Noah's Ark Under Fives

Inspection of Noah's Ark Under Fives The Beeches Family Centre, Bulford Road, Bulford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 9BT

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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 enjoy attending this friendly nursery, where leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on providing a safe and secure home-from-home environment. Children arrive happily and staff patiently support new starters to settle with cuddles and reassurance. They work hard to help those children who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to recognise and regulate their emotions in preparation for school. Children particularly enjoy exploring in the large well-equipped outdoor area and older children show confidence as they move independently between indoor and outdoor play spaces. Babies enjoy looking at books with staff in a cosy den.

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The provision is good

Staff know children and families well. They carefully assess children's starting points, progress and interests and use these as the basis for their planning. They are clear what they want each child to learn and the curriculum is ambitious for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children make good progress. Older children develop independent skills, such as serving themselves at lunchtime, and children aged two to three ably feed themselves. Children of all ages are engaged and curious. For example, one-year-old children explore porridge oats with different utensils and older children practise using scissors to cut cooked and coloured spaghetti.

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need to do better?

n Managers have a clear vision for the nursery, which they have been working towards steadily. They now have a strong team of staff in place and changes to the provision are embedding well. There is a strong focus on professional development and staff well-being. Staff report that they enjoy working at the nursery and feel well supported. n Staff share a clear understanding of what the children need to learn and how to move them on to the next stage of their learning. They are all involved in assessing children's progress and planning to help them make good progress. Staff follow children's interests to engage them fully. For example, children have been fascinated by flowers in the outdoor area so staff have added real flowers to the water tray to add a new dimension to their exploration. Staff generally use effective teaching practice but there is some inconsistency in their ability to extend children's learning further.

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need to do better?

n Staff consistently remind children about golden rules and boundaries. The children aged two to three have 'superhero rules' to help them learn about expectations for their behaviour. Staff do a lot of work to help older children to regulate their emotions and to take turns and share. Children build strong friendships and show affection and care for one another. n Staff support children's communication skills well. They interact effectively with

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need to do better?

19 April 2024 children of all ages and there is lots of talk across the nursery throughout the day. Older children develop confidence to speak in small groups as staff encourage them to tell a story based on picture cards. Staff make good use of visual prompts to help those children who have speech and language delay or who do not speak English as their first language. n There is a strong focus on health and well-being and managers want children to be fit to learn. Children enjoy healthy and balanced home-cooked meals. The cook meets with parents to ensure that she gets first-hand information about any allergies, intolerances or other requirements. Her cooking is so popular that she has produced a recipe booklet for parents. n Managers are keen to foster links with families and support them as well as their children. There is a good two-way flow of information about the children and their progress. Parents have the opportunity to share what children are

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need to do better?

achieving at home and discuss any concerns they may have. They have opportunities to get involved at the nursery. For example, they attend events such as a garden fete. n The nursery welcomes a diverse range of children and families. Managers and staff have been working to acknowledge and value their cultural backgrounds and home languages but this process is still not fully embedded.

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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 take further steps to acknowledge the diversity of the children attending to help them feel valued and provide further support for those that speak English as an additional language n improve the consistency of staff practice, with particular regards to developing their ability to further extend children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 146066 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10340780 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 65 Number of children on roll 78

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Name of registered person

TNB Garrison Early Years and Play Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01980 633176 Date of previous inspection 24 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark Under Fives registered in 2001 and is situated at the Beeches Families Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire. The setting operates five days per week for 38 weeks of the year. It is open from 8am until 5.30pm from Monday to Thursday and 8am to 2pm on Fridays. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 18 staff working with the children at the nursery. Of these, one holds a relevant early years qualification at level 6, one at level 5, eleven at level 3 and two at level 2. Two of the unqualified staff are working towards their level 3 qualifications.

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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 inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 small group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several 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

19 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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