The Garden at Kingswood

Inspection of The Garden at Kingswood Kingswood Preparatory School, College Road, Bath, Somerset BA1 5SD

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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

All children are safe and secure in this calming, nurturing nursery. Staff welcome children happily. They settle quickly and engage with learning on offer. Children form strong attachments with staff and confidently seek them for support and reassurance where needed. Staff know all children very well and are tuned into their needs and interests.

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The provision is good

The provider and the staff work closely together to construct and deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum. They create exciting learning opportunities that are meaningful and tailored to children's individual needs. Staff create opportunities for babies to pull to standing at low-level, table-top activities to develop their core strength ready for walking. Older children develop their early listening and attention skills when staff excitedly engage them in an activity of 'What's in the box?' Children are eager to join in and keen to identify pictures and items from the box. They beam with pride when staff praise them for having a go.

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The provision is good

Staff imbed the importance of healthy living from a young age. Babies have daily access to fresh air and exercise. They explore the local green areas and observe the changes in seasons. Specially trained staff provide older children with weekly forest school sessions, where they develop their physical skills and learn how to assess risks in a safe, supportive environment. Children receive balanced meals that are freshly prepared on site. Children learn the impact of positive health and well-being from a young age.

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need to do better?

n The provider prides themselves on supporting staff's well-being and providing opportunities for professional development. Staff speak highly of the support they receive daily, in addition to termly supervision meetings, where they can discuss their roles and any training needs. Staff are offered two non-contact days a year where they can develop an area of their choosing. Some have previously visited outdoor settings locally to share practice and deliver these ideas to staff to implement in the nursery. Staff also have an 'extra-curricular' role, which is of interest to them. Some have taken on the role of baking classes with the children while others have created a 'lending library' to promote parents to read with their children at home. Staff and children are happy, and they thrive in the nursery environment. n The provider and the staff create exceptional partnerships with parents. Staff know all families well and work closely with them to ensure that there is a

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need to do better?

collaborative approach to their children's care. Parents report there is excellent communication from staff. Staff are very flexible for working parents and arrange meetings outside of working hours or online if needed. Parents speak highly of

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need to do better?

14 January 2025 organised events for all the family to attend, such as grandparents gardening mornings and afternoon tea parties. Families are valued and well supported. n Staff know all children well, and children make good progress from their starting points. They use their knowledge of the children to create achievable and meaningful next steps for them. Staff are aware of those children that require extra help and provide activities to help close the gaps in learning. Where needed, staff refer to external professionals to seek support and guidance to help best meet children's needs. n The provider exposes children to a wide range of opportunities and experiences. For example, children attend weekly Spanish lessons, drama classes and music sessions. Children build their confidence and resilience from a young age when they participate in new experiences, with different adults, and learn new skills some of which are on the school grounds, outside of the nursery environment.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's communication skills to teach them the value of language and give them confidence to communicate their needs. Staff use songs and rhymes with babies and talk to them throughout self-care routines. Staff introduce new vocabulary to older children, such as 'alligator', when they explore animals in the water tray. Staff encourage children to use language when they say 'ready, steady' and wait for children to fill in the gaps. Children say 'splash' with joy, and staff mimic their words. Children learn the value of communication. n Staff begin to support children to understand the routines and expectations of the nursery. Children learn independent self-care skills when they wipe their faces after meals and return their plates to the trolley. However, at times, staff do not use effective strategies to ensure that all children are able to engage and take part in learning. For example, some children rely on their comforters for

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need to do better?

reassurance. Staff are not consistent at helping children to lessen their reliance on these during play and to help them understand why this is important. At times, this impacts on children's ability to fully participate with the learning on offer.

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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 consistent strategies to help all children to understand the expectations and to learn from all experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561450 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10376909 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 79 Name of registered person Kingswood School Trustee Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01225 734460 Date of previous inspection 15 September 2022

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Information about this early years setting

The Garden at Kingswood is located in Bath and registered in 2018. The nursery employs 36 members of childcare staff. Of these, 24 hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 3 to level 6, including four members with qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 48 weeks of the year, from 8am to 6pm. The nursery accepts government funding for all children.

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Inspection activities

n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on the children's learning. n The inspector and the provider carried out a joint observation. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector spoke with the provider about the leadership and management of the setting. n The provider showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

14 January 2025 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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