Friends Private Day Nursery - Ash

Inspection of Friends Private Day Nursery - Ash Manor Road, Aldershot GU12 6QH

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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

Staff build extremely strong, trusting relationships with the children and create an enticing, homely and safe environment. The nursery has a highly ambitious and effective curriculum. This helps provide children with the knowledge and skills that they need to help them succeed in their future learning. Staff are skilled in planning creative learning experiences that precisely support children's next stages of development. Children remain highly engaged for significant periods of time in activities that prompt their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. From a very young age, staff support babies and toddlers to quickly learn to be independent in their feeding and self-care skills. They are taught to share, take turns and interpret facial expressions and emotions to help them form friendships with others. Children thrive in this exceptional nursery.

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The provision is outstanding

Children arrive each day with anticipation, enthusiasm, and excitement for the day ahead. Parents and children visit the nursery outside their normal times to support drop-ins and events or simply share news with their key person. One parent expressed the view of others by saying: 'Both my child and I feel like it's an extension of our home and family, we feel very fortunate to have such, kind, considerate and helpful people care for our child'.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff place a strong focus on supporting children's growing understanding of the world around them and helping them to recognise and celebrate similarities and differences. For example, staff set-up self- care stations in each room, that contain books such as 'Ru Paul's Big Dreams' and 'Daddy Do My Hair'. These texts scaffold children's learning as they play with afro combs and lavish hair pieces. In addition, staff teach children to learn about those less fortunate and the work of various charities. They make their own hot chocolate and cupcakes as they experiment with sand and water. Then sell these in the home corner, which is a coffee shop. This reflects one of the many parents' charity coffee and cake sale events that take place, and links learning to their lived experiences.

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need to do better?

n The provider's curriculum is explicitly understood by staff, and clear to see in action throughout the nursery. Room leaders and staff implement this with precision and passion. Staff are experts in adapting learning experiences to skilfully support each child's next steps. Staff know their key children incredibly well and ensure that each activity has a purpose and goal in mind. Children make exceptional progress in their learning and development, including those who need extra support. Leaders use funding wisely to buy additional resources and provide staff training, and these decisions are taken in consultation with parents.

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need to do better?

29 September 2023 n Babies are happy, independent and sociable for their young age. They explore their environment and resources with purpose and demonstrate curiosity and resilience. They are inspired to explore the enchanting learning areas staff create. This encourages them to show increasing levels of interest, focus and engagement in their play. For example, babies enjoy sensory tubes with animal shakers which match the characters in 'Dear Zoo' and try hard to repeat the noises and sounds each one makes. These resources are set-up around one of the nurseries core books. This consolidates learning from key texts and helps build vocabulary. n The quality of teaching is exceptional. Children benefit from a well-sequenced curriculum that is meticulously planned to grow with them as they move through the setting. As babies move through to the toddler room, staff ensure they share any relevant information across the team and work alongside parents and in

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need to do better?

partnership with other professionals where required. This supports children's seamless transitions throughout the nursery. Staff are committed to ensuring children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they require to help them thrive and access all areas of the provision. For example, specialist therapists visit to advise on recommendations to room layouts, equipment adjustments or to upskill children's new key persons. n All children adore the risk and challenge offered by accessing the nurseries nature area. Experienced outdoor play leaders teach children how to take care of themselves and the natural world around them. Children learn about the importance of protecting bees and butterflies, as well as the safety rules that need to be followed near a campfire. n Children have ample opportunity to practise and develop their mathematics and literacy. For example, pre-school children enjoy looking at magazines and bus

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need to do better?

timetables. They write out bus tickets for their friends to ride the garden play bus. They use the clock to see if it is time for the bus to arrive and leave the station and enjoy counting how much change they need to buy their tickets. n The nursery's curriculum is enriched through a wide range of well-planned activities and community events. Parents are fully involved in their children's learning. They attend many social events and visit the nursery to share professional skills. The nursery chef has dedicated her expertise and time to help teach children and advise staff around food and nutrition. The nursery continues to successfully achieve awards for gardening and promoting wildlife habitats. This reflects the strong commitment towards promoting children's well-being and developing their sense of social responsibility and respect for the environment and climate. n Supporting and developing staff is a key priority for leaders, who passionately

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need to do better?

believe in investing and developing the team to meet the needs of the children that attend. For instance, staff receive specific training to help engage and motivate boys in their learning. Key persons for children with additional speech and language needs attend sign language training. This helps ensure all children are included and can make their wishes, wants and needs known at the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of signs and indicators that might suggest a child is at risk of harm or abuse. They are confident in taking action to record and report concerns and fulfil their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. Those with designated responsibilities take swift action if they are concerned about the suitability of a colleague or if a child makes a disclosure. There are robust systems in place to ensure the suitability of staff during the recruitment process. These checks are updated on an ongoing basis. All staff undertake rigorous risk assessments to identify and minimise hazards and ensure the safety and security of the premises and equipment. Staff teach children to be alert to potential dangers and hazards as they play. Children learn how to play safely as they take risks and apply relevant precautions to keep themselves, and others, safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY554024 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10311389 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 48 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Bright Stars Nursery Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01252405544 Date of previous inspection 28 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Friends Private Day Nursery - Ash, registered in October 2017. The nursery is located in, Surrey. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, for most the year. There are 17 staff who work with the children, of whom 12 hold an early years qualification at level 3 or higher. The nursery offers funded places 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 that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and leaders explained the curriculum intentions to the inspector during a learning walk. n The inspector observed staff and children throughout the session. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector sampled relevant documents and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

29 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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