The Homestead Childcare

Inspection of The Homestead Childcare The Homestead, Fine Bush Lane, Harefield, Uxbridge UB9 6LY

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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

Children happily arrive to a warm welcome from staff who greet them with a smile. Staff have good attachments to children and help them to feel safe and secure, ready to begin their learning. Staff are on hand to provide children with reassuring cuddles, encouragement and guidance. They are positive role models to children throughout the day. Children show a good attitude towards their learning and behave well. They show kindness towards friends as they wait their turn to choose the morning nursery rhyme. Children happily engage in activities which provide opportunities for curiosity and problem-solving. They cooperate with each other as they build a large road with planks for their trucks together. They talk with staff as they attempt to roll cars into a tube and discover that they need to tilt the large tube to recover their cars. They are not afraid to keep on trying. Children display confidence in their play and share, 'I hit a pothole,' as they play with their cars.

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The provision is good

Leaders are ambitious for every child to make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum builds on what children know and is designed through discussions with parents and staff's observations of children. Planning for each child is based around what children need to know next, and staff use children's interests to engage them. Teaching is appropriately sequenced, so children build on their learning in small steps.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have high expectations for every child. Maintaining teaching standards is a high priority. Staff attend regular training to ensure their practice and knowledge are up to date. The manager has regular supervision and updates with staff. Staff well-being is discussed, as well as areas of strength and areas for improvement which can be developed. Staff value the support they receive from leaders. n Children develop good communication and language skills. Staff are skilful in talking with children, giving them time to respond. They ask questions which encourage children to think. They sing nursery rhymes, and young children follow actions to familiar songs. Older children are challenged at story time with rhyming books. Children enthusiastically share their knowledge of words that rhyme, such as 'house' and 'mouse'. n Children enjoy sensory play to build their exploratory and creative thinking.

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need to do better?

Babies and young children show joy as they explore various textures. Babies sit on a large tray with flour as they learn to handle spoons and begin to scoop and pour. They enjoy getting messy. Toddlers enjoy using shaving foam to create marks on the window with large paintbrushes. They create patterns using large arm movements and share their achievements with staff. n Children build their physical development in a range of activities. They use the

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need to do better?

21 November 2023 large field outside to run, jump, hop and climb on equipment. In the playground, children use tricycles and cars to develop their gross motor skills. Outside, art helps children to learn how to hold paintbrushes. Indoors, older children have a regular play dough disco to help them to develop their small finger muscles. This supports early writing skills. n Children enjoy learning about nature and the environment around them. Young children explore leaves and twigs. Older children learn about 'dark' and 'light'. Staff use small lights to light the darkened room and children talk about the effect on the room around them. Children sit to watch for bats outside, as the evening draws in, and share how they have seen them flying outside on previous days. n Parents speak highly about the nursery. They appreciate how staff check each day, on arrival, how children are feeling and how they slept. Parents receive

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need to do better?

regular updates about their children and feel their children are making good progress. They report how children transition well to the next room with ease. Staff introduce children gradually to build their confidence and make sure they are ready for their next stage of learning. n Children are well supported by staff who know them well. Staff ensure children are provided with healthy meals each day, which supports dietary requirements. Children's independence is promoted through encouragement and role modelling. Children learn to use cutlery from an early age and understand the routines to wash hands before mealtimes. However, sometimes, the mealtime routine is not planned effectively. Young children can wait for a longer than necessary period of time and become restless.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure children are protected from hazards and are safe to play. The environment is clean, and children follow good hygiene practice to reduce the likelihood of cross infection. Staff understand the procedures they need to follow if they have concerns about a child. Where necessary, they know who they need to make a referral to. If they have concerns about the conduct of a member of staff, they understand the whistle-blowing procedures. Leaders have safe recruitment procedures in place and carry out ongoing suitability checks. This ensures staff remain suitable to work with children.

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should:

n improve the organisation of mealtimes so young children are not spending unnecessary periods of time waiting and becoming restless.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY541578 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 10318105 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 36 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person The Homestead Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07539224224 Date of previous inspection 9 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The Homestead Childcare registered in 2017 and is located in Harefield, Uxbridge. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting cares for children aged from birth to five years, Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and manager carried out a learning walk to discuss the curriculum. n The inspector carried out observations of interactions between staff and children. n The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation. n The inspector spoke to parents and staff and took their views into account. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation and reviewed evidence of how staff are recruited to ensure suitability.

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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

21 November 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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