The Old Station Nursery, Dollman Farm

Inspection of The Old Station Nursery, Dollman Farm Dollman Farm, Houlton, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 1AL

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive happily to the setting and receive a warm welcome from staff, who are kind and nurturing towards them. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe and secure in their care. Children of all ages have abundant opportunities to access a variety of resources. Older children have time to lead their play and learning and make decisions about the direction of their play. Babies have fun and stand to play with sand, and they use their skills to dig and fill containers that they transport across the room. Staff demonstrate how to use tools such as sieves, and babies watch intently to see what happens when sand is added.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. This is because staff help them to understand the behaviours that are expected of them. Staff use positive strategies and reminders for children to use 'kind hands' and good manners. Older children are kind to their peers. For example, they give each other the right cutlery as they help to prepare tables for lunch. Children show positive attitudes to learning and, in the majority, gain the skills and understanding they need to prepare them for their next stages in learning.

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need to do better?

n The nursery curriculum shows clear intentions for children's learning. Staff understand and implement learning through carefully planned activities and experiences throughout the nursery. n Staff gather some information from parents when children first start, which helps them to settle children. However, there is scope for staff to gain further information about what children know and can do to help staff focus their plans for learning more precisely from the beginning. n Staff consider children's interests to engage them in play. They build on their understanding through their interactions. For example, staff hold interesting discussions and talk about different animals during play with a farm scene. Older children learn more about the world around them while they play with sea creatures in blue slime. Children identify and use tweezers to remove discarded rubbish from the sea to help keep the sea creatures safe. This also helps to

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need to do better?

strengthen the smaller muscles in their hands. n Staff make early identifications when children are in need of additional support. The setting's special educational needs coordinator is proactive and communicates effectively with parents and outside agencies to seek the required help. As a result, children receive the specific help they need and make good progress from their starting points. n Independence is promoted throughout the nursery. However, further support is needed for children to manage self-help tasks at mealtimes and to manage their personal care at a time when they are capable of this learning.

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need to do better?

11 January 2024 n Children develop their physical skills in a range of ways. Older children have fun and practise walking along a balance beam. They pause and grin when they anticipate that the beam will tip down towards the ground before they continue to walk along. Others use a range of wheeled toys and practise kicking balls to score a goal. The environment for babies is planned well to enable them to strengthen their core muscles to sit up, pull to standing and walk independently between furniture. Older babies practise their balance as they walk up low steps and down a ramp to the end. n Managers ensure that staff receive the support they need to continue their professional development. Staff access a range of training, and managers ensure that the knowledge they gain is kept current. Staff receive the individual support they need to continue to build on and enhance their teaching practice. n Parents are happy and speak highly of the nursery, the staff and managers.

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need to do better?

They comment on the warm relationships they build with their key persons and how this contributes to how happy their children are. Parents say they value the regular information they receive about their child's care and learning. They are happy with the progress their children are making.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n make use of the opportunities to gain information from parents when children first start, to help staff focus the plans for learning from the beginning n build further on the opportunities for children to develop the independence they are capable of, in particular their self-help skills during mealtimes and in managing their personal care.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2651551 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 10305137 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 95 Number of children on roll 127 Name of registered person The Old Station Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01788 248996 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Old Station Nursery, Dollman Farm is situated in Houlton, in Rugby. The nursery registered in 2021. The nursery employs 32 members of childcare staff, of whom one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, 14 at level 3 and seven at level 2. The nursery operates from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. The nursery receives early education entitlement funding 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 this into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager, deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the organisation and intent of the curriculum and how the environment is arranged. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching throughout the inspection and considered the impact this has on children's learning. A joint evaluation of the quality of teaching during an activity took place between the manager and the inspector. n The inspector spoke to parents at appropriate times and also considered their views of the setting. The inspector also took account of the written views provided by parents. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector held a meeting with the leaders, manager and deputy manager and discussed how the setting is organised. The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

11 January 2024 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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