Westfield House

Inspection of Westfield House Prospect Road, Crook, Co. Durham DL15 8JL

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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 are curious, confident and ready to learn at this inclusive and friendly setting. They benefit from a wide range of activities and experiences that excite, motivate and challenge them. For example, children take part in sewing, exploring with clay and woodworking sessions. They enjoy weaving, flower pressing and exploring with nuts and bolts. Staff continuously think of new ideas to excite and enthuse children's curiosity and creativity. They encourage children to use and manipulate their hands in different ways, ready for later tasks such as early writing. Children practise skills such as using pipettes and tongs as they mix herbs and water together to make pretend potions. They develop their strength as they grind ingredients with pestles and mortars.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are excellent role models. They are respectful and caring and form strong bonds with children in their care. Staff provide outstanding support to children to help them manage their feelings and behaviour. They encourage them to share and be kind to their friends. Staff provide very clear explanations about the impact of children's behaviour on themselves and others. During small-group activities, they support children to be ready to listen and learn. Children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. They help staff set up activities, fetching their own water from an outside tap. Staff encourage them to turn on the tap independently and to estimate when the buckets are full enough but not too heavy to carry.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan an exciting, challenging and creative curriculum that clearly supports children's progression. Staff know children individually very well. They use detailed assessments of children's development to help plan highly effective support to embed and extend children's learning. n Children are enthusiastic learners who show high levels of focus, perseverance and willingness to try. Staff are highly skilled at modelling new skills and providing clear instructions. n Staff use singing, stories and rhyme to help promote children's communication skills. They encourage children to provide detailed responses to questions. This helps to develop children's language and to extend their vocabularies. n Staff encourage children to think creatively and independently as they experiment with a wide variety of interesting resources and natural materials. They encourage children to investigate the impact of mixing resources at the

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need to do better?

'potion station'. Younger children explore with shaving foam, dough, corks, bobbins and reels. n Children experiment with rolling or sliding objects down a wooden slope. Staff encourage them to predict whether the objects will roll or slide. Children discuss with staff the surface and shape of the objects. They talk about the reasons why

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need to do better?

6 June 2023 the objects fall in a particular way. n Support for children's physical development is outstanding. Children balance carefully on planks and stretch using their whole bodies as they climb in the nursery's spacious, enclosed garden. Children work cooperatively together as they roll a large tyre uphill. They jump, twist and bend as they take part in indoor activities promoting music and movement. n There is a strong focus on children becoming skilful at using a variety of tools. They use hammers, screwdrivers, saws and power tools under close supervision. They make a variety of imaginative and useful objects, such as bird boxes. n Staff use additional funding to support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. Children benefit from a menu of balanced and nutritious home-cooked meals and snacks. They learn about where food comes from as they study bees and honey, and grow vegetables such as courgettes, beans and aubergines.

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need to do better?

n All spaces used by the children are extremely well planned and considered. Staff observe and continuously reflect on how spaces and resources are used. They use this information to adapt and develop areas to support children's learning, interests and needs. n Feedback from parents is excellent. Parents have high praise for the manager and staff. They say they are very pleased with the variety of activities on offer and the progress their children make. n There is excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work very closely with partner professionals in health and education to provide a consistent approach to support for children. This includes providing a smooth move for children on to school or the next stage in their learning. n The experienced manager provides excellent leadership to her staff team. This includes support through meetings and observations of practice. There are

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need to do better?

excellent opportunities for staff to develop professionally. For example, recent training on support for children's mathematical development has had a positive impact on staff practice. n Staff work hard to create a home-from-home experience for children, who are at the heart of all they do. The manager and staff are passionate about their roles and the service the nursery provides.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has a thorough understanding of her role and responsibilities in relation to keeping children safe. This includes a range of aspects of safeguarding. Staff complete training in first aid, safeguarding and food hygiene. The manager and staff know what might concern them about a child in terms of safeguarding. They know who to contact and the processes to take to help keep children safe. Staff have an excellent understanding of how to keep children healthy and safe on a daily basis. For example, they teach children how to sensibly climb stairs and how to use cutlery and woodworking tools safely.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY448988 Local authority Durham Inspection number 10285357 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 49 Number of children on roll 104 Name of registered person Renwick, Claire Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 01388763737 Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Westfield House registered in 2012. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Ten staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including three at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 7.30am 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 nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with staff and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager discussed with the inspector how the nursery organises and plans the curriculum and experiences for children. The inspector viewed the inside and outside spaces used by the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning. The manager and the inspector evaluated an activity together. n The inspector looked at a sample of the nursery's documents. This included evidence of training and suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff. She took into account the views of parents.

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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

6 June 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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