Children 1st Nursery Limited

Inspection of Children 1st Nursery Limited St. Peters School, Cottonmill Lane, St. Albans AL1 1HL

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are incredibly comfortable in the nursery. Staff welcome them with enthusiasm and sunny smiles. Very quickly children wash their hands and settle at the table for lunch. Staff engage in lively discussions with children, enquiring about their morning and how they are feeling. This helps children to feel settled, safe and secure. Staff show tremendous kindness to children, and this helps them to develop kindness and empathy for others. Children take the time to write notes and letters to their friends and teachers.

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The provision is good

Children show high levels of respect for the rules. Staff act as excellent role models and offer praise for positive choices. This helps children to develop a secure understanding of the expectations. As a result, children are developing a sense of right and wrong, which leads to exemplary behaviour and positive attitudes to learning and play.

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The provision is good

The nursery curriculum is highly ambitious. It has been well designed by leaders to give children a fully rounded early education. Children benefit from the carefully constructed design that offers the opportunity for children to make continuous progress across the seven areas of learning. This ensures that they are fully prepared for the transition to school.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum is incredibly ambitious. Children follow a 'flight path', which is sequenced and breaks learning down into manageable chunks. Leaders are clear about what they want children to learn and have ensured that all teaching staff fully understand this. n Leaders use assessments to track the excellent progress children make. There is a clear understanding by committed staff about what children need to learn during their time at the setting. Therefore, children are making consistent progress from their starting points and building on what they already know and can do. n Support for disadvantaged children is effective. Children who speak English as an additional language make impressive progress and quickly become proficient in their use of English. This helps them to develop their social interactions and engage fully in learning. n Older children show a deep understanding of numbers and counting. They

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need to do better?

skilfully add candles to birthday cakes, matching the quantity shown on birthday cards. At registration, children count the number of children. Staff ask them if today there are more or less children, and they help children estimate how many more 'children' are needed on the board to make the new bigger number. n Children enjoy traditional songs and rhymes. They remember words and actions

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need to do better?

25 February 2025 to favourite ring games and participate with enthusiasm. They are developing a love of traditional stories and appreciation of the language that books offer. Leaders choose books carefully, giving children access to rich print, images and repetition. This exposes children to rich and diverse vocabulary. n Children show positive attitudes to healthy lifestyles. They are highly energetic and approach physical play with great enthusiasm. Outside, they run around and kick balls and balance on beams with skill. They balance risk with safety as they navigate the climbing structure with confidence. n Older children access meaningful interactions that stretch and challenge their thinking. Staff ask open-ended questions and sustain their ideas and thinking. For example, when making potions, they discuss the different parts of the plants and are encouraged to design their own potions. Sometimes, these opportunities

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need to do better?

are not as strong for younger children, which means they are not as deeply engaged in their play and learning. That said, when adults do commit time to younger children, they show an increased level of engagement and sustained interest. n Leaders are ambitious for children and strive to deliver the best outcomes. The manager is very open to feedback and recognises the benefit of continuous improvements. This means that they are constantly striving to improve the curriculum and quality of teaching. This leads to improved outcomes for children. n Partnership working is excellent and supports children's progress. Leaders have developed a secure relationship with the school. They work together to support transitions for children. Parents speak highly of the setting and the progress children make. They feel well informed about their child's time at the nursery.

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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 develop more meaningful interactions with the youngest children to ensure that they are able to access the same high-quality teaching as older children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2712867 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10376623 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 28 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Children 1st Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01727853075 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Children 1st Nursery Limited re-registered in 2022. It is located in St. Peters school in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of whom, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including two staff who hold qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, during term-time only. Sessions are from midday until 4pm. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector carried out a learning walk and discussed how the curriculum for the nursery is organised. n The inspector spoke to parents who shared their views, and their comments were taken account of. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager of a mathematics activity. n A range of documentation was sampled, including evidence of suitability checks. n The inspector observed teaching and learning, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's development.

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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

25 February 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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