The Lime Tree Children's Day Nursery

Inspection of The Lime Tree Children's Day Nursery Anstey Park House, Anstey Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2RL

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 Outstanding

p.1

The provision is outstanding

Management and staff provide an inspirational and ambitious curriculum that engages children exceptionally well. Staff provide an enticing environment with plentiful resources and natural materials. They encourage children to freely explore and experiment in a variety of imaginative ways. Staff interact and communicate with the children effectively. They instinctively know when to provide children with extra support, extend their understanding, or step back and let children develop their own learning. Staff sensitively engage with children to enhance their play and learning experiences. Staff model an extensive range of vocabulary. Children consistently hear and practise new words, becoming confident communicators.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

Staff are nurturing and caring, and have excellent bonds with children. Staff discuss how enabling children across the nursery to mingle and play together at different times throughout the day benefits them. It helps to strengthen children's social skills, allows them to build bonds with staff from other rooms, and supports siblings to see and play with each other. Children display excellent behaviour and are keen to help staff and each other. They eagerly choose their daily helper role and proudly share what their responsibility is with adults and their friends.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive and are making rapid progress in their learning and development. Staff know the children exceptionally well. All staff take great pride in celebrating children's achievements, such as when they start walking or become potty trained. Staff's praise boosts children's confidence and self-esteem. Children are eager to try new things and have a 'can-do' attitude. They fully engross themselves in activities, whether making dough gingerbread men, sorting seeds and pulses, or exploring for mini-beasts. Staff extend children's knowledge and skills exceptionally well. They encourage children to problem-solve and critically think as they interact and ask questions. For example, staff ask children to name different parts of an ant, and recall how many legs different insects have and which insect has more.

p.2

need to do better?

n Management and staff are extremely passionate about providing high-quality care and education. They have initiated several measures to support the children and their parents. For example, to support parents and children through new experiences and emotional change, staff have created bespoke resource packs that parents can take home. 'Buddy bags' focus on providing resources that parents can use at home to support their children's learning and emotional well- being. For example, they include support for children dealing with grief or trauma, to manage their feelings, interactions during nappy changing, and preparing children for the dentist, vaccinations or medical appointments. 'Activity bags' focus on areas of learning such as literacy, understanding the world,

p.2

need to do better?

24 June 2024 maths, and the transition to school. n Staff work exceptionally well as a team, and seamlessly deploy themselves to best support children's learning. They skilfully interact with children as they play, and use their knowledge to continually extend what children know and can do. For example, where babies are beginning to move, staff encourage them to manoeuvre over more objects and cruise around. Older children are encouraged to share and recall their experiences, predict and problem-solve. They assess risks themselves, such as when using different containers to carry water to clean equipment, or when negotiating their self-made obstacle courses. n Staff receive regular supervision and complete a variety of training. They say that they greatly enjoy working with the children, and show they are reflective on their roles and how these can develop or be improved. Children's well-being is important to staff, and management are in the process of implementing new

p.2

need to do better?

initiatives to extend what they offer to staff. Staff are excellent role models and reinforce the positive behaviour that children display. n Children learn about and lead healthy lifestyles. They enjoy healthy meals, and discuss why they need to drink water and the importance of good hygiene. Children greatly enjoy being in the fresh air and say that they could play outside all day. Children imaginatively use natural resources and cooperate with each other to manoeuvre planks, logs and tyres to make vehicles, become pirates, or make their own see-saws. Staff encourage children's creativity and bring the different areas of learning into these occasions to meaningfully extend children's experiences and skills. n Management and staff work swiftly with parents and other professionals when they identify children's emerging needs. Children benefit from the highly effective partnerships in place with local children's centres, schools, and local

p.3

need to do better?

authority advisers. The special educational needs coordinator has created a comprehensive speech and language programme, which enables staff to swiftly implement bespoke support for children. Children's communication and social skills, along with learning to self-regulate emotions, are a focus since the COVID- 19 pandemic. n Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents are highly complimentary of the care provided to their children and the progress they make. They describe the staff as 'inspirational', 'creative' and 'caring'. They also comment on the great communication, and say that they feel lucky to be a part of this exceptional nursery. Staff encourage parents to share their expertise. Parents come to the nursery to read stories to children or share cultural festivals and traditions. n Children learn about other cultures and their local community. Children enjoy outings into the local community, sports day in the local school grounds, and

p.3

need to do better?

participating in activities that increase their awareness of what makes them unique. There are bilingual resources, and parents receive encouragement to share their backgrounds so that staff can authentically incorporate them in activities.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

24 June 2024 There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY543007 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10339077 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Lime Tree Nursery Limited

p.5

Telephone number

Date of previous inspection 7 October 2019

p.5

Information about this early years setting

The Lime Tree Children's Day Nursery registered in 2017 and is located in Alton, Hampshire. It is open from 8am until 6pm, all year round. The provider employs 12 members of staff, of whom 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 or 5. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

p.5

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 provider and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a physical and communication activity with the provider. n The provider shared a sample of key documentation with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to several parents and also took account of their written views of the setting.

p.6

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.6

Inspection activities

24 June 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.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7