Barn Owls Nursery

Inspection of Barn Owls Nursery Barnhayes Farm, Frome St. Quintin, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 0HG

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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 are happy and feel they belong to a community of learners. They form close, trusting relationships with staff who make them feel safe and secure. Babies, young and older children play and learn alongside one another, fostering a nurturing environment. Staff support children in growing in confidence and independence. They entrust children with responsibilities and encourage mutual respect. Older children often take the initiative to guide younger children to make marks and draw colourful pictures on a large chalkboard. Their enthusiasm motivates everyone to get involved and enjoy the learning process.

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The provision is good

Leaders have developed a curriculum encompassing all areas of learning. In the mud kitchen, for example, children use multiple skills and recall previously learned knowledge. They read and follow recipes, apply mathematics to measure ingredients, and use social skills to negotiate sharing equipment while they make 'mud pancakes'.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from spending much of their time in the outdoor environment. They are physically active and routinely build strength and precision in the control of their bodies as they balance, climb, crawl and build throughout the day. Children behave well. They listen and follow instructions from staff. Children know the rules of the setting and know how to keep themselves safe, particularly when playing on outdoor equipment.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have developed a cohesive curriculum that sequentially builds children's confidence and communication skills. Their approach focuses on preparing children with the necessary skills and knowledge for future learning and school readiness. For instance, children learn to understand that words and marks have meaning by regularly drawing and writing their own ideas. They use clipboards placed around the outdoor area to write, draw and make marks. Children create treasure maps and eagerly dig in the sandpit to look for their imaginary treasure of golden chocolate coins. n Leaders and staff are good at supporting children's emotional well-being. They have high expectations while entrusting them with genuine responsibilities, promoting their sense of ownership. Children enjoy the task of maintaining and replenishing equipment. They use wheelbarrows to collect fresh sand for the sandpit and soil for the mud kitchen. Staff show appreciation for their

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need to do better?

contributions, and children feel valued and respected. They quickly notice when children struggle to manage and regulate their emotions. Staff take action when things do not go as children had hoped and talk about their experiences, helping children understand how their actions can make other people feel. Staff make a

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need to do better?

28 August 2024 special effort to acknowledge when children have made the right choice and tell them what they did that was successful. n Leaders and staff know children well. They accurately assess children's starting points and are aware of the necessary steps to support their individual development, especially for those with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff collaborate closely with parents to communicate children's achievements and any areas of concern. In addition, they offer families resources and ideas to try at home to enhance children's learning in the nursery. Staff ask children questions. However, occasionally, these are not always effective at deepening and extending children's thinking and learning, so some children do not always know how to improve their work or creations. n Staff model language well. They tell stories to children and engage them in imaginative play by introducing letters written by characters from stories such as

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need to do better?

'We're going on a Bear Hunt'. Children go on adventures around the setting, recalling key language from books while encountering different scenarios. For instance, they exclaim, 'Oh no, a sandpit. We can't go around it, we'll have to go through it!' Children also sit under a tepee and enjoy stories that staff read to them throughout the day. n Leaders and staff have developed good partnerships with parents. Staff invest in building relationships with parents and their children, developing trust and fostering a culture of inclusion to ensure that every child feels safe. Staff proactively involve parents in their child's development.

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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 use questioning more effectively to consistently extend and deepen children's thinking and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY361933 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10354783 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 30 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Legg, Sarah Jayne

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reference number

Telephone number 01935 83177 Date of previous inspection 6 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Barn Owls Nursery registered under the current ownership in 2007. This privately owned nursery is situated in Frome St Quintin, Dorset. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery owner is also the manager and holds early years professional status and the Montessori teaching qualification. She employs four staff. Of these, one holds early years teaching status, two hold childcare qualifications at level 3 and one is unqualified.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk in the outdoor and indoor environment and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of a group activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on

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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

28 August 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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