Strawberry Fields Nursery and Preschool Limited

Inspection of Strawberry Fields Nursery and Preschool Limited Euxton Lane, Chorley PR7 1PS

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

The manager and staff create a warm and welcoming environment for children. They provide a range of activities that spark children's interests. As a result, children are quickly absorbed in their play and learning. This helps them develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff place a strong emphasis on helping children gain their independence. For example, they encourage babies to feed themselves, and older children see to their personal care needs. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to understand their own feelings and emotions. This builds children's confidence and helps them to feel a sense of pride in their achievements. Effective support is provided to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals. For example, staff have introduced British Sign Language into the curriculum. This has been beneficial in helping children to communicate their thoughts, wishes and feelings. This in turn reduces children's anxiety as they eagerly participate in activities.

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The provision is good

Staff teach children how to share and take turns. Consequently, children behave well and are kind and considerate to their peers. For example, children make sure that everyone has a turn when mixing the ingredients for the biscuits. Staff are ambitious for children and want them to succeed. They know when to step in to provide additional support. For example, staff help children to alter the ramps so that the cars roll down them faster. Children cheer in delight when they achieve their goal.

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need to do better?

n Since the previous inspection, there has been a change of manager. The manager and staff work well as a team. The manager shows commitment to improving the quality of education for children. For example, she has reorganised the learning environment to make each area more accessible and appealing to children. n The quality of education is strong, which helps children to make progress. However, there are some gaps in less-experienced staff's knowledge of how to consistently teach the curriculum. For example, some staff are not as confident in guiding children's learning. This does not help children to become fully absorbed in their play and learning. n In the main, staff training enhances their knowledge and skills. However, new staff are not as confident in teaching some aspects of the curriculum because they have not had time to embed the knowledge from training. For example, staff have received recent training on communication and language. However,

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need to do better?

4 April 2024 they do not consistently help children to learn new vocabulary in different contexts. This does not fully support children's communication and language development. The management team is taking steps to address these minor gaps. n Where practice is strong, staff are confident communicators who engage children in conversations. They introduce words such as 'squish' and 'squeeze' as children make rabbit biscuits. Babies smile in delight as staff repeat 'pop' as they blow bubbles. These activities help children to hear and learn new words. n Toddlers enjoy the opportunities to re-enact the story about a hungry caterpillar. Staff use props that entice the toddlers to join in. As a result, they eagerly join in with familiar phrases, such as 'yum, yum, yum'. Older children know that some books, such as recipe books, can be used to gather information. They also sit in the comfy book areas reading for pleasure. Books are a prominent feature of the

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need to do better?

nursery. This has a positive impact on children's early literacy. n The curriculum for mathematics is sequenced well. Staff use songs and rhymes to introduce children to numbers and counting. As children progress through the nursery, they learn shape names, such as a circle, cone and cuboid. Children also use mathematical language as they play. This helps to build children's mathematical skills, which provides a firm foundation for future learning. n Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Children delight in moulding dough and competently use a variety of tools. They transport the chicks, rice and carrots around the plastic tray with tweezers. This helps children to develop the coordination and muscles they need for early writing. n The new manager has placed a great emphasis on developing effective partnerships with parents. Parents say that communication has improved and

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need to do better?

they are much more aware of what their children are doing and learning in nursery. This means that parents are able to continue to support their children's development at home.

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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 strengthen staff's knowledge and confidence in developing children's communication and language skills n support staff to receive focused highly effective development opportunities to help them build on the quality of education throughout the nursery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2659514 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10319092 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 101 Number of children on roll 52

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Name of registered person

Strawberry Fields Nursery and Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01257 781120 Date of previous inspection 13 October 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Strawberry Fields Nursery and Preschool Limited registered in 2021 and is located in Chorley. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two staff hold qualifications at level 2, three hold level 3, one holds level 4 and four hold level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager, area manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector spoke to the children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

4 April 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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