The Meadows Nursery School

Inspection of The Meadows Nursery School 18 St. Helens Crescent, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 2EW

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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 and their families are welcomed by smiling staff at this happy, homely nursery. Children delight in seeing familiar staff and are eager to enter. Children settle well to explore the activities set up for them. Younger children enjoy joining in with rhymes, engrossed in watching adults encourage them with puppets. This supports their listening and attention skills effectively. Staff promote children's interest in stories well. Older children enjoy exploring porridge oats, and they talk about the different-sized quantities. Staff encourage them to recall the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' that they recently shared. This successfully supports their literacy and mathematical skills.

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The provision is good

Staff promote children's positive attitudes to learning by frequently praising them. Children play well together. Where children need support, staff are swift to help them to find a positive solution, such as using the sand timers to share the toys. This supports children's social skills well. Staff plan an interesting and motivating curriculum. They successfully prioritise supporting children's emotional well-being. Children of all ages learn how to express and manage their feelings by exploring the story of the 'Colour Monster'. Younger children use puppets to help them to understand how they are feeling. Older children spend time painting different feelings and talking about what they can do if they feel angry or sad. This supports children's emotional understanding effectively.

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need to do better?

n Staff use what they know about children to plan activities to support their understanding of the wider world. For example, older children enjoy playing with a doctor's kit together and talking about what happens at hospital. Children engage in interesting discussions about having new babies in the family. This supports their understanding of key events happening in their own lives. n Staff promote children's independence well. Younger children are encouraged to find their coats and shoes when getting ready to go outside. Older children climb the stairs themselves, holding onto the hand rail to keep themselves safe. Staff encourage them to fasten their own shoelaces. This helps children to do things for themselves. n Staff use children's interests to plan experiences that motivate them. Staff provide a range of bowls and spoons to support children to count different amounts. However, at times, staff miss opportunities to support children to count

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need to do better?

on. This means that, particularly for older children, they do not always have opportunities to count further, to support their mathematical knowledge. n Children benefit from the support of staff, who encourage their love of reading. Children enjoy cuddling up to adults to share stories. However, at times, staff ask children questions but do not wait long enough for children to answer. When

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need to do better?

31 January 2024 this occurs, children do not have the time they need to reflect on what they know and have learned, to formulate their responses. Staff have created a story space where children choose books to take home to share with their families. n Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. Staff have learned words in different languages to help children settle in. Children help their friends to find the word for 'play' in English to help them understand that they want them to join in. This helps children to feel included. n Leaders and managers are passionate and proactive. They have effective relationships with external agencies to provide support for children and families. Leaders and managers use additional funding to provide resources such as healthy lunch boxes. They seek effective support from the wider organisation to share expertise. They have exciting plans for the future, including to support

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need to do better?

community projects. n Staff are well supported in their roles. They benefit from regular opportunities to talk about their practice. They say they love working at the setting and feel very supported. Staff appreciate the focus on their well-being and talk of the setting as 'like a family'. n Communication and relationships with parents are strong. Parents report that they feel valued. They appreciate the support they receive for themselves and to support their children's learning at home. Parents talk highly of their children's learning books that they receive. One parent commented that their child specifically enjoys the calm and sociable mealtimes.

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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 support staff to identify when they can offer further challenge and extend learning further during activities, with a particular focus on older children n encourage staff to give children more time to respond when asked questions, to support their thinking and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY340486 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10312274 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 57 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person Places For Children Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01424 422611 Date of previous inspection 25 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Meadows Nursery School registered in 2006. It is located in Hastings, East Sussex, and is open Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm, for 49 weeks of the year. The setting is part of a wider group of nurseries owned by the same company. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 11 members of staff, 10 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. 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 individuals about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting 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

31 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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