Horizons Day Nursery & Pre-school

Inspection of Horizons Day Nursery & Pre-school 165 Hither Green Lane, Lewisham, London SE13 6QF

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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 create an extremely caring and nurturing environment in which children feel safe and secure. Babies form strong bonds with their key person. Staff adapt feeding and nap times to fit in with babies' routines at home. This helps babies to settle very quickly. They join activities with enthusiasm. They demonstrate growing strength and coordination as they crawl through tunnels and dive into the ball pool.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff have very high expectations for all children. Children are highly sociable. They quickly learn the rules to simple games, such as 'Simon says', and explain them to their friends. Children understand how to keep safe. They show concern for their friends as they remind each other to hold onto the rail as they walk down the stairs.

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The provision is outstanding

All children make incredibly rapid progress across all areas of learning. This includes those children in receipt of funding for free early years education and those whose starting points are lower than their peers. Children's learning is deeply embedded. They can make links between current and previous experiences. On a trip to the shops with staff, they look at fruit and vegetables and describe enthusiastically how they grew tomatoes in the nursery garden. Children enjoy many rich opportunities to learn about different cultures and their local community. They learn about different festivals and go on numerous outings in the local area. For example, they frequently visit the local library, shops and parks.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team demonstrates exceptional passion and determination to provide the best possible care and education. The manager is particularly astute in her assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development. She has, as a result of her assessments, constructed a highly ambitious and well-structured curriculum. n Staff use highly effective teaching strategies to implement the curriculum. They receive incredible support for their well-being and professional development. The manager provides exceptional support and guidance to develop their skills. For example, the manager has coached staff to use open-ended questions to successfully encourage children to think deeply and express their ideas. n Staff are sensitive to the needs of all children. They provide quiet encouragement for children who are apprehensive about joining in with activities, ensuring they rapidly develop the confidence to take part. This

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need to do better?

ensures that all children have equal access to the curriculum. n Children make remarkable progress in their language and literacy skills. Staff read to children with such expression and intonation that children become deeply engaged in stories. They snuggle into the cosy reading area, where they

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need to do better?

3 October 2023 have a wonderful time singing songs and listening to their favourite stories. Children very confidently use newly acquired vocabulary to explain what they have learned. When mixing ingredients to make volcanoes, they predict that it will 'erupt' and throw their hands in the air to demonstrate. n Staff consistently weave mathematics into daily activities. Children count spontaneously as they go up and down stairs. They tell staff when there is one stair left and say 'that will make 10'. Staff skilfully provide more challenging activities for children who are particularly interested in numbers. Children rapidly grasp simple number operations as they add and subtract using plastic blocks. n Children display markedly high levels of independence and resilience. When attempting to put on their coats, they repeatedly try to fasten them and refuse help when it is offered, saying, 'I can do it'. Children have an excellent

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need to do better?

understanding of how to stay healthy. They explain to staff that they must wash their hands before snack time to wash away the germs. Younger children are closely supervised by staff as they brush their teeth after lunch. Children discuss with staff that they need healthy teeth to eat crunchy food like bread sticks. n Partnerships with parents and other professionals are superb. Parents appreciate the small and homely nature of the setting. They receive targeted information on how to extend their children's learning at home. Where there are concerns that a child may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, parents are quickly signposted to other agencies for support and assessment. Reception teachers are invited into the nursery to support children's transitions to school. Teachers report that children are exceptionally well prepared for this next stage in their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being are paramount at this setting. Staff complete thorough risk assessments to ensure children's safety, both in the setting and on outings. Managers and staff demonstrate an extensive knowledge of the types of abuse. Their commitment to safeguarding underpins all aspects of their practice. Managers keep abreast of local safeguarding issues and attend regular refresher training. They have robust systems in place for checking the ongoing suitability of staff. New staff undergo a thorough induction, which includes an introduction to safeguarding procedures within their first week at the setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129012 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 10285842 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 35 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Horizons Day Nursery & Pre-school Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 318 4125 Date of previous inspection 20 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Horizons Day Nursery and Pre-school registered in 2000. It is located in Hither Green, in the London Borough of Lewisham. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 49 weeks of the year. The nursery employs 10 staff, six of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications. The manager holds early years professional status. The provider receives funding for free early years education for children aged two and and three years.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

3 October 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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