Miss Polly's, The Hurst Nursery

Inspection of Miss Polly's, The Hurst Nursery The Hurst School, Brimpton Road, Baughurst, Tadley RG26 5NL

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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 learn to be independent and develop their self-care skills. Toddlers wipe their own noses, and older children attend to their own toileting. Staff encourage children to put on their coats and shoes in preparation for outdoor play. All children make good progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to help ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their education, including school.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to follow their interests and provide activities that engage and excite them. For example, older children use a large piece of material as a parachute. They scream with excitement as the teddies they place in the middle are thrown up and down. They identify which teddy is little or big and adapt their singing to be loud or quiet. Children follow instructions carefully and are obviously proud when their efforts are praised.

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The provision is good

Younger children have great fun as they play outdoors in a large tray that staff have skilfully prepared to provide them with sensory experiences. Children eagerly put their hands into soil, crushed cereal, pasta and foam. For some children, this is the first time they have accessed these materials. Staff encourage children with praise and are sensitive to support those who find the feel of the new textures a little unusual.

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need to do better?

n The manager regularly observes staff practice and provides feedback on their strengths and areas they can improve. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings. They receive targeted support and training to help raise the quality of their practice and skills. Staff talk confidently about their workload being managed and feel their well-being is supported effectively. Staff work well together as a team and share ideas and information about the children. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength at this setting. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with external agencies and staff to help meet children's specific needs. The manager spends extra funding with integrity to, for example, provide one- to-one staff to support children and to purchase suitable resources. Staff support children's learning and development well through careful planning for children's

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need to do better?

next steps in learning. n Staff learn about the festivals children celebrate at home and plan activities around these themes. They display flags from different countries and different languages children speak at home. This allows children to learn about each other's customs and values. Staff celebrate each child and are respectful. They provide opportunities for children to understand the use of 'kind hands' and

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need to do better?

1 February 2024 'walking feet', which supports their behaviour. n Staff use effective assessment and planning to help children to learn across all areas of learning. They regularly observe children and take photos of their play, which are shared with parents. Staff ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and sequenced effectively to support children to make good progress. n Staff ensure that behaviour expectations and boundaries are clear and consistent for the children. They praise children for being kind and respectful when responding to one another. Staff show them, from a very young age, how to share toys fairly and to put things away when they have finished playing. They encourage children to use good manners, such as saying 'thank you' as they give them their healthy lunch. Staff support children to use cutlery and remain seated while eating. They provide a homely feel to children's mealtimes. n Children enjoy some outdoor learning in the nursery garden. On occasion, they

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need to do better?

go for walks in the local community. However, the provision for such experiences is restricted to short, planned outdoor play sessions. Managers are mindful that this does not always enable those children who learn better outdoors to benefit fully. n Children are motivated to explore and investigate and, overall, they show good levels of curiosity and concentration. However, some parts of the day are not as well organised to ensure that children remain focused and engaged. For example, during group activities and transition times, some children find it difficult to maintain their interest. n Parents speak highly of the nursery. They talk about the progress their children have made and particularly comment that they have developed their communication and confidence. Parents are kept informed about their children's stage of development and have opportunities to contribute to children's developmental reviews. They say their children are happy to attend and that

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need to do better?

staff are friendly. They feel listened to as parents and communicate regularly with their child's key person. This helps children to experience consistency of care.

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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 build on the provision for outdoor play and experiences to provide more learning opportunities for those children who prefer to learn outdoors n review and adapt the organisation of group activities and transitions throughout

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should:

1 February 2024 the day to maintain children's interest and minimise the disruption to their play and learning more effectively.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 110018 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10311704 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 47 Number of children on roll 65 Name of registered person The Hurst Community College

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reference number

Telephone number 01189 814129 Date of previous inspection 6 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Miss Polly's Nursery opened in 1990 and reregistered in 2000. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 7.30am until 6pm, and on Friday, from 8am until 5pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are 19 members of staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate qualifications in childcare and education at levels 2 and 3.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager and the inspector had a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed their intentions for children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of staff 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

1 February 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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