Harton Village Kindergarten

Inspection of Harton Village Kindergarten Harton Village Kindergarten, Sunderland Road, South Shields NE34 6AS

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

p.1

The provision is good

Children's interests are fully embraced in this nursery. Staff take full account of their ideas and suggestions and use these to determine the activities that they will provide. This contributes directly to the remarkable levels of motivation and curiosity to learn that all children show. For example, children get very excited when moving in different ways through 'laser beams' made from string. Their consistent engagement in fun and exciting experiences supports the good progress that they make in their learning. The child-led curriculum helps them achieve well, overall. Leaders are aware that some children, following the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, are slower to reach age-related expectations in their communication and language development.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff have high expectations and provide consistent routines and clear boundaries. These are understood well by children, who respond positively to staff's guidance and instructions and behave remarkably well. They take turns and cooperate well together. For instance, they 'hop like bunnies' when moving from the table to the carpet. They hold hands together in a circle, smiling while they jump together with friends.

p.2

The provision is good

Children are evidently very happy and at ease in nursery. They benefit from consistent praise and encouragement from kind and caring staff. They are eager to share their ideas with staff and seek them out to join in their play.

p.2

need to do better?

n Children show an avid interest in the natural world. They have plentiful opportunities to explore and investigate, and staff support this well. For example, they provide resources linked to children's interest in bugs. Children handle giant snails that are kept in nursery as pets. They observe birds in the garden and ask questions about where they live and what they eat. Children are highly inquisitive and keen to learn. They have positive attitudes to learning and concentrate well during activities. n Staff weave learning into the exciting activities that they provide. However, there are some aspects of staff's knowledge of child development that are not consistently strong. Some staff are less confident in describing the key skills that they want children to develop. The learning intentions of some activities are, at times, broad and not focused on what children need to learn next. Staff know that some children need support to make better progress in their communication

p.2

need to do better?

and language development. However, teaching is not consistently targeted well enough to help children to achieve as well as possible enough in this aspect of learning. n Babies thrive in the care of attentive staff. They enjoy sensory activities that

p.2

need to do better?

24 July 2024 support their development well. They develop early mark-making skills when they trace their fingers and toy vehicles through paint. Staff support their self- help skills very well. They model how to use a spoon when pretending to feed a toy rabbit and encourage them to drink from an open cup. Babies become increasingly independent, ready for moving on to the next room. n Leaders and managers have high expectations of staff and provide opportunities for them to build on their knowledge and skills. Managers monitor practice frequently and have an accurate overview of the provision. They have designed new training plans, intended to build on the teaching skills of members of staff who are new to their role, though these are yet to be embedded. The provider is deeply committed to supporting staff well-being. Staff report that they feel valued and supported. n Following the COVID-19 pandemic, parents no longer routinely visit the rooms

p.2

need to do better?

where their children are based. Instead, they are invited to events such as 'welcome meetings' and 'stay-and-play' sessions. Staff gather detailed information about children's needs and interests before they start to attend, and parents appreciate the in-depth information that they receive about their child's time in nursery. Parents are fully reassured that their children are safe and happy, and they feel very involved in nursery life. They praise the 'amazing staff' and would highly recommend the nursery to others. n Staff prioritise children's health and well-being. They consistently teach them ways to keep themselves healthy, for example by washing their hands and cleaning their teeth. Children confidently tell adults that they must wash their hands after sneezing so that they do not spread germs. Children benefit from home-cooked, nutritious meals and snacks. They learn about the importance of exercise, for example, when they complete races in the garden and talk about

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

should:

n strengthen staff's knowledge of child development, so there is a deeper understanding of how to provide a progressive and sequenced curriculum, and that teaching consistently builds on children's current skills.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY537004 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 10351086 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 109 Number of children on roll 253 Name of registered person The Early Learning Partnership Limited

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 0191 4566314 Date of previous inspection 4 October 2018

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Harton Village Kindergarten registered in 2016. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, 21 hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 or above, including two who hold a level 6 qualification. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting has received since the COVID-19 pandemic. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and staff and have taken that into account in their evaluation. n The manager showed the inspectors around the premises. She talked about the curriculum and the way the provision is organised. n The inspectors observed interactions between staff and children in all rooms and outdoor spaces. They observed staff's teaching and assessed its impact on children's learning. n The provider, manager, deputy manager and area manager met with the inspectors to discuss leadership and management matters. n An inspector completed a joint observation in the 'school readiness' group with the manager. They evaluated an outdoor activity together. n The inspectors spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. They also spoke to a number of parents and took account of their

p.5

Inspection activities

views. n The inspectors viewed a sample of documents. This included evidence of suitability checks carried out on staff, as well as assessment information and training plans used by the manager to support discussions.

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

24 July 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

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.6

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.6

Inspection activities

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

p.6

Inspection activities

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

p.6