Highmore Hedgehogs Nursery

Inspection of Highmore Hedgehogs Nursery Westfields Community Hall, Highmore Street, HEREFORD HR4 9PG

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery happy, and they are met by members of the nurturing staff team. They take responsibility for their belongings such as lunch boxes. For example, children place their lunch boxes on the designated stand. Children excitedly greet staff with a cuddle. They behave well and play cooperatively together. Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum. They make independent choices about their play throughout the day. Children are eager to play and are motivated to learn.

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The provision is good

Hygiene and care routines are good. Older children are independent and manage their self-care. They wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day. Older children use their imagination as they play in the home corner. They work together to feed and dress the dolls. Children listen and follow staff's instructions as they play outside in the garden. They develop an understanding of space and measure as they fill and empty different-sized containers with sand and water. Children are beginning to learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff remind them that the sun is hot today and that they must keep their hats on. Young children develop strength in their bodies and upper arms. They stand tall at the easel to paint pictures. Older children skilfully build birdhouses from cardboard boxes. They talk to their friends about what they should use to stick the pieces together.

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need to do better?

n Leaders strive to deliver high-quality care and education at all times. They work well together and are dedicated to their roles. Leaders meet with their experienced and retained staff team on a regular basis to discuss good practice and identify training needs. Staff attend online training around their interests to enhance their already good knowledge and skills. Staff morale is high. They state they are very happy in their roles. Staff comment on the high levels of support they receive from leaders for their welfare. n Staff know the children in their care well. They plan a wide range of interesting play activities around their interests. Staff make regular assessments of what children know and can do and use this information to plan what they need to learn next. Children make good progress. n Children develop early literacy skills. They find their name card to self-register and listen attentively to stories that are read by enthusiastic staff. Children

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need to do better?

excitedly join in with repeated phrases and rhymes. Staff use a tambourine to beat a rhythm. Children are keen to move their bodies to the beat. They join in with a song about different-coloured shoes. n The key-persons system is, generally, good. Staff form secure bonds with their key children and members of their family. However, staff are yet to spend focused time with their key children to enhance their already good relationships

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need to do better?

9 June 2023 and further support their learning as leaders are yet to find effective ways to fit this into the day. n Partnerships with parents are well established. Staff seek a wide range of information from parents on induction. This includes details of children's prior learning. Staff use this information to plan activities to move children forward in their learning. They keep parents updated about their children's achievements. Staff add photos and assessments to children's online learning records. Parents share information of activities that children do at home. This supports a consistent and complementary approach to children's learning. n The nursery has a healthy eating policy that is shared with parents on induction. Staff provide children with healthy snacks and, at lunch time, they remind children to eat their savoury foods before any sweet treats. However, staff do not always use these everyday routines to further support and enhance

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need to do better?

children's learning. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Any additional funding the nursery receives is used to support children's individual needs, such as for extra staffing and additional resources. Staff work in partnership with parents and a number of external agencies to ensure that children receive the help they need to make the best possible progress. Although staff seek some words from home to support children with English as an additional language understanding at nursery, they are yet to find effective ways to fully support children to communicate effectively their wants and needs to fully promote their emerging speech and language skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff attend regular child protection training to maintain their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding practice. They recognise the signs of abuse and know the procedures to follow should they need to report a concern about a child's welfare. A secure entry system is in place to stop unauthorised visitors. Staff complete daily visual safety checks of the environment to ensure that children play in a safe and secure space. They gather information from parents about children's health and dietary requirements and individual care plans to help reduce the risk of allergic reactions. Robust vetting and recruitment procedures are in place. These help to ensure that all staff working with children are suitable for their role.

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should:

n build on opportunities for key persons to spend focused time with their key children to enhance their relationships and further support children's learning n review the organisation of everyday routines to further support and enhance

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should:

9 June 2023 children's learning n provide children with English as additional language even more opportunities to be able to communicate their wants and needs to fully promote their emerging speech and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY464526 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 10280294 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 49 Name of registered person Highmore Hedgehogs Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07896967772 Date of previous inspection 13 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Highmore Hedgehogs Nursery registered in 2013. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3, including three at level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 48 weeks per year. Sessions are from 8am to 4pm. 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 this into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed with the deputy manager the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager, who is also the nominated individual, about the leadership and management of the nursery. 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

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through documentation left for her.

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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

9 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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