Hillside House Day Nursery

Inspection of Hillside House Day Nursery Lower Common Lane, Scissett, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD8 9HL

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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

As babies and children arrive, they receive cuddles and a warm and friendly greeting from staff, with who they have strong attachments. This helps them to settle quickly, develop confidence and feel happy, safe and emotionally secure. Children enjoy their time in the nursery and demonstrate excellent behaviour. Staff model and encourage important social skills, such as being polite, kind and respectful. Children spontaneously share with their friends and play collaboratively. For example, they build together with plastic crates or engage in pretend play in the exciting construction area.

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The provision is good

All children make good progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding. Overall, staff plan a very broad and effective curriculum, particularly in respect of children over two years. Many of the children going to school in September are exceeding expectations and already equipped with impressive skills, language and knowledge. Staff encourage children to do many things for themselves, which helps them to develop high levels of independence. Staff complement children's experiences through visitors and outings that help children to develop a strong sense of community and learn about people who help them.

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The provision is good

Staff support young children to practise and develop their large-physical skills. For example, babies use sturdy furniture to pull themselves up to a standing position. Toddlers delight in moving through the tunnel and climbing on and off soft blocks.

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need to do better?

n Staff continually observe and assess children's development. They promptly identify and support children whose progress is not as expected. Staff work in excellent partnership with other professionals to support children with SEND. n Children aged from approximately over two years take part in an expansive range of challenging and unique activities and hands-on learning. For example, while learning about farm animals, children practise their small-physical skills while squeezing the plump rubber gloves. Staff fill these with milk to replicate the udders of the cow that children have made using craft materials. n Older children show great focus during activities based around science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For example, they construct with dried lengths of spaghetti and marshmallows. As they do so, staff ignite children's creative and critical-thinking skills through skilful questioning.

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need to do better?

n Babies and children aged under two years develop fundamental skills and are happy and settled. However, staff's planning of activities and the environment does not consistently support their stage of learning and interests to keep them highly engaged.

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need to do better?

7 December 2023 n Staff share children's achievements with parents verbally and electronically. They encourage parents to contribute to children's assessments, for example, by asking them to share 'wow' moments, videos and photos. n Staff praise children's achievements, such as learning to feed themselves, zipping up their coats and sharing with their friends. They use ample positive strategies to support young children to reach significant milestones, such as learning to use the toilet. n Staff encourage parents to share in their children's learning, for instance, through events, such as 'free fun' mornings and the Christmas Nativity. However, staff do not fully involve parents in supporting the youngest children's learning at home. n Staff help to build on children's language skills. They sing spontaneously and as children play, read stories and provide a commentary as children play. Staff introduce new words as babies and toddlers feel different textures.

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need to do better?

n Babies and toddlers place wooden curtain rings on a mug tree and young children use wooden hammers to break large cubes of ice. Older children carefully press the thin and delicate lengths of dried spaghetti into the marshmallows, so as not to break it. These activities help to develop children's hand-eye coordination and small-muscle strength. n Staff use pre-reading readiness assessments to gauge whether older children are at the stage of learning to read, and discuss this with parents. Some children have very impressive early literacy skills, such as spelling and reading simple words. n Staff help children to develop an early awareness of living a healthy lifestyle in many ways. For example, children brush their teeth at nursery, visit the local dental practice and readily tuck into hearty nutritious, freshly prepared meals. n Staff's qualifications have a positive impact on many aspects of their practice.

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need to do better?

However, the systems for monitoring practice and for the training and coaching for staff, especially for those staff who are unqualified, are not always precisely focused to raise teaching and learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders implement robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work in the nursery. Staff can identify the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and understand how to report their concerns. This helps to promote children's welfare. The manager helps to reinforce staff's knowledge of safeguarding, for instance, by distributing quizzes. Staff undertake daily risk assessments to ensure that the premises are safe and secure. They closely supervise children, to help to promote their safety and welfare. Staff help children to learn about dangers and how to keep themselves safe, for example, through national events and visits from the ambulance and fire service.

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should:

n plan and adapt the environment and activities more effectively to support babies' and young children's individual learning needs and interests to the highest level n extend the involvement of parents in supporting the youngest children's learning and interests at home n strengthen the arrangements for reflecting on practice and monitoring, coaching and training staff, to extend the quality of practice across the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY291315 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10305019 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 62 Number of children on roll 108 Name of registered person Hillside House Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01484 864926 Date of previous inspection 8 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Hillside House Day Nursery registered in 2004. It is situated in a converted school building, near Huddersfield. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. This includes the manager who is also the nursery owner. Out of the 23 staff, 18 staff hold relevant qualifications; one is at level 2, 14 are at level 3, two are at level 6 and one member of staff holds qualified teacher status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are 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 This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with manager and deputy manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and deputy manager. She carried out a learning walk with the deputy manager. This helped the inspector to understand how staff organise the early years provision and the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education across the nursery and assessed the impact of this on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity taking place. n The inspector spoke with children and staff during the inspection. The inspector spoke to parents face to face and over the telephone. The manager shared written feedback from parents, including a sample of their responses from

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Inspection activities

questionnaires. n The manager shared a sample of relevant documents 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

7 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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