Holwell Nursery School

Inspection of Holwell Nursery School Crouch Lane, Holwell, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5LP

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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 and their families receive a warm welcome into this nurturing and caring nursery. Children arrive happy and quickly engage in motivating and challenging activities that staff organise for them. Older children rush in, independently put their coats on their pegs, greet staff and start playing with their friends. New children receive nurturing and sensitive support from their key person to help them settle into nursery. Staff build strong relationships with children and parents. They work with parents to gather information about children's individual needs. This enables staff to support children to make good progress from the outset.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They take time to embed the routines and boundaries in each room. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff interact positively with children and adapt quickly to their interests. For example, older children make snails with play dough. Staff extend this learning by taking children outside to forage for snails and other creatures. Children show joy and curiosity as they look for snails in the mud. These thoughtful moments help children to develop a love of learning and extend their focus and concentration.

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need to do better?

n The provider develops an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum for children. Staff have a secure understanding of what they want children to learn and achieve. There is a clear focus on developing children's language, social, emotional and physical skills. For example, staff prioritise babies' emotional development to help them form close, strong attachments to their key person. Younger children practise their physical skills, such as pedalling on bikes, and pre-school children develop their listening skills through small-group activities organised by staff. n Relationships between staff and parents are warm and supportive. Parents are positive about the 'family environment' staff create. They feel included in all aspects of their children's care and education. They receive regular updates about what children are learning when they drop off and collect their children, and through an app the nursery uses.

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need to do better?

n Staff interactions with children are positive and encouraging. Staff consistently engage in children's play and skilfully introduce children to new vocabulary through the stimulating experiences they provide for children. For instance, staff carefully explain the differences between snails and slugs and answer children's questions about bugs they find. However, staff do not always provide children with enough time to talk and practise this new vocabulary to fully enhance children's communication skills. n Effective planning and assessment mean that staff have a good understanding of children's interests, strengths and needs. Staff identify any gaps in learning

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need to do better?

13 September 2024 swiftly and put individual support in place. This means all children are continually moving forward in their learning. n Staff encourage children to make choices and decisions about what they eat, drink, and play with. For example, children are encouraged to make healthy choices from their lunch boxes. Younger children pour their own drinks and use cutlery to feed themselves. However, the curriculum for developing independence for older children is not as strong. For example, staff provide resources and complete tasks for children without encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves to help prepare them for school. n The provider has high expectations of staff and are keen to support their well- being. The staff supervision process is robust to ensure staff receive regular guidance and training to further develop their practice. For instance, staff recently received safe sleeping training. Following this, staff have embedded and

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need to do better?

follow a thorough process for monitoring babies and children as they sleep. n Children show a positive attitude to learning and their behaviour is good. For example, they listen and follow staff's instructions to line up at the end of outside play. They form a line quickly and happily choose to sing nursery rhymes as they follow staff back into the setting.

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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 give children the time they need to share their ideas and to practise using new vocabulary to develop children's communication skills further n help older children to develop their independence skills further by offering more opportunities for them to complete tasks for themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 139383 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10351318 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Holwell Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01963 23368 Date of previous inspection 24 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Holwell Nursery School registered in 1993. The nursery is situated in the village of Holwell, near Sherborne, Dorset. There are 10 staff who work with the children, including the manager. The manager and one other member of staff are qualified to level 5. Six members of staff hold a level 3 qualification, one has a level 2 qualification, and one member of staff is unqualified. The setting offers government funded places. The nursery opens from Monday to Thursday from 8am to 5.30pm and on Friday from 8am to 4.30pm, all year round.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises with the manager. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about her curriculum and what she wants children to learn. n The inspector held discussions with the manager throughout the inspection and discussed how the curriculum is planned and implemented and how children's progress is monitored. n Staff talked to the inspector about their key children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with manager. n The inspector spoke to children and parents.

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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

13 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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