Larchfield Nursery LLP

Inspection of Larchfield Nursery LLP The Old Library, Hardwick Road, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes MK17 8QH

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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

Staff help children to feel safe and secure in their environment. For example, staff follow routines precisely, such as for sleep times and for mealtimes. Children who start attending have ample opportunity to visit their new room and become familiar with their key person before they begin. Younger children show good levels of confidence as they explore different spaces in their environment and make choices in their learning, such as to explore sensory or imaginative play resources.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to develop a love of books. Young children sit with great concentration as they listen to staff reading animatedly to them. Staff make reading fun and then enhance storytelling, such as by varying their voices, using actions and props. This all contributes to children's enjoyment of familiar stories.

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The provision is good

Staff share high expectations for children's learning and behaviour. They are positive role models in their interactions with each other and with children. Staff share their high expectations for children with parents, such as to encourage children's independence in dressing for cold weather in their monthly challenge. Children demonstrate the skills they are practising at home and nursery as they persevere to put on coats, shoes and hats before going to play outside.

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need to do better?

n Managers have recently reviewed the curriculum to help ensure that the entire team share a consistent understanding of the aims for learning. Through staff meetings, teams have explored the aims for the children in their different age groups and they are able to explain clearly what it is that they want children to learn. For example, staff in the toddler room explain how they are teaching children to follow routines and learn to be independent. This positively impacts children's confidence. n Managers enhance the curriculum with opportunities that build on children's experience of the world. For instance, children learn about different people in their community and get to know others, such as the elderly, who they visit in care homes. Children have exciting opportunities to learn about their local environment. For example, the explore local spaces that they may not have visited before to complete forest school activities. Children recall these

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need to do better?

experiences fondly, which demonstrates their positive attitudes to learning. n Staff review the way that they implement activities, particularly in the pre-school room, to ensure that they cater for the needs of the different ages of children within the room. However, at some times of day, such as during transitions, these times are managed less effectively and other activities and noise within the room impacts on the quality of children's experience. n Staff support children's physical development well. For example, since the last

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need to do better?

6 December 2023 inspection, they have created a space for babies to explore outdoors, which gives them exciting opportunities to learn in the fresh air. Staff also are attentive to support children who have less access to outdoor space, such as by planning regular opportunities for walking and learning about road safety in preparation for their future walk to school. n Managers promote staff well-being and they aim to ensure staff have a good work/life balance. They support staff through professional development and regular staff supervisions. They also ensure that staff can access support for their personal needs outside work. Staff report that they are very happy and feel valued in their roles. n Children with additional needs are well supported in nursery. Staff build strong relationships with parents and this means that they share information successfully about children's learning. Staff get to know children well and use

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need to do better?

strategies that they are familiar with to support children's communication and language. Staff support parents swiftly to seek professional support and advice in order to ensure children get the best support possible. n Managers support the most vulnerable children effectively. For example, they ensure that children are valued and included and they increase opportunities for those who need spaces the most to be able to attend. Managers use funding to enable children and their families to experience learning opportunities they may otherwise not access, such as extra-curricular activities and outings.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers ensure that staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe. For instance, staff complete training to keep their knowledge up to date and they regularly discuss issues that could impact children's welfare during staff meetings. Staff share a good knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse and they know what to do should they have a concern about children. Staff complete robust risk assessments to ensure that the premises and activities on offer, such as forest schools, are safe for children. Managers have robust procedures in place to protect children's welfare, such as procedures to monitor children's attendance.

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should:

n strengthen the organisation of activities that children do at routine times of day, such as when tidying up after lunch, to ensure that high-quality interactions to support learning are maintained.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY488632 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10305161 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 50 Number of children on roll 133 Name of registered person Larchfield Nursery LLP

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reference number

Telephone number 01908 582860 Date of previous inspection 13 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Larchfield Nursery LLP re-registered in 2015 and is situated in Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes. It is open Monday to Thursday throughout the year, from 7.45am to 6pm, and on Fridays from 7.45am to 5pm. The provider employs 24 members of staff. Of these, four staff are qualified at level 6, one member of staff holds a level 5 qualification and 15 staff hold qualifications at level 3. The provider accepts funding for the free provision of education for children aged two, three and four 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 managers completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. 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 carried out joint observations of a group activity with the manager. n Parents spoke to the inspector and shared 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

6 December 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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