Fernwood Day Nursery, Out of School & Holiday Club

Inspection of Fernwood Day Nursery, Out of School & Holiday Club Rubys Avenue, Fernwood, NEWARK, Nottinghamshire NG24 3RS

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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

The impact of staff's quality teaching is seen in the rapid development that children are making. Children are learning social skills from a young age and, in turn, friendships with their peers are blossoming. Babies stand either side of a partition, bobbing up and down as they play peekaboo together. They have learned this game from their playful interactions with staff. These children have progressed from playing separately alongside others to purposefully playing in cooperation with each other. This is an advanced skill for children of this age. Pre-school children show how their social skills have become securely embedded. They participate in group games outdoors, which staff have chosen to support their mathematical development. Pre-school children take turns to confidently count and use language about time during their play.

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The provision is good

Staff have created a well-organised environment in which children's focus on meaningful learning is promoted. Children actively contribute to this. For example, they are quick to help at tidy-up times. Children's well-being is supported effectively through the ways in which staff help them to navigate their day. Staff use a sand timer to help children know when their routine will be changing. Children know what is happening in the present and what will happen next, as they can check a visual timetable. This helps children to feel emotionally secure.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers carefully consider what they want children to learn when designing their curriculum. They understand that this can change depending on children's lived experiences. For example, for pre-school children who were born during the pandemic, staff continue their intense communication and language support, as well as their focus on children's emotional development. n Leaders and managers have a strong vision for all children to become independent learners through purposeful play. Children's attitudes to their learning are positive. Staff use focused teaching activities, as well as child-led moments, to support children's learning and development. Children show curiosity and high levels of involvement in what they are doing. They spend long periods of time engaging in activities that they enjoy. For instance, younger toddlers gather around the water tray pouring liquid between containers,

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need to do better?

exclaiming, 'That's funny!', as the water overflows and splashes them. n Consideration is given to the breadth of ways that children's communication and language development can be accelerated. Staff teach a sign of the week to promote children's non-verbal communication. The manager displays teaching aids across the nursery to prompt staff to use rich and vibrant language during their interactions with children. This supports children's vocabulary to grow. n The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) fulfils her

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need to do better?

13 December 2023 role and responsibilities very well. Timely referrals are made when gaps in children's learning and development start to emerge. Staff work positively and proactively with support services and use their expert advice to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are making the progress of which they are capable. n Staff use a range of resources and activities to teach children. These are, overall, age-appropriate and relevant to their stages of learning and development. However, there are some inconsistencies. Occasionally, staff provide children of differing ages with the same activity but without enough adaptation or opportunity for skill progression. In addition, staff provide babies with insert jigsaw puzzles to support their hand-to-eye coordination, but this activity is too complex for them at this age. n Staff pay particular attention to making sure children know and understand what

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need to do better?

makes them unique. They celebrate a range of festivals from various nationalities, all of which are relevant to the children who attend. For example, in early December they recognise St Nikolaus day, and in mid-December children learn about Hanukkah. This helps children to develop their understanding of the diverse world around them. n Leaders and managers account for all additional funding they receive. This benefits all children, but especially those who are entitled to the funding. Leaders and managers have thought carefully about what will make the biggest impact on children's learning and development when spending money. They invest in additional staffing and appropriate resources.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. This includes recognising when a child might be at risk in their homes. Staff know what to do if they have any worries about children's safety, and they demonstrate this through their practice. Children play in a safe and secure environment. Staff show how they keep children safe while they are eating and sleeping. Leaders and managers make sure that staff are suitable to fulfil their roles by carrying out robust recruitment checks and ongoing suitability checks.

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should:

n support staff to think even more precisely about what they want children to learn and the best ways of teaching this so that resources and activities are fully age-appropriate and offer children opportunity to continually build on their skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY376372 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10320748 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 146 Number of children on roll 178 Name of registered person Fernwood Day Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01636 701200 Date of previous inspection 9 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Fernwood Day Nursery, Out of School & Holiday Club registered in 2008 and is located in Fernwood, Newark. The nursery employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. 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 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, deputy manager and inspector 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 talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The SENDCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

13 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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