Felixstowe Nursery School

Inspection of Felixstowe Nursery School Ambulance Hall, Ataka Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 9DH

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children are warmly greeted into the homely setting by welcoming staff. They are excited when they see their friends and are keen to join in and play. The children know the routine and hang their coat on their peg, which gives them a sense of belonging. Outdoors is a fun place for the children to explore. Staff diligently set up the environment, both indoors and outdoors, to entice children to engage and discover the different areas. Children have very good imaginations and enjoy creating different games, often centred around the toy babies or the shop the staff have set up. They role play real-life situations, such as using a card machine in a till and caring for a baby. Children have a good attitude to learning and are eager to take an interest when staff talk to them about new things.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff are positive role models to children and, as a result, children behave incredibly well. Older children play collaboratively and negotiate sharing. Younger children are well supported by staff, who play games to teach them how to take turns and develop their skills to share.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff are incredibly intuitive about children's needs and respond quickly to them. They pride themselves on how well they know their key group of children and the relationships they build with their families. They use their knowledge to focus on key areas of learning for each of the children in their key group. n The curriculum centres around themes, this term is spring. The children are learning about life cycles. They are very passionate about nature and enjoy learning about caterpillars and ladybirds. 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' is a familiar story, which children thoroughly enjoy recounting both in a group or individually. They like drawing pictures and are very proud when they show staff. n Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents speak very highly of the setting. They highlight that the communication is particularly effective. Staff offer a home visit before children start, which allows them to observe them and

p.2

need to do better?

gain valuable insight into their interests. This information is used to provide resources to help children settle quickly into the setting. Ongoing information about children's development is shared verbally at the end of each session and parents are also invited to attend a parents' meeting to discuss their child's learning in more depth. In addition, staff make a learning journey book, which is given to the child when they leave the setting to reminisce and share their experiences with their families. n Staff have high expectations for all children. They work incredibly hard with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they are fully included. They have created strong links with other professionals and support parents to make referrals. Plans are followed which has a positive

p.2

need to do better?

13 March 2025 impact on children's development. n Staff position themselves well around the setting so that they can support groups of children in each area of the nursery as children freely choose where to play. Every day, children participate in a whole-group session. However, it does not always meet the needs of all the children. Staff expect children to sit for quite a long time and, as a result, some disengage, which limits their time spent benefitting from purposeful learning. n Staff introduce children to mathematics well. Staff encourage them to count items and use mathematical language in their play to compare the sizes of items. Puzzles challenge children to work out shapes, sizes and how they fit together. Staff tell the children that ladybirds have an equal number of spots on their wings. Children count and adjust their pictures, showing their mathematical knowledge. n Staff are proactive in identifying training needs, which focus on improving their

p.2

need to do better?

practice. They regularly have supervisions and staff carry out peer observations with feedback from peers used to strengthen their practice even further.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n review the organisation of group times to ensure that staff fully engage children to help them remain focused on their learning.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 251479 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10368590 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Felixstowe Nursery School Limited

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07905 504005 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Felixstowe Nursery School registered in 1987. The nursery school employs nine members of staff, eight of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above and one member of staff is working towards their level 3 qualification. Sessions are from 8.45am to 3.45pm, Monday to Friday, during school term time. The nursery school provides funded education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed their curriculum and what it is that they want their children to learn. 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 The provider and the inspector carried out a joint observation together. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to children during the inspection n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

13 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6