Little Heath Nursery Playgroup

Inspection of Little Heath Nursery Playgroup Parish Hall, Thornton Road, Potters Bar EN6 1JJ

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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

Enthusiastic leaders and staff welcome children warmly into this exciting learning environment. Their nurturing approach and strong knowledge of children enable children to settle well and remain engaged in meaningful play throughout their time at the setting. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They chat confidently to visitors and are keen to show them the activities they enjoy and engage them in play.

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The provision is good

Children develop a sense of ownership and belonging in their nursery. Staff provide opportunities for children to take on roles of responsibility throughout the session. Children play a key role in organising activities and maintaining their learning environment. For example, children wipe down tables prior to eating and tidy away resources. They delight in taking turns to ring the bell and alert their friends to key routines in the setting.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff implement an effective key-person system. This allows children to form close bonds with nurturing staff who have a robust understanding of their needs and early experiences. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from particularly precise support. This careful consideration for children's individual needs enables all children to make strong progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Relationships with parents are strong and respectful. Parents talk enthusiastically about the team and the nurturing care it provides. They particularly appreciate the focus staff place on children's emotional well-being. Parents comment on how this supports children to 'grow as individuals'. Communication between staff and parents is strong. Parents discuss how they stay informed about children's routines and progress verbally and via an electronic journal system. They state that the ideas the staff provide enable them to further support children's learning at home. n Morale is high, and staff are passionate about their role in promoting children's development. They comment on the immense support they receive. Leaders encourage staff to develop their knowledge and skills further. They provide a wealth of online and face-to-face training opportunities that staff embrace. n Children develop a love of books from an early age. Staff encourage children to

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need to do better?

find pleasure in exploring stories independently throughout the day. Children join in exciting, interactive story sessions where they explore their choice of books with enthusiastic staff. These strategies develop children's early literacy skills and allow them to practise essential routines required for their next stage of learning. n Staff provide a good balance of planned activities and free-play opportunities.

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need to do better?

2 April 2025 Children explore a vast range of age-appropriate resources that support their different interests. Group activities are arranged to promote specific areas of learning based on the needs of this cohort of children. However, sometimes staff do not adapt their teaching sufficiently during group sessions to support the precise needs of the individual children involved. n Leaders construct a strong and appropriate curriculum that is well implemented by staff. They understand how developing children's emotional well-being and fluency is central to their future learning. During all activities, staff encourage children to explore their emotions and what causes these feelings. For example, children explore their faces in mirrors. They discuss their feelings before drawing self-portraits reflecting these. During a modelling dough activity to develop their hand strength, children create faces that display various emotions.

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need to do better?

n Children are critical thinkers who relish solving problems in their play. Attentive staff support children to embrace challenges and persevere in achieving their desired outcome. For example, children create pictures with various wooden shapes. When they run out of semicircles, staff encourage them to identify the other shapes they could use to form their pictures. n Leaders and staff reflect diligently on practice and make well-considered changes. They are committed to enhancing the care they provide and support the specific needs of children. For example, recent changes to snack and meal times provide sociable routines that support children's preparation for school.

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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 ensure staff take every opportunity to adapt their approach during group activities and support all children to make consistently outstanding progress from their starting points.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY469837 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10380355 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Michael, Hajnalka

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reference number

Telephone number 07737 857990 Date of previous inspection 6 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Heath Nursery Playgroup registered in 2013. It operates from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 2.45pm, during school term time. There are six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several during the inspection and reviewing feedback letters. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and leaders completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the setting and tracked the progress of several children.

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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

2 April 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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