Grasshopper Day Nursery (Aylesbury)

Inspection of Grasshopper Day Nursery (Aylesbury) 244 Wendover Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP21 9PD

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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 receive an outstanding start to their education. Each child is recognised as a unique individual, and the manager and her team have the highest aspirations for them. Children separate with confidence from their parents and carers. They form strong attachments with their key person. As such, children thrive due to the care they receive. This helps them feel safe and secure in the care of the professional and dedicated staff.

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The provision is outstanding

The manager and her team have designed an incredibly ambitious curriculum. Children access inspiring play spaces that spark their curiosity and imagination. For instance, staff create a superb small-world activity in response to children's interests in dinosaurs. The quality of teaching is exceptional. Staff's interactions extend children's knowledge and skills across all areas of the curriculum. For instance, as children are painting dinosaurs, staff use factual books to extend their knowledge. Children engage in conversation with staff and learn the names of the dinosaurs and interesting facts, such as that some dinosaurs were carnivores while others were omnivores.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They teach children about different emotions and provide them with the necessary tools to help them manage their own feelings. Children's behaviour is highly impressive, and this supports their overall well-being.

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need to do better?

n Children have ample opportunities to develop their independence skills. For instance, staff provide a 'self-care station', where children access tissues to manage their care needs. They give children plenty of time to finish their chosen activities. For instance, staff gently tell children lunch is ready. This allows them to decide when they would like to eat and gives children real autonomy over their choices. As such, lunch is a calm and pleasant experience where children talk with their friends. n Children's communication and language development is outstanding. A love for reading is embedded throughout the nursery, and children regularly learn new vocabulary, which they use in their play. For example, children ignite their senses as they learn the names of various herbs and sing an abundance of different nursery rhymes. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are especially well

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need to do better?

supported by highly skilled staff. Staff provide targeted activities to help develop children's language and communication skills. They develop detailed support plans alongside parents and other agencies to ensure that all children make the best possible progress.

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need to do better?

31 August 2023 n Children lead exceptionally healthy lives at nursery. Staff use play opportunities to talk about oral hygiene. They follow meticulous nursery procedures to keep children safe and healthy, including meeting the needs of those with dietary needs. n Transitions in the nursery are extremely well organised. Parents come into the setting to settle their children in. Key persons complete in-depth handover information, which supports children to settle and continue to make excellent progress as they move through the rooms in the nursery. This supports children's emotional well-being. n Children who speak English as an additional language develop their understanding of the English language quickly. They are provided with excellent, individualised support. Staff ask parents to create recordings of key words to help them learn to correctly pronounce words in the child's home language. Furthermore, staff expertly create visual prompt cards to support their

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need to do better?

understanding of the daily routine. This helps to provide a safe and predictable environment for the children to learn in. n Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff are awe-inspiring role models for children. They consistently show children how to be respectful of others and model excellent ways of communicating with each other. For example, very young children learn to share as they scoop flour while making play dough. Staff are patient and allow children the time to think. This helps children learn to share and be kind. n Parents speak very highly of the staff and the positive impact they have on children's learning and development. They know the content of the curriculum and are given details of specific activities they can do to support and extend this. They truly appreciate the 'wonderful staff'. n Managers place a high emphasis on staff well-being and training. They invest in individual and team training opportunities to strengthen teaching approaches

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need to do better?

across the nursery. This has a positive impact on children's overall development. For example, staff recently attended training on emotional literacy. This has supported children to be able to confidently express their thoughts and feelings.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff are very knowledgeable about how to protect children from harm. They can identify the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and know the steps to follow to report any concerns about a child's welfare. Managers ensure that staff safety checks are complete, and they have robust monitoring systems in place. Staff understand safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty, and their safeguarding knowledge is secure. Staff promote inclusion and equality and will challenge discrimination immediately. Risk assessments and accident monitoring processes are in place to ensure that the setting is secure and children are safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY459394 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10301620 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 73 Number of children on roll 113 Name of registered person Childbase Partnership Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01296 424540 Date of previous inspection 18 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Grasshopper Day Nursery (Aylesbury) registered in 2013. The nursery is open each weekday, from 7.30am until 6.30pm, all year round, excluding public holidays. The setting provides funded education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. In total, a team of 41 staff work at the nursery. Of these, 27 staff hold relevant qualifications between levels 2 and 6.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and the deputy manager completed a learning walk with the inspector. They discussed the curriculum and told the inspector about what they want children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Children spoke to the inspector about their learning during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education that children experience and assessed the impact on their learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. They discussed the quality of education and the impact of this on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

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

31 August 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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