Northgate House Childcare Centre

Inspection of Northgate House Childcare Centre 64 Station Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 1LG

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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 are happily engaged in their play and learning across the nursery. The youngest children use resources that support them to strengthen the muscles in their legs and explore different sensory materials. Staff model language for them and encourage them to say new words. Children in the toddler rooms enjoy making marks with a range of materials. They giggle as they use tools to make marks in a tray of paint and bubbles. Staff support children enthusiastically and offer a good running commentary as they play. In the pre-school room, children learn to understand different emotions and discuss their feelings with a member of staff. Children explore big boxes of shredded paper to find metal items with magnets. They look fascinated as items stick together.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage plenty of exercise and fresh air for children. They support children to take turns and play safely on the trampoline outside. Children who struggle to take turns are given sand timers to help them wait for their turn. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families are supported to complete referrals to outside agencies. Staff plan tailored activities that meet children's individual needs. For example, children spend time exploring sensory items in a bucket and play in small groups with staff to develop their social skills.

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need to do better?

n The provider and manager support staff to access a wide variety of training. For instance, they enjoy an annual training day to develop their teaching skills and refresh their safeguarding knowledge. This gives staff the opportunity to network with the team from their sister nursery and share best practice. Staff also choose from a variety of online training courses every month for their professional development. Staff report that they are supported well in their roles by the manager. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) works closely with key persons, parents and outside agencies to make sure children have access to specialised support. For example, the SENCO attends local authority training with parents to learn more about supporting their children's needs. n Staff plan a good range of activities, which cover all areas of learning. However, at times, opportunities to use the language of mathematics are not taken during

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need to do better?

activities. This means that children do not routinely develop their counting skills or use mathematical language throughout daily activities to maximise their understanding. n The manager evaluates her setting well and identifies which areas of the curriculum need to be developed further. For example, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager implemented a new focus on literacy and communication. The positive impact of this can be seen throughout the nursery.

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need to do better?

29 February 2024 Pre-school children approach staff with books to read, and explore letters and tell staff the sounds that they make. Babies explore board books and enjoy a weekly song time session from a visiting musician. n Across the nursery, children behave well and confidently explore their surroundings. In pre-school, children are seen to give each other a hug and help each other to create a 'nursery' for their animals. Pre-school children report that their favourite activities are making play dough and outdoor play. Staff in the baby room give reassurance and support to new babies. They settle in very quickly and form good bonds with their key persons. n Staff plan occasional community activities, such as taking children for walks around woodland and the model village. Children learn about festivals at certain times of the year. However, the overall curriculum for people, culture, and communities is not as strong as other areas of learning. Opportunities for

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need to do better?

learning about similarities and differences are not routinely planned into children's activities. n Management outline clear learning intentions for children in every room. Children learn skills in a sequence and build up to goals such as making a pizza by following instructions. They learn to develop balance and then move on to ride on a balance bike. Staff encourage children's independence with daily self- help skills, such as pouring drinks and taking off shoes. Children choose when to have snack in pre-school and dress independently for outdoor play. n Parents speak highly of the support for their children. They say that their children greatly enjoy attending and excitedly run in, in the morning. Staff share ideas to continue learning at home via newsletters and an app, which parents very much appreciate.

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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 introduce more mathematical language into activities and everyday routines to develop children's mathematical knowledge and understanding n build on the existing curriculum for people and communities to support children to develop their knowledge about similarities and differences even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY407992 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10317356 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 62 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person Beaconsfield Childcare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01494676272 Date of previous inspection 31 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Northgate House Childcare Centre registered in 2010 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 23 staff, 16 of whom have a childcare qualification between levels 2 and 6. One member of staff holds early years professional status, and two staff members hold qualified teacher status.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. n The inspector assessed staff's understanding of how to keep children safe. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity and evaluated it together.

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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

29 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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