Meaford Fields Day Nursery

Inspection of Meaford Fields Day Nursery Unit 18 Whitebridge Estate, Stone ST15 8LQ

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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 provide a nurturing environment that helps children to settle quickly. Children develop meaningful relationships with staff, who are kind and caring. Effective settling-in procedures support children to feel safe and secure. Children know the routines and behave well. Staff are good role models and provide children with clear expectations for their behaviour. For instance, staff praise children when they follow instructions, such as sitting nicely at the table during mealtimes. Staff support children's personal development in many ways. For example, babies are encouraged to feed themselves when ready. Older children develop some independence, wiping their own noses and putting on their coats for outdoor play.

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The provision is good

Staff plan activities that engage children and develop their listening skills, concentration, and confidence. Young children enjoy filling and emptying containers while playing with sand. Older children enjoy role play with staff, using a toy shop and dressing up. They use their imaginations and develop their awareness of the world about them. Babies move around competently in the well-organised learning areas, exploring toys and building on their curiosity. They smile and laugh as they play peekaboo with staff. Staff encourage children to develop positive attitudes to their learning and they focus on building secure bonds with them.

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need to do better?

n The manager has devised a well-sequenced curriculum that helps children to develop a good range of skills to support their future learning. The ongoing monitoring of children's progress from their starting points helps each child to make good progress. Staff are fully aware of the intent for the curriculum, and this is well implemented. Gaps in children's development are quickly identified and staff know how to make referrals if additional support is needed. n The staff plan activities to support children's interests and learning. The routine and structure of the day enables children to spend a significant amount of time outdoors to explore, investigate and learn through play. Children are active learners, and they benefit from activities designed to support their physical development well. Older children develop balance and core strength, for example, as they play on the climbing equipment or use brushes dipped in water

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need to do better?

to create patterns. However, there are fewer opportunities for babies to explore and develop their own play in the outdoor environment. n Key persons observe and assess children's development effectively. They know children well and use their knowledge of children's interests to tailor the curriculum to meet their individual needs. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff understand the importance of early identification, intervention and working with external agencies. n Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about nature, growth and life

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need to do better?

2 May 2024 cycles. For instance, they investigate the life cycle of a plant, and grow a variety of herbs. Staff support children's fine motor skills as they provide pencils and chalks for them to make marks. These opportunities support children to build their muscles and develop coordination. Children show good levels of engagement in their play and happily make independent choices. n Staff regularly sing songs and nursery rhymes with children to develop their language skills. Children develop a love of books as they listen to familiar stories. Staff read with enthusiasm, encouraging children to join in with words and phrases. However, some staff miss opportunities to develop meaningful conversations with children. n Partnerships with parents are well established. Parents speak warmly of the friendly staff team. Staff use the online system and communicate with parents daily about what their child is doing at the nursery. Although staff share

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need to do better?

information with parents in a range of ways, they are yet to consistently share enough information about children's progress to fully support parents to extend and continue their child's learning at home. n The manager is reflective in the ongoing evaluation of the setting. There is a strong desire to continue to improve. The manager supports the development of staff and ensures staff have manageable workloads. Staff receive support through regular supervision meetings and access training to develop their practice.

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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 extend opportunities to enable babies to explore and develop their own play and ideas in the outdoor environment n support staff to have high-quality interactions with children, so that they consistently promote children's speech and language development n provide parents with more information about the progress children are making in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY536339 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10339395 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 50 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Meaford Fields Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01785814788 Date of previous inspection 18 July 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Meaford Fields Day Nursery registered in 2016 and is situated in Stone, Staffordshire. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 5, five hold level 3 and two hold level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector and the nursery manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum is organised. n A joint observation of a teaching activity was carried out by the inspector and the nursery manager. n The inspector held discussions with staff and parents, and spoke to children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of relevant records and documentation. This included evidence about staff suitability and training. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the nursery manager.

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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

2 May 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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