Noah's Ark Nursery Group

Inspection of Noah's Ark Nursery Group Bures Community Centre, Nayland Road, BURES, Suffolk CO8 5BX

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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 eagerly enter this inclusive setting, which has a warm and friendly, home- from-home atmosphere. Children are happy and enjoy greeting their friends when they arrive. Staff champion children's unique personalities, complimenting them as they arrive dressed as their favourite book character. Because staff show a genuine interest in their individuality, this contributes to children's feeling of safety and belonging. Additionally, it fosters a positive environment that plays a significant role in shaping children's self-esteem and identity.

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The provision is good

The indoor and outdoor environments are extremely inviting and stimulating. Staff ensure activities and resources are age-appropriate and support all areas of learning. Consequently, all children make rapid progress from their starting points. Children are extremely well behaved. Children learn to accept the needs of others when staff introduce turn-taking games and praise their acts of kindness towards others.

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The provision is good

Staff plan real-life experiences, giving children the opportunity to learn from, and be part of, their local community. Children talk excitedly to each other when getting ready to go on a picnic and nature walk. Staff teach children effectively to keep themselves safe and successfully risk assess different environments. For example, children remind their peers to wear their high-visibility jacket and hold hands, to keep them safe on their trip.

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need to do better?

n Overall, teaching is very good. Leaders are extremely reflective and dedicated. They ensure that staff receive training and support, ensuring the curriculum intent and teaching vision are securely embedded throughout the setting. Parents say their children enjoy attending and they praise the communication of the caring and dedicated staff. They proudly express the progress their children are making, especially in their confidence and speech and language development. n The staff put children at the heart of everything they do. The well-established key-person system and the bespoke settling-in process help children make strong and secure attachments with the caring and attentive staff. When individual children have difficulties settling in, staff work together with parents to provide appropriate support. Sometimes, when children struggle to settle in, staff do not always consider individual strategies to help children easily separate

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need to do better?

from their parents. n Robust and regular assessments ensure staff are knowledgeable about children's progress. This helps them to provide sequenced learning, building on what children already know and can do. Guided by children's lead, staff ask

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need to do better?

18 September 2024 meaningful questions and provide one-to-one interactions to extend their learning and development. For example, staff encourage children to hold the pencil closer to the tip when making marks. This immediately improves their pencil control, which helps support early writing skills in preparation for school readiness. n Staff promote healthy and active lifestyles with continual access to outdoor play opportunities. Children are highly motivated to join in with daily music time, which helps develop their physical skills while enabling them to practise self- expression. Children begin to understand the world they live in through experiences such as growing their own crops and learning about life cycles. n Leaders instigate effective partnership working with local schools and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This helps secure timely and relevant support for children now, and when they transition to school. As a

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need to do better?

result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make significant progress and continuously have their individual needs met. Staff introduce new vocabulary and extend children's ideas through play, stories and role play interactions. Additionally, children learn Makaton sign language to help them to communicate. n Generally, children are encouraged to become independent in their self-care. Children develop good hygiene habits and independently wash their hands before eating. On occasion, younger children do not consistently receive enough support from staff to ensure they clearly understand the importance of hygiene routines and following them through to the end. n Children thrive with the responsibility of being 'helper of the day'. They develop self-esteem when staff give them meaningful praise for correctly counting pieces of apple they cut for snack. These consistent, daily routines and meaningful

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need to do better?

praise from staff mean children know what is expected of them and repeat these positive behaviours.

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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 review the already good settling-in processes to further enhance children's emotional security when separating from parents n help staff to support younger children to manage their self-care needs independently, ensuring hygiene routines tasks are carried out effectively.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251429 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10354750 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 107 Name of registered person Noah's Ark Nursery Group Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01787 227899 Date of previous inspection 5 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark Nursery Group registered in 1971. It operates from the Bures Community Centre. It is open from 8.30am until 5pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The setting employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting receives early education funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a tour of the setting, both indoors and outdoors, to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. Additionally, the manager showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure they are safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group activities with the manager and also discussed self-evaluation. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. The inspector spoke with parents and carers during the inspection and also took account of their views. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and also discussed self-

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Inspection activities

evaluation. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the setting and a selection of other records.

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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

18 September 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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