Gilwell Hill Children's Day Nursery And Pre-School

Inspection of Gilwell Hill Children's Day Nursery And Pre-School 1 Baden Drive, LONDON E4 7FF

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 Not applicable

p.1

The provision is good

Children are happy, confident learners, who thrive in this nurturing nursery. They form secure relationships with staff and build positive friendships with their peers, which helps develop their emotional well-being and helps them to feel safe and valued. Staff deliver an ambitious and sequenced curriculum that fully supports children's learning and development. Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and engagement as they explore the environment and make independent choices in their play. Staff provide engaging activities, such as colour mixing and investigating light and shadow using a projector, which captures children's natural curiosity and deepens their understanding of scientific concepts. Children are active learners, who are confident to experiment and make predictions.

p.2

The provision is good

Independence is woven into everyday routines. Children self-serve meals, pour drinks, and carry out self-care skills, such as handwashing, with confidence. Staff encourage them to prepare their own healthy snacks, peeling bananas and using knives to cut vegetables. Life skills are taught progressively and adapted to suit children's ages and development. Children have a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. They explore family books and use a globe to find the countries their families are from. Children feel proud of who they are and show respect for one another as they learn about their peers' family heritage.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff place a strong focus on communication and language development. They use age-appropriate language with all children, implementing strategies, such as pausing, commenting and questioning, to help children build on their language. Staff introduce new words, such as 'carnation' and 'stem', as children create pictures with real flowers. Children make good progress with their language skills before starting school. n Children's physical development is exceptionally well supported. Younger children build on their core muscles as they navigate climbing frames in the outside area. A wide range of extra-curricular activities, including basketball and yoga, enhance the core curriculum and provide children with opportunities to develop coordination and balance. n Routines are well embedded in the nursery, helping children to understand what to expect. Mealtimes are social occasions, where children and babies relish the

p.2

need to do better?

freshly made meals and snacks. Staff make the most of the opportunity to interact with older children, who enjoy talking about their day. However, some mealtimes for toddlers are less well organised, which means they do not consistently benefit from the same social experiences to fully support their learning.

p.2

need to do better?

28 May 2025 n The nursery has extensive community links and provides a range of extracurricular opportunities. Children make regular visits to local amenities, such as the library and post office, as well as engaging outings to the forest and visits to the local care home. These opportunities support children's confidence, sense of community and understanding of the world. n A strong culture of reading is embedded throughout the nursery. Cosy and inviting reading areas are available in every room, and children access books independently with great enjoyment. Focus books are revisited regularly, helping children to understand stories and develop a love for books. These positive early experiences lay the foundations for strong early literacy skills. n Partnerships with parents are strong and highly valued by families. They speak extremely positively about the quality of care and education their children

p.2

need to do better?

receive. Parents are kept up to date with their child's learning through reports and consultations. A range of workshops equip parents with practical strategies to support learning at home. Parents are welcomed into the nursery to read stories and attend regular events, enabling them to become fully immersed in nursery life. n Mathematical learning is strongly supported. Staff plan meaningful opportunities for children to explore early maths concepts through real-life experiences. For example, children experiment with large scales and jars of rice, exploring which is heavier. Staff use language such as 'half full' and encourage children to estimate which side will be heavier. n Staff supervision and professional development are well embedded. Leaders have effective systems in place to monitor staff performance through peer observations, and supervisions. Feedback is given promptly, and staff strengths

p.3

need to do better?

are regularly acknowledged. Leaders demonstrate a strong understanding of the team's needs, offering on-the-spot coaching and a wide range of professional development opportunities to enhance practice to ensure that every child has a good start to their education.

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 mealtimes for toddlers to better support their learning and evaluate the impact of any changes on the quality of children's experiences.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2699462 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10392111 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Hoppers Nurseries Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 02085294614 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Gilwell Hill Children's Day Nursery and Pre-School registered in 2022. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for eligible children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together 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 has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity in the under two's room with the deputy manager. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. The inspector spoke with parents and carers during the inspection and took account of written views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the nursery and a selection of other records.

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

28 May 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