently follow children's lead, actively encouraging children to think, investigate and experiment. Children develop an excellent understanding of early literacy and mathematical concepts. For example, children freely count and compare size while deeply engrossed in water play as they fill, tip and pour water through various containers and thoroughly enjoy watering their flowers and plants. In

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need to do better?

the writing area, they practise making marks when writing their own names.

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need to do better?

4 May 2023 n Children are provided with a wealth of rich experiences, such as links with the community. Children are very much part of the community and explore the local area regularly. For example, they often walk to the village and are excited to chat to various shopkeepers, learning about their community and different professions. Children are provided with a wonderful range of sessions to enhance their learning, such as cooking, science activities, sport sessions, forest school sessions and disco Friday. n Staff promote children's health and welfare needs exceedingly well. They teach children excellent hygiene routines and support them to manage their own personal care. For example, children pour their own drinks and help prepare their own snack. Children are becoming independent in self-care, including putting on their own coats and wellies. They demonstrate an excellent awareness of washing their hands after playing with mud in the garden.

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need to do better?

n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive exceptional support from staff. Staff work diligently with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive personalised support to help them reach their own learning potential and are happy in the nursery. The manager uses additional funding astutely to address gaps in learning, to help children catch up quickly. As a result, all children make outstanding progress and are ready for their next stage in learning. n Parents describe the nursery as 'exceptional'. They talk about how well their children have developed and love attending and how staff keep parents fully informed about their child's learning. Parents feel that staff truly listen and value their input. Parents receive comprehensive updates on their child's learning and next steps in development. n The manager is inspirational. She values her staff and ensures they are part of

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need to do better?

any progress or change. The dedicated and committed staff are extremely supportive and motivate and inspire each other. They develop strong professionalism, eagerly gaining information and skills to further enhance their practice. Excellent supervision of staff and training opportunities ensure the team continues to maintain the outstanding teaching and learning it provides.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have an outstanding awareness of safeguarding and an exceptional knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. Staff attend safeguarding training, which is further enhanced through regular safeguarding questions and quizzes by the manager. The staff team works cohesively and is deployed extremely well in the supervision of children. The manager robustly ensures the ongoing suitability of all staff. Training is kept up to date for all staff, which helps ensure children remain safe at the setting. The environment is extremely safe and secure. Staff implement excellent risk assessments effectively to minimise risks to children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113701 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10263661 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person The Southdown School Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01903 814581 Date of previous inspection 9 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Southdown Nursery registered in 1999. It operates from the Gervays Hall in Steyning, West Sussex. The nursery is open Monday to Thursday, from 8.30am to 3.30pm, and on Friday from 8.30am to 1pm, during school term time only. The nursery employs eight members of staff. Of these, two hold qualified teacher status, five hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one holds a qualification at level 2. The nursery receives funding for 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 nursery 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 nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector spoke to and interacted with children, to find out about their time at the nursery. 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 a joint observation of a group activity 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 suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

4 May 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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