Secret Garden

Inspection of Secret Garden 29-31 Parkhill Road, London NW3 2YH

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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 eager to arrive at this warm and welcoming pre-school. Children develop strong bonds and have positive relationships with staff. Those who are new to the pre-school separate easily from their parents. Staff ensure that children feel safe and secure from the moment they settle in. This helps them to become confident learners. Children are supported to be independent from a young age. They are beginning to recognise their name as they hang up their coats and bags on their labelled coat peg.

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The provision is good

Children have positive attitudes to learning and engage in activities for prolonged periods. The staff's calm and caring nature supports children to understand what is expected. Children behave well. They develop strong friendships as they find a quiet area to share books together. Children relish playing outside. They benefit from opportunities to learn about nature and respect for living things. Children talk about the weather, saying, 'Rain helps the trees grow.' Children giggle and laugh with their friends as they splash and jump in the puddles. Their physical development is well supported. They enjoy riding the wheeled resources and tricycles and running through the musical maze. They show care and consideration for each other. Children learn to share resources fairly and take turns. They learn about their own identity and cultural diversity around them, which helps them to feel special and unique.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are passionate about outdoor learning. They provide children with a safe environment where they can enjoy themselves and learn new life skills. Thorough self-evaluation includes the views of children, parents and staff. This helps the setting to continue to improve the outside learning experience even further. n Staff plan a progressive educational programme. They regularly observe children and make accurate assessments of their learning and development to ensure that learning is secure before moving them on to the next stage. This helps children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals and ensure that children receive timely support. n Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and physical exercise in the garden. They make their own choices about play and are supported by the staff. For

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need to do better?

example, toddlers smile and laugh with each other as they fill cups with sand and water, empty them into the puddle and use brushes to sweep. Children enjoy regular sessions of tennis, football, yoga and music. n Children use their imagination during role play. For example, during the inspection, they invited the inspector into their den for a tea party and shared

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need to do better?

27 September 2024 cupcakes they had made with red food colouring and water. They told the inspector how the red water looks purple when they use a blue spoon. n Staff support children's communication skills effectively. They use songs and rhymes to develop children's understanding of common words and language patterns. They speak slowly and clearly to children, repeating words and modelling sentences so that they hear the correct way to say them. Children who speak English as an additional language are encouraged to speak their home language. n Staff place a strong emphasis on expanding children's emotional vocabulary from a young age. Staff support children to express how they are feeling, either with words or by using visual picture cards. n Staff help children to adopt healthy lifestyles. For example, children know that they need to wash their hands before eating. They enjoy healthy meals and socialise well with their friends.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a stimulating learning environment for children of all ages. They provide quiet spaces for children to listen to stories or for specific teaching, such as small-group activities. Occasionally, staff do not make the best use of opportunities to promote children's concentration and engagement during focused group activities. For example, children lost interest in the baking activity as they were waiting too long to join in with weighing the ingredients. n Staff receive effective support and supervision, which helps them to continually improve their practice. Training is focused and shared with the team to ensure that all staff benefit. Managers work hard to promote staff well-being. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff keep parents fully informed about their children's learning and development, including through daily chats and an online app. Parents speak highly of the very good care their children receive

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need to do better?

from the approachable and helpful staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n further support staff to plan group activities fully to make the best use of opportunities to support all children's concentration and engagement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY551437 Local authority Camden Inspection number 10351811 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Flintnursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 442077223812 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Secret Garden registered in 2017. The pre-school is situated in Belsize Park, in the London Borough of Camden. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3pm, during term time. The pre-school has eight members of staff. Of these, two hold an appropriate qualification at level 6, one holds a level 5 qualification, four hold a level 3 qualification and one staff is unqualified. The pre-school provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of the education being provided, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on the children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation in the morning session. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to staff and children during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

27 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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