Early years · Early years inspection (EIF)
Kinderzimmer Berkhamsted
Summary
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- Inspection date verified
9 Apr 2024
- Inspectors verified
Jenny Hardy
- Behaviour and attitudes verified
Outstanding
- Leadership and management verified
Outstanding
- Overall effectiveness verified
Outstanding
- Personal development verified
Outstanding
- Quality of education verified
Outstanding
- Postcode verified
HP4 1AP
- Name on report verified
Kinderzimmer Berkhamsted
- URN verified
2768336
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- OverallOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Quality of educationOutstanding
11% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Outstanding (17,905 inspections).
Tone of the report
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In line with other reports of this type graded Outstanding.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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- The highly reflective leadership team oversees the nursery and provides staff with exceptional support and a full and robust induction into their roles. p.3
- Children form strong friendships and thrive on helping one another. p.2
- Staff engagement with children is highly effective and purposeful. p.2
- Children become highly effective communicators. p.2
- The inspirational manager encourages staff to reflect and evaluate their own practice regularly. p.3
Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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No next steps set out.
What the report dwells on
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Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 6
- Words of findings
- 753
- about usual (typical 818)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 47, typical 49
- Average sentence
- 15 words
- Next steps
- 0
- typical 0
- Hedged sentences
- 4%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection of Kinderzimmer Berkhamsted Kinderzimmer Berkhamsted, 205 High Street, Berkhamsted HP4 1AP
p.1
Overall effectiveness Outstanding
The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable
p.1
The provision is outstanding
An exceptionally well-arranged curriculum and learning environment are in place, that have the needs of every child at their heart. Staff carefully plan learning opportunities to encourage children's curiosity and exploration. Babies explore cornflour using their hands and feet, immersing themselves fully in the sensory experiences on offer. Staff continuously evaluate and adapt the learning environment, responding rapidly to children's changing interests. They introduce resources to babies on different levels in their room. This motivates babies who are becoming mobile to persevere to reach the resources which interest them most and helps them to develop their physical strength at the same time.
p.2
The provision is outstanding
Staff engagement with children is highly effective and purposeful. The experienced staff team recognises when children need support or would benefit from less intervention. As a result, children become deeply engaged in their learning. For instance, staff monitor children as they take time to consider how to negotiate a steep slope in the garden safely by themselves. They praise children once they successfully complete this task and prompt children to do it again to master the skill fully. This helps to maximise what children gain from the activities they complete, as they confidently lead their own play and learning.
p.2
need to do better?
n The nursery has recently opened. Despite this, staff have a clear understanding of the vision that leaders have for the provision. They have quickly embedded systems to ensure that all children's progress is carefully monitored, to provide any required intervention as early as possible. As a result, all children make rapid progress from their initial starting points. n Children settle quickly and demonstrate that they are happy. Babies confidently approach visiting adults, bringing them containers to engage them in their play. Key persons, along with the wider staff team, know the children exceptionally well. They are fully aware of each individual child's needs and use their strong knowledge of child development to ensure that children get the most from the learning experiences on offer. n Children become highly effective communicators. Staff who work with babies follow their cues instinctively. They introduce new words as children play, and
p.2
need to do better?
older babies quickly begin to join words together to communicate their understanding. Older children lead informal singing sessions, where staff join in and follow their lead. Staff sit with children and discuss what they can see out of the window, allowing children to lead these naturally occurring conversations. Staff ask thought-provoking questions, allowing children plenty of time to think deeply before they respond. n Leaders have worked hard to establish the nursery within the local community,
p.2
need to do better?
9 April 2024 and a sympathetic transformation to the listed building the nursery operates from has resulted in an award of recognition. The dedicated manager has formed positive working relationships with other services. For instance, children have exclusive access to the local library outside of normal operating hours, so that they can fully explore the books at their own pace. As a result, children who attend fully benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences outside of the nursery. n Staff provide opportunities for children to learn from one another, such as mixed- age groups completing activities together. Children form strong friendships and thrive on helping one another. For instance, they help their friends across the obstacle course in the garden, holding their hands as they balance across more challenging beams. Children not only help their friends, but staff as well. Toddlers keenly ask staff for cloths to help clean tables and watch the older
p.2
need to do better?
children complete this task. This helps them to understand how to complete the task successfully themselves. n Staff instinctively adapt their interactions to follow children's leads. They focus on the process instead of the end result, and adapt their planning as activities evolve. For example, younger children experiment with food colouring during a play dough activity and staff provide paper so that the children can follow their interest in making patterns using the different colours. This contributes to the high levels of focus and engagement children display. n There is a real focus on the well-being of staff, children and parents. The highly reflective leadership team oversees the nursery and provides staff with exceptional support and a full and robust induction into their roles. The inspirational manager encourages staff to reflect and evaluate their own practice regularly. Recruitment processes are robust, and involve the whole staff team,
p.3
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
p.3
Safeguarding
There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.
p.3
Setting details
Unique reference number 2768336 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10337086 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care
p.4
inspection
Total number of places 91 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person KMK Kinderzimmer 1 Muswell Hill Limited
p.4
reference number
Telephone number 02039574670 Date of previous inspection Not applicable
p.4
Information about this early years setting
Kinderzimmer Berkhamsted registered in 2024. The nursery operates all year round, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Six staff members hold appropriate qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years.
p.4
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 provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk. The manager and room leaders talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager, along with other observations of staff interacting with children. They discussed the impact of these interactions on children's learning and development. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability
p.5
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.
p.5
Inspection activities
9 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.
p.5
Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
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