Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery

Inspection of Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery 23 Shenley Road, BOREHAMWOOD, Hertfordshire WD6 1AD

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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

Staff form meaningful bonds with the children, which helps them to feel comfortable in their surroundings. Due to this, children separate from their parents confidently at the door when they arrive. Staff adapt activities to support individual children's needs. This tailored support helps each child to make good progress in their learning.

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The provision is good

Communication and language skills build consistently as children progress through the nursery. Babies begin to talk, repeating words back to staff as they share simple books together. Toddlers speak confidently about their own experiences to visiting adults and use new vocabulary. For instance, they speak about the 'fluffy' towel they use to clean the dolls. Pre-school children respond positively to the praise staff provide as they confidently articulate their thoughts and knowledge in more detail.

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The provision is good

Staff promote positive behaviour across the nursery. They sensitively support children to learn how to share and take turns with one another. Toddlers enjoy playing together and staff support these interactions well. The oldest children sit and listen to one another during group activities. They respect one another and wait patiently for their turn at the interactive whiteboard, learning that staff who work with them value everyone's thoughts and feelings.

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need to do better?

n Staff develop a strong knowledge of the children who attend the nursery. Key persons speak about the children they care for confidently. Staff work collaboratively to help children make good progress. For instance, all staff in each room have access to children's individual targets. This helps staff to provide children with meaningful interactions that are relevant to their individual age and stage of development. n Generally, staff support children to settle into the nursery well. Younger children quickly become familiar with the routines and staff's expectations. However, occasionally the strategies staff use to help children who require more support to adapt to the nursery, are not as effective. As a result, some children do not understand the routine that staff expect them to follow and struggle, particularly at times of transition. n Managers have good oversight of the nursery and are able to accurately reflect

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need to do better?

on the provision on offer. They ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of each child who attends and addresses any gaps in children's learning experiences. They recognise the broad multi-cultural community of which they are a part of. Staff support children, using a wide range of languages and promote an inclusive environment for children to learn in. This benefits children's

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need to do better?

7 February 2024 understanding of the wider world around them. n Staff speak positively about the support they receive in their roles. Managers regularly assess their performance and provide them with meaningful support and targets to work towards. Staff appreciate the range of training and professional development opportunities available to them. They make the most of these opportunities and develop their knowledge further, completing in-house training as well as formal qualifications. This helps them to develop their interactions with children to an even higher standard and the manager's oversight ensures that all children receive good quality teaching. n Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They speak highly of the strong communication about their children's progress. Staff also use the various communication methods on offer to share ideas with parents to help promote children's learning when they are away from the nursery. Staff gather a range of

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need to do better?

relevant information from the parents when children start and this helps them to plan a range of relevant and interesting activities for the children. This supports children's strong levels of engagement and enjoyment during their time at the nursery. n Overall, children learn about good hygiene practices in the safe and clean nursery environment. They develop the skills they need to meet their own personal care needs. On occasions, staff do not promote children's ability to recognise the importance of good hygiene. For instance, they do not consistently remind children to wash their hands after using tissues to clean their nose.

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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 develop the strategies they use so that all children are able to understand and follow the routines in place at the nursery n consistently promote children's understanding of the importance of following good hygiene practices.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY496892 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10331962 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 98 Number of children on roll 99 Name of registered person Hala Hassan Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07907769754 Date of previous inspection 1 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery registered in 2016. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff, of whom 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6.30pm, 51 weeks of the year. The nursery provides funded early education for 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 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 observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector jointly observed a planned activity and discussed the quality of staff interactions and how staff are supported in their roles. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector verbally and in writing. Their views were taken into consideration.

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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 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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