Bowdon Nursery School

Inspection of Bowdon Nursery School Community Classroom, Bowdon Church School, Grange Road, Altrincham WA14 3EX

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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 thrive in this exceptionally well-planned and well-resourced indoor and outdoor learning environment. Staff offer children a warm greeting as they arrive and show genuine interest as they ask how they are. Children run into the setting with confidence and delight ready to start their day. The quality of education is outstanding. Children benefit greatly from a rich and highly ambitious curriculum that continually builds on their skills, knowledge and ability. They demonstrate their learning as they recall prior knowledge about life-cycle stages when releasing butterflies into their garden. Children use words such as 'spinning', 'cocoon' and 'chrysalis'. They handle the butterflies with great delicacy and are happy to see them fly away, expressing how they hope to see them again soon. Later, children create colourful symmetrical butterfly paintings, building on their knowledge and skills effectively.

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The provision is outstanding

Personal development and healthy lifestyles are a strength at this setting. Children develop great physical stamina as they participate in a daily mile walk around the track. They show excellent ability to manage their own safety as they pick up their sun hats from the box to protect themselves from the sun. Children return invigorated and full of chatter. Children conduct their own risk assessments as they identify possible hazards and place laminated warning signs to keep their friends safe. Furthermore, children enjoy healthy foods and snacks and use real food in the role-play area to make healthy soups and salads. These activities support them in forming healthy habits for their future. Children are highly respectful of each other and demonstrate consistently positive attitudes towards learning. They work incredibly hard to build a tall tower of bricks. When finished, they place a 'work in progress' sign in front of their tower, where it remains untouched for several hours.

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The provision is outstanding

This demonstrates children's recognition and high regard for the achievements of others.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have the highest ambition for all children, including children with special educational needs or/disabilities (SEND) and children in receipt of additional funding. The excellent key-person system and accurate use of assessment mean that gaps in children's learning, and any specific needs, are identified early and acted on quickly. Staff undertake specialist training alongside parents and external agencies to meet the needs of children with complex needs. All children are well prepared for their next steps in learning. n Children are deeply engaged in their learning and show an uncompromising commitment to completing tasks. For example, children determinedly make multiple trips across the playground to transport scoops of water carefully. They skilfully navigate many obstacles and other children and repeat the journey

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need to do better?

24 May 2023 many times. They inform staff that they need the water to make the sand thick enough to build their sandcastle. Children demonstrate an excellent 'can-do' attitude. They practise problem-solving skills through critical thinking and play with a real sense of purpose. n Children are kind and caring towards one another and show consistently high levels of respect for others. They show great ability to share as they wait patiently for resources to become available. Often, children will also choose to wait for resources for their peers so that they can begin play together. This shows wonderful consideration for others. n Staff instil a love of books, stories and rhymes. Children arrive with their favourite books from home, as well as returning books from the lending library. Staff weave core stories throughout the learning environment, which fosters children's imagination and creativity. Children immerse themselves in stories and

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need to do better?

books, taking great care of them. Consequently, children use an extensive range of vocabulary and language structures and are confident communicators. n There are highly effective arrangements in place to best support all staff to improve their practice continually. Staff receive regular review meetings that are informed by frequent observations of their practice. Staff say that they feel well supported and are passionate about providing the best possible start for children in their care. Those staff with lead responsibilities, for example in supporting children with SEND, are both highly experienced and well trained. n Parents and carers are extremely complimentary about the setting. They talk repeatedly about the exceptional quality of communication they receive linked to their child's progress and about the ideas given to extend learning at home. Parents consistently talk about the excellent progress their children make from

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need to do better?

their starting points, including the friendships they have made with the children and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and leaders at the setting have a detailed and in-depth knowledge of safeguarding. This is maintained through regular training. As a result, staff have a deeply embedded understanding of what might give them concern about the welfare of children. They also know precisely how to report such concerns. Staff are clear on what constitutes an allegation and how to manage their concerns. The strong culture of safeguarding runs through the setting. All staff understand the equal responsibility they share to keep children safe from harm. Staff support children to understand how to keep themselves and others safe, through daily routines and activities. Children become expert risk assessors.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY489154 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 10264830 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Bowdon Pre-School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07815 593126 Date of previous inspection 27 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Bowdon Nursery School registered in 2015 and is located in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Six staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3, including one who holds early years teacher status and two who hold qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

24 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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