Sheepwash Farm Day Nursery

Inspection of Sheepwash Farm Day Nursery Sheepwash Farm, Fisherwick Road, Whittington, Lichfield WS14 9JN

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this exciting and stimulating environment. They form close attachments with staff and separate well from parents. Children quickly become involved in a wide range of activities and learning opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, that spark their natural curiosity and passion for learning. Children become confident, independent individuals, eager to carry out tasks for themselves. For example, they put on their own splash suits and wellingtons in readiness for going outside to check how the pumpkins are growing in the adjoining field.

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The provision is outstanding

Managers and staff have high aspirations for children. Comprehensive information gathered from parents about their child gives staff an excellent understanding of their child's abilities as they start nursery. Ongoing observations and assessments enable staff to plan a rich and challenging curriculum for all children, which is well planned and takes into account children's interests.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are highly motivated and eager to share what they know and can do. Their emotional and social well-being is supported excellently. Individual attention given to them helps them to build close attachments with staff. Behaviour is impeccable. Children are continually involved and immersed in the activities. They understand the importance of taking turns and sharing resources. Staff continually recognise and praise their excellent behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff have a vast knowledge of working with children and their families. They are passionate about their roles and strive to provide the best possible care and learning for children. Managers have excellent support systems in place for staff, and everyone recognises the excellent skills and abilities within the team. Staff well-being is a priority, and they state that they feel valued and included in all aspects of the nursery. n Robust recruitment and selection procedures are firmly embedded in practice. Regular checks are made to ensure the ongoing suitability of the staff team. Supervisions and appraisals lead to sharply focused professional development opportunities. Regular staff meetings enable staff to share ideas and skills and continually review and evaluate best practice. n Highly effective partnerships with parents are firmly established. Parents are extremely happy with the care and learning opportunities provided for their

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need to do better?

children. They feel that communication between home and nursery is second to none, from the daily updates and information they receive through to the online application used by the nursery, as well as monthly newsletters and daily handovers. Parents report that their children are always animated when they

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need to do better?

14 September 2023 talk about nursery and 'can't wait to get there'. n Children's language and communication skills blossom through the excellent support and experiences consistently available to them. Staff teach in ways that help children to learn. They explore with awe and wonder the world around them and have excellent opportunities to share their own ideas. Children excitedly look for dinosaurs as they walk through the enormous pumpkin patch, looking for footprints and listening for different sounds. They identify that some pumpkins are 'gigantic' and 'enormous', and some are 'lumpy' and 'bumpy'. Children learn about the growing cycle of plants and understand that some pumpkins start to decay if they have not grown properly or been picked. n Children's health and well-being are supported superbly. They thoroughly enjoy eating freshly prepared, nutritious and well-balanced meals that contain foods

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need to do better?

which the children have been actively involved in growing. This enables children to see the various stages the foods go through before they get to eat them. Meals are well presented, and children enjoy opening pea pods to see what is inside. They delight in watching the corn and potatoes being picked and sent away for processing, only to come back to the nursery ready for them to eat. n Children spend copious amounts of time outdoors in the fresh air, learning about the natural world around them. They relish watching the farmers sorting the potatoes and moving between the fields in the tractors and combine harvesters. Children's sense of hearing is heightened through the various sounds they hear outside. They identify the sound of an aeroplane, although they understand that they cannot see it because there is lots of cloud, and recognise that a barge is moving along the canal. Children enjoy spending time visiting the pigs, ducks

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is paramount. Managers and staff take extremely effective action to ensure that children play in a safe and secure environment. Robust risk assessments enable staff to identify and minimise potential hazards within the nursery environment and the surrounding farmland, keeping children safe. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the signs of abuse and neglect. They recognise their duty of care and responsibility to share their concerns with relevant agencies to ensure that children remain safe. Children learn about their own safety. They regularly practise the fire evacuation procedures and learn to use small tools safely.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2602422 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10275047 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person Sheepwash Farm Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01543 433822 Date of previous inspection 15 December 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Sheepwash Farm Day Nursery registered in 2020. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, five hold a qualification at level 6, and there are two apprentices. The nursery operates all year round. Sessions are available Monday to Friday, 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 The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the deputy manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Parents shared their written views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

14 September 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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