Spring - RAF Halton

Inspection of Spring - RAF Halton Tring Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP22 5PG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are greeted with warmth by caring staff who are genuinely delighted to see them. Staff take time to build strong connections with children and their families before they start. Individualised settling-in procedures cater to each child's unique needs. This allows them to quickly feel comfortable and eagerly participate in activities of their choice. Staff serve as strong role models who have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children from military families are supported well. Staff work with children and parents to support them through times of deployment, acknowledging this can be a difficult time, for all involved.

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The provision is good

Overall, children's interests are followed well and staff use these to plan activities to support them in their learning. For example, younger children enjoy exploring loose parts in the tuff tray. Older children measure out ingredients to make their own gingerbread, recalling prior learning from the traditional tale of 'The Gingerbread Man.' Children behave well and listen to instructions. They are polite and older children use please and thank you, unprompted.

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The provision is good

Children's physical development is promoted well. Children have opportunities to climb, balance and run freely in the outdoor area. They benefit from weekly forest school sessions, as well as the newly developed outside area. This helps to develop children's large-muscle movements. Children have opportunities to practice their fine motor skills. Pre-school children enjoy rolling, kneading and cutting the playdough and younger children make marks with water, on the easel with age- appropriate paint brushes. This helps to develop their fine motor skills and supports their dexterity in early writing, in readiness for school.

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need to do better?

n New leaders have been appointed and have worked hard to improve the nursery since the last inspection. They have also worked with the Local Authority who have supported them with action and improvement plans, which leaders have successfully implemented. n Leaders support staff in a variety of professional development opportunities to ensure that the children's needs are met and procedures are fully maintained. Staff feel that leaders prioritise their well-being. They receive regular supervision where they can discuss a range of issues. Leaders support staff to gain childcare qualifications to develop their career. This ensures that staff continually improve their teaching to help improve outcomes for children. n Staff and leaders have worked hard to embed a high-quality provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, (SEND), and speech delays. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to provide

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need to do better?

children with personalised support plans to help them make the best possible

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need to do better?

15 April 2025 progress. Any additional funding the nursery receives is used to support children's individual needs. n Leaders create an ambitious curriculum for the children in their care. Staff know the broad aims for children's learning, and development. However, some staff are unclear on the specific learning intentions for activities and how these support children's development. This means that some staff do not focus their teaching precisely enough to help children build on what they know and can do. n Children benefit from a language-rich environment. Staff are animated as they read books and sing songs with actions, throughout the day. Staff benefit from recent communication and language training. This includes a creative approach to support children's communication and language development through storytelling. These help children to be good communicators. n All children have a key person. Staff understand the importance of this role in

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need to do better?

helping children build attachments and feel safe and secure. However, opportunities for children to spend time with their key person are not always maximised. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Leaders and staff have recently implemented a range of strategies to further engage with parents. For instance, parents' meetings and resources to share at home to support learning. In addition, observation and assessment information is now regularly shared on the nursery's learning, and development application. These strategies have successfully been implemented and parents comment positively to this effect. n Children show that they are developing good levels of independence. For example, they help to tidy up and put on their own coats ready for outdoor play. Younger children are starting to learn to feed themselves and older children are confident self-serving their meals. For example, they use cutlery competently,

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need to do better?

pour their own drinks and scrape their plates at the end of lunchtime.

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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 fully understand the intent behind the curriculum to more precisely identify, and plan for, individual children's learning needs n improve how children and key people can spend more time together to build further on children's attachments and feelings of belonging and security.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY539491 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10362841 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 60 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Action For Children Developments Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01296 622151 Date of previous inspection 29 July 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Spring - RAF Halton registered in 2016. The nursery offers childcare between the hours of 7.30am and 5.30pm, all year round. The nursery receives government funding to provide early education for children aged from nine months to four years. There are 14 staff employed at the nursery, seven hold a relevant childcare qualification at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector completed a learning walk with the manager and deputy, through all areas of the premises used by the children. n Parents shared their views through verbal and written feedback. The inspector took these views into account. n The inspector talked to the manager, deputy, operations manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. n The inspector looked at a sample of the documentation. This included evidence about suitability and qualification records.

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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

15 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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