Little Nightingales Preschool

Inspection of Little Nightingales Preschool London Colney Primary & Nursery School, Alexander Road, London Colney, Hertfrodshire AL2 1JG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

The staff team provide a warm and welcoming learning environment, which encourages children's independent learning. They use what they know about children when they start to ensure that resources are relevant and interesting. Children respond positively to this, quickly settling into an activity of their choosing when they arrive at the pre-school.

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The provision is good

Opportunities for children to explore outdoors are plentiful. Staff reflect together on the needs of the children who currently attend, adapting their plans to meet the needs of all children. For instance, they recognise that children benefit from more time outside to build on their ability to explore the world around them. Children enjoy exploring the wider grounds of the school, safely monitored by staff. Staff value children's opinions and choices. For example, children choose which tree they will surround as they join hands with one another to sing songs.

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The provision is good

Staff support children to build friendships with others. They encourage children to join in with their play, modelling positive interactions and building on children's understanding of how to share and take turns. For instance, they encourage children to join together to play a game of football. This helps children to understand how to work together with others. Staff successfully use strategies, such as positive praise and encouragement, to build children's confidence.

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need to do better?

n Staff engage positively with children and speak about how they enjoy their roles. Their interactions with children are purposeful and enthusiastic. This helps to motivate children and maintain their attention. Children eagerly join in with staff in spontaneous activities. For instance, they follow staff around the garden as they re-tell a familiar story. Children keenly join in with familiar phrases from the story as they march along behind staff and their friends. n Staff successfully support children's communication and language development. They gather initial words in home languages so that they can communicate with children who speak English as an additional language. Staff hold natural discussions with children. They follow children's lead and build on the conversation further, encouraging children to think and answer the questions staff ask. For instance, staff speak about the leaves that children find on a walk

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need to do better?

in the school field. They ask children to think about why the leaves appear the way that they do. Once children respond, staff extend their answer appropriately, introducing new and relevant vocabulary. n There is an ambitious curriculum in place, which the manager speaks passionately about. On the whole, staff understand how to implement this curriculum. However, occasionally they do not embed this into their practice. For

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need to do better?

30 April 2024 instance, they do not fully support children to understand how to assess risks appropriately for themselves. n Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive swift support thanks to open discussions between staff and parents and effective work with other professionals. While staff have a range of strategies to use to support children, these are not always consistently and successfully delivered. Occasionally, staff use strategies which are not as effective and do not help all children to understand why the rules are in place. n Staff are actively involved in the process of evaluating their practice. This helps them to identify their own areas for development and participate in improving their already good practice further. The manager meets regularly with staff to discuss their practice and identify appropriate professional development opportunities. Staff well-being is a priority to the manager. This results in staff

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need to do better?

reporting that they feel well supported in their roles. n Staff regularly discuss the planning of activities and reflect on what has been successful. They recognise how to differentiate activities to achieve specific outcomes. For example, they plan different ways for children to learn about cycles and changes over time. Toddlers look at the changes in seasons, while older children explore the life cycle of frogs. Real experiences support these learning intentions. For instance, the pre-school has tadpoles for the children to watch and monitor the changes over time. This helps children to consolidate what they learn and make connections between their experiences.

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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 fully implement all of the curriculum intentions to enable children to learn to identify and assess risks independently n guide staff to provide consistent and effective support to all children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to help them understand the rules they need to follow.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2667175 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10335064 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 39

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Name of registered person

Little Nightingale's Children's Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01727 827533 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Nightingales Preschool registered in 2021. They operate on the site of London Colney Primary & Nursery School. They operate during term time, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3pm. There are six members of childcare staff, with four holding a relevant qualification at level 3. The setting 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 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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. 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. n The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

30 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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