Orchard Day Nursery

Inspection of Orchard Day Nursery 239 Henley Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire RG4 6LJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

The provider has made progress since the last inspection. However, some staff's practice is variable and their care of children and teaching is not consistently good. Nevertheless, children enjoy their time at the nursery. They settle well and form positive relationships with the staff and each other.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff know children well as individuals. They plan interesting activities, which children enjoy and engage in well. For example, babies and toddlers enjoyed exploring herbs and natural materials during water play. Staff working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) show a secure awareness of strategies implemented to support their needs. Not all staff demonstrate a confident understanding of the curriculum learning intentions or provide effective interactions to children. This means that some children do not benefit from the intended learning during activities.

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The provision requires improvement

Children develop some positive skills, including independence. Older children learn to do things for themselves, such as serve their own food and manage their clothing. Younger children gain skills in feeding themselves, and staff encourage this positively. Staff provide some appropriate guidance to children about their behaviour and give them positive praise and encouragement. Children show awareness of familiar daily routines and behaviour expectations.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have taken steps to address the actions raised at the last inspection. For example, staff work with parents and other professionals to provide consistent support and strategies for children with SEND. There are robust procedures to meet children's individual dietary needs, which staff understand and implement. The provider has implemented an action plan to continue to develop the quality of the provision, including training to improve teaching. However, arrangements for leaders to monitor and support staff, such as supervision meetings, have only recently started and are not yet having enough impact. n Staff are caring and enjoy being with the children. Leaders model effective interactions with children to other staff. However, not all staff have a good enough understanding of the curriculum learning intentions to help children securely gain the skills and knowledge they need for the next stage of learning.

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need to do better?

Sometimes children's learning is incidental rather than purposeful. Staff's teaching is not always well matched to children's needs. For example, some children lose interest during story times as the books chosen are too complex. n There are times when staff manage the daily routines well and children cooperate with these. However, at other times, such as when preparing to go outside and during lunchtime, the organisation is less effective. Some children

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need to do better?

12 March 2025 wait for unnecessary long periods and start to become bored due to a lack of ongoing engagement from staff. n Staff generally provide consistent guidance to children about their behaviour. However, some staff do not explain to children why some rules and boundaries are in place, to help develop their awareness of expectations. For instance, staff asked children to stop as they went to climb on equipment before staff were ready to supervise them. This helped to keep children safe but did not help them to learn to manage risks for themselves. n Children benefit from healthy, freshly cooked home-made meals that meet their needs. Overall, staff promote good hygiene practices, and children wash their hands regularly. Pre-school children are independent in their self-care. For instance, they use a mirror to check they have cleaned their noses or wiped their faces well. Occasionally, some staff do not respond promptly to younger

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need to do better?

children's needs for support with their self-care, such as cleaning their noses. n Staff know the children and families well. They take steps to include children's different backgrounds and help children become aware of similarities and differences, such as through books. Pre-school children learn to play cooperatively together in small groups. For example, they shared ideas with each other and staff when making a space rocket together. n There is ongoing communication between staff and parents, including daily discussions about children's needs. Staff arrange play days at the nursery for parents to spend time with their children and staff. Parents speak very positively about their children's time at the nursery. They compliment the friendly staff and their communication. Parents highlight that there are sensitive and considerate settling-in procedures for children when they start and when they move rooms.

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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 build on the staff's quality of practice further to help them provide consistently good care, support, teaching and interactions with children n strengthen staff's understanding of the curriculum and the skills and knowledge they want children to gain over time n develop the organisation of changes of routines to help keep children more purposefully engaged n support staff to promote children's understanding of why some behaviours are not suitable.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY225572 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10378143 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 54 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Orchard Resources Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0118 947 5797 Date of previous inspection 17 October 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Orchard Day Nursery first registered in 1989 and re-registered in 2002. It is based in Caversham, on the outskirts of Reading, Berkshire. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The provider offers government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children. The nursery employs 18 staff to work directly with the children. Of these, 14 staff hold recognised early years qualifications from levels 2 to 6.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Leaders of the nursery completed a learning walk with the inspector of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n A meeting was held with the leaders to review the leadership and management of the nursery. n Children chatted and interacted with the inspector during the inspection. n The manager, assistant manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a small-group activity. n Some available parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n A sample of documentation was reviewed as part of the inspection process.

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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

12 March 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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